Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, the Speaker, House of Representatives on Tuesday said the establishment of the New Partnership for Africa`s Development (NEPAD) would reduce corruption and crime in the country.
Tambuwal said this in Abuja while declaring open a two-day public hearing on a Bill for an Act for the Establishment of NEPAD Commission.
He said that the bill was long overdue and when approved would reduce poverty corruption, crime and encourage good governance not only in the country but also in Africa.
“The proponents of this bill believe that the establishment of NEPAD Commission will take care of some of major challenges like inadequate manpower, funding and absence of an enabling law,’’ Tambuwal said.
He said that the bill would give room for funds to be drawn from the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission for its programmes.
He said that the Federal Government had not allowed NEPAD to hire or retain staff and to access funds “but if there is a NEPAD Commission, the structure will change.
“A commission, backed by a law will enable NEPAD to enter into partnerships with local and foreign agencies and become a technical agency of the AU.’’
He said that the objective of NEPAD was to eradicate poverty and had achieved a number of goals.
The speaker said that the organisation had facilitated many negotiations which led to the reduction of African debts.
Tambuwal recalled that on Feb. 14, the House referred the bill to the Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa for further action.
He said that stakeholders had been invited to make well articulated inputs that would stand the test of time.
Rep. Abubakar Momoh, the Chairman, House Committee on? Integration in Africa said that the bill had scaled through the second reading in the House.
Momoh stressed the need for a stable structure with competent, skilled and dedicated staff, adding that it would promote efficiency in the delivery of service.
“NEPAD must overcome the challenges confronting its existence, a legal backing establishing its existence in form of a commission has to be enacted.
“If Nigeria must take its rightful position as a leading nation in Africa, there is the absolute need for it to champion the course of rapid integration.''
The PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, said that the establishment of NEPAD Commission would form a platform for social accountability.
Tukur said that the bill had suffered delay and should be passed as soon as possible.
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