The bills at plenary passed first readings following two separate motions by the house majority leader, Hon Tim Owhefere after the letters conveying them to the state legislature were read on the floor of the house by the Speaker, Rt Hon Monday Igbuya.
The bills include a bill for a law to amend the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council and Chiefs law and a bill for a law to provide for the Establishment of the Delta State Urban Water Corporation, Small Town Water Supply, Rural Water Supply, Sanitation Agencies and the State Water Sector Regulatory Commission
The governor in the letter said the amendment being sought in the state traditional rulers council and Chiefs law is in respect of the Ukwata of Umukwata kingdom in Ukwuani local government area.
According to Dr Okowa, the development followed a request from the kingmaker of Umukwata to the State government to amend their declaration by replacing the Okpara-Uku title which is gerontocratic with kingship which is a monarchical system of governance in line with modern realities.
He disclosed that the State Executive Council at its meeting of 20th March, 2012 approved the request which necessitated the bill for an amendment on item thirteen on the eight column of the schedule of the Traditional Rulers Council and Chiefs Law of 2006.
The Governor noted that with the proposed amendment, the tittle Okpala-Uku would be substituted with the tittle Ukwata of Umukwata Kingdom.
The second reading of the bill has been slated for Wednesday 16th November 2016.
On the Bill for a law to provide for the Establishment of the Delta State Urban Water Corporation, Small Town Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, the Rural Water Supply, Sanitation Agencies and State Water Sector Regulatory Commission, Governor Okowa said water was critical in the daily living of the people hence the need to effectively manage water resources in the State.
He stated that his government intended to achieve the management of water resources through the domestication of relevant provisions of the National Water and Sanitation Policy and establishment of a comprehensive platform for the coordination of the implementation of water projects as well as monitoring of sources of water production.
The second reading has been slated for Tuesday 15th November 2016.
In another correspondence to the house, the governor requested for the ratification of the Warri-Effurun Water Scheme concession agreement the state government entered into with a private firm.
The governor in the letter noted that despite the State government's huge investment on the Warri-Effurun Regional Water Supply Scheme which was inherited from the then Bendel State, the project has not been completed.
He said his administration was desirous of completing it in-spite the decaying infrastructure and financial constraints, hence the concession agreement with Messrs AG Gold Trust Limited trading in the name, Dom Domingo Water Company Limited.
Governor Okowa said under the agreement,mthe company which will bring in an investment of thirteen billion Naira was expected to operate the project for twelve years, upon completion.
He said the ratification of the concession agreement by the state legislature was a part the requirements for the concession agreement.
The letter was committed to the House committee on water resources and that of Legal and Judicial matters for scrutiny and further legislatively input before approval.
The Joint Committee is expected to submit their report next Tuesday.
0 comments: