Date: 2017-05-20

A Bill for a Law to fast track Administration of Criminal Justice in all Courts in Kwara State has passed through Second Reading at the floor of the House of Assembly.

Leading other Members in the debate, the leader of the House, Hon. Hassan Oyeleke who said the bill, about to be domesticated by the House, was sponsored by the Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad, when he was in the House of Representatives in the 7th Legislature, to make the nation's criminal Justice system conforms with international best practice.

The bill according to the House Leader, seeks among other thing to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Judicial system,by ensuring quick dispensation of criminal Justice in all Courts in the State and urged his colleagues to give the bill accelerated passage.

In their contributions, members representing Oke Ogun and Kaiama/Kemanji/ Wajibe Constituencies, who respectively traced the concept of ACJA to relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution, said domestication of the ACJA would enhance quick dispensation of criminal Justice and address other challenges bedeviling the State Judicial system.

Equally, a bill for a law to provide for the licensing and Control of Industrial Goods, Quarry Haulage, a bill for a law to impose a levy on manufacturing process, as well as a bill for a law to impose tax on Goods and Services consumed in Hotels, Restaurants and Event Centres within the State, passed through Second Reading, just as the Deputy Speaker Elder Mathew Okedare who presided over the Thursday's sitting, directed the bills to the relevant House Committees, to conduct all inclusive public hearing and report to the House within two weeks.

However, most members expressed divergent views on the State Manufacturing Levy Bill 2017 and Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Bill, saying that passing the two bills may amount to double taxation, thereby compounding the alarming unemployment rate and high cost of living of the people of the State.

Meanwhile, the House has urged the State government to provide a 500 KVA Transformer to occupants of Legislative Quarters, Irewolede area, to ease power problem in the area.

The Resolution followed the consideration of a report on " Overloading of Transformer by Shop owners outside the Quarters", written by Residents of Legislative Quarters in Ilorin.

The House also urged the State Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and State Bureau of Lands to provide transformer and other necessary facilities to their Clients, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, according to the House, should also ensure that all electricity facilities within its jurisdiction, were maintained to justify payments of bills, by Consumers.