Reps worried about mystery deaths in Rivers
‘ Replacement of SEC’S acting DG unfair, continued marginalisation of South’
deaths in Bonny Island, Rivers State, are giving the House of Representatives sleepless nights.
In effect, the house at plenary presided over by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila yesterday enjoined relevant authorities, including the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control ( NCDC) and the National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA), to wade in and arrest the situation.
The decision followed the adoption of a motion under ‘ matters of urgent national importance’ sponsored by Mr. Dagogo Farah and 11 other lawmakers from the oil- rich Niger Delta region.
The house directed the NCDC to immediately brief its joint committee investigating the dead fishes in Bonny and other Niger Delta coastal communities for necessary intervention of relevant government agencies and further legislative action.
It urged NEMA to provide relief materials to the people of Bonny Island in the interim.
Also, the green chamber called on the Federal Government to establish a Federal Medical Centre ( FMC) in Bonny to carter for the medical needs of multinational oil and gas workers as well as indigenes of the area.
Farah claimed that the unfortunate incident, which claimed about 13 lives, was occurring in Bonny Island not long after the discovery of large quantity of dead fishes around the Bonny/ Andoni shores.
He claimed that the deceased exhibited symptoms including loss of the sense of smell and taste, as well as fever, weakness, vomiting and stooling.
Interestingly, the symptoms were reportedly not exactly as those of the novel coronavirus disease ( COVID19), as it neither presented cough or respiratory issues.
R
EPRESENTATIVE of Etinan/ Nsit Ibom/ Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary, Onofiok Luke, has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s proposal for the replacement of Acting Director- General of the Security and Exchange Commission ( SEC), Mary Uduk.
In a statement by his Press
Secretary, Aniekan Udofia in Uyo yesterday, Luke, who is former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, said that in the spirit of federal character and merit, Uduk should have been confirmed as substantive DG of the SEC two years after her appointment rather than being replaced. However, he acknowledged that although it was the President’s prerogative decision to drop, appoint or replace Federal Government officials, he noted that such appointment( s) must be seen to be fair and just and in compliance with the federal character principle.
He, therefore, insisted that Uduk’s replacement as substantive DG of the commission was unfair, unjust and contrary to the principle of federal character, adding that Uduk’s record in restoring investors’ confidence in the nation’s capital market would have been a strong reason she should have been confirmed as substantive DG of the commission.
“Replacing her at a time of global economic instability was unnecessary, especially when her experience and competence in the market would have served the nation’s best interest.
“Federal Government’s proposal should worry every patriotic and detribalised Nigerians that the replacement of Uduk signals continued marginalisation of some sections of the country, especially the South- South and South- East,” he said.