Ogun Assembly Amends Legislative Funds Management Law, 2 Others

The Ogun Assembly has amended three extant laws, with the State Judiciary Funds Management Law, 2020 passing through second reading.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the laws were the Legislative Funds Management Law, 2019, the Magistrate’s Court Law, 2019 and the Customary Court Law, 2019.

The unanimous passage of the amended bills by the lawmakers at the plenary on Tuesday followed the presentation of the report of the Committee on Rules, Bills and Resolutions by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff.

Sheriff later moved a motion for the adoption of the report and was seconded by Solomon Osho.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Olakunle Oluomo, directed that the clean copies of the amendment bills be forwarded to Gov. Dapo Abiodun for his assent.

In another development, the Assembly has said that the proposed State Judiciary Funds Management Law, 2020, geared towards financial autonomy for the arm of government, will promote transparency, accountability and prudence in the sector.

Lawmakers, including Solomon Osho, Akeem Balogun, Kemi Oduwole and Abayomi Fasuwa, gave the assertion while contributing to the debate on the bill during its second reading.

The lawmakers explained that when operational, the bill would further promote the principle of separation of powers among the three arms of government, while ensuring more financial independence for the judiciary.
Responding, Oluomo said that the bill was targeted at putting in place a legal framework for the financial administration of the judiciary, being the last hope of the common man.

The speaker, thereafter, committed the bill to the House Committee on Justice, Ethics and Public Petitions, for further legislative actions.