It is Tuesday, October 29, 2019.
Welcome to a new Legislative Day at the Abia State House of Assembly.
The Sergeant-At-Arms ushered the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Ifeanyi Uchendu and other Principal officers to the hallowed Chamber of the Abia State House of Assembly.
The Member representing Aba North State Constituency, Hon. Aaron Uzodike, prayed before the commencement of the House sitting at exactly 1:33pm.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
The Speaker announced that the Abia State House of Assembly will on Wednesday (Tommorow), 30th October, 2019, play host to their Senior Colleagues (Lawmakers from Abia State ) at the National Assembly in a Special Plenary at12 noon.
Leader of the House, Hon. Solomon Akpulonu, brought the attention of the House to the appointment of Hon. Tony Mezie Nwaubani as Special Adviser on Legislative Matters to the Governor by Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.
The Speaker appreciated the Governor for seeing it fit to appoint a former Member of the Abia State House of Assembly who represented Ukwa West State Constituency during his time in the House as his Special Adviser on Legislative Maters.
MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE, PERSONAL EXPLANATION
No Matter Of Urgent Public Importance, Personal Explanation was presented.
NOTICE OF PRESENTATION OF BILL
Clerk of the House, Sir John Pedro Irokansi Read the Notice.
(1) HAB 6: THE Abia State Consumer Protection Agency Bill, 2019 sponsored by Rt. Hon. IFEANYI Uchendu.
A Bill for a Law to Establish the Abia State Consumer Protection Agency and for other Matters Connected Therewith (Presentation and First Reading)
The Leader moved that the House allow the Bill to Pass First Reading.
The Speaker announced the Passage of the Bill to First Reading.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
Clerk of the Abia State House of Assembly, Sir John Pedro Irokansi, read the Orders of the Day as follows:
(1) Motion on the need to adopt Golden Guinea Breweries Products as the Official Drinks of the State.
Leader of the House, Hon. Solomon Akpulonu, moved that the item be stepped down to a future Legislative Day and for the Lawmakers to go straight into Item Number 3 on the Order Paper. The Minority Leader, Hon Sir Abraham Oba, seconded the Motion with the House Members responding in the affirmative when the Speaker put the Motion up for vote .
(3) Presentation of the Report of the Adhoc Committee on the incessant attacks on Isu Community by the Neighboring Communities of Utuma of Biase Local Government Area and Ukwa Of Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The Leader of the House moved that the Committee Chairman be allowed to present the Report. It was seconded by the Minority Leader while the House responded in the affirmative when the Speaker put the motion up for vote.
Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee and Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Ifeanyi Uchendu, in his report recalled that on Monday July 2019, the House, during Plenary, received a Matter or Urgent Public Importance on the incessant attacks on people of Isu Community by the neighbouring communities of Utuma of Biase Local Government Area and Ukwa of Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State.
FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS
(1) That Iheosu, Aba and Amachi communities all in Isu clan were attacked.
(2) That the farm settlements located at Ugbu, Obuga and Alioso in Obieze were completly destroyed.
(3) That many lives were lost (40 people to be precise)
(4) That there is need for the presence of security operatives in Iheosu.
RECOMMENDATIONS
(A) That Abia State Government should assist the displaced Isu people by providing shelter and food for the victims
(B) That NEMA and SEMA should come together to rescue the people.
(C) That the State Boundary and Delineation Committee headed by the Deputy Governor of Abia State should liase with his counterpart in Cross River State to ensure that lasting peace is maintained
(D) That the Abia State Commissioner of Police should restore the Police Post at Iheosu
(E) That the State Government should invite the Boundary Commission to delineate the exact boundary between Abia and Cross River State
(F) That all Security agencies, the Army, Police and the DSS should beef up security within and around the clan of Isu to ensure lasting peace.
Chairman of the Committee thanked the Speaker for the opportunity given to Members of the Committee to work in the capacity.
Leader of the House, Hon Solomon Akpulonu, moved that the House adopt the Report as a Working Document; the Minority Leader seconded it while the House responded in the affirmative when the Speaker put the Motion up for Vote.
The Speaker therefore Committed the Report to the Committee of the Whole.
NEXT ITEM.
(4) Presentation of the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Killing of a vibrant youth, Mr Ikedichukwu Christian Egwu of Umunneochi Local Government Area by Law Enforcement Agents guarding a quarry site in Uru Lokpanta, Umunneochi.
Leader of the House moved that the House do allow the Chairman to present the Report. The Minority Leader seconded the Motion while the House responded in the affirmative when the Speaker put the Motion up for Vote.
The Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Committee On Boundary Matters, Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Uchendu, presented the Report
PROCEDURE
In view of the urgency of the matter, the Committee swung into action and invited the following:
(A) The Traditional Ruler of Uru Lokpanta
(B) The Traditional Prime Minister of Uru Lokpanta
(C) The Chairman of Umunneochi Local Government Area.
(D) The President-General, Uru Lokpanta
(E) The Youth Leader of Uru Lokpanta
FINDINGS:
Sequel to the interactions with those invited, the Committee made the Following findings and observations:
(A)That in 2018, a truce was initiated by the Deputy Governors of Abia and Ebonyi States between Amanze People of Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and the people of Uru in Lokpanta, Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State over the disputed land where the quarry is situated.
(B) That, YILTER COMPANY was asked to vacate the site on the said land pending the determination of the true ownership of the land by the National Boundary Commission.
(C) That the people of Amanze in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State broke the truce and went into the quarry site to conduct business without waiting for the decision of the National Boundary Commission.
(D) That the Breaking of the truce by Amanze people in Ivo of Ebonyi State led to an uprising by Umunneochi youths in which the young man was shot dead from a stray bullet shot by security agents.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee therefore recommended as follows:
(1) That as a matter of urgency, all law enforcement agencies/ security operatives (ARMY, POLICE, DSS) should enforce the truce reached in 2018.
(2) That the National Boundary Commission should delineate the Boundary between the two States of Abia and Ebonyi to avoid further loss of lives.
(3) That the Commissioners of Police in Abia and Ebonyi should Investigate the death of Mr Ikedichukwu Christian Egwu of Uru Community in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State to ensure that justice is done to the bereaved family.
(4) That there should be full deployment of armed security men in the area to stop further killings of Uru indigenes by security men from Ebonyi State.
Chairman of the Committee thanked the Speaker for the opportunity and presented the Report.
The Majority Leader Hon Solomon Akpulonu moved that the House adopt the Report as a Working Document; the Minority Leader, Hon. Abraham Oba, seconded the Motion with the House responding in the affirmative when the Speaker put it up for vote.
The Report was subsequently adopted.
NEXT ITEM ON THE ORDER PAPER
(4) HAB4: The Abia State University Teaching Hospital Management Board Bill 2019 sponsored by Hon. Chukwu Chijioke et al.
The Leader Moved that the House Refer items Number 5, 6 and 7, and move straight to item Number 8 which was Adjournment.
The Leader then moved the Motion that the House adjourn Plenary to Wednesday, 30th of October, 2019; the Minority Leader seconded it while the House responded in the affirmative when the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji put it up for Vote.
The Abia State House of Assembly subsequently adjourned Plenary till Wednesday, 30th of October, 2019 at 10 am.
Courtesy: Media Unit, Office of the Rt.Honourable Speaker, ABIA State House of Assembly.
