Confab committees commence meetings

The 20 Standing Committees of the National Conference commenced work on Tuesday, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
Ten of the committees will be holding their meetings at the National Judicial Institute, while the other 10 will be meeting at NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja.
Speaking at the commencement of the meeting of his committee, Mohammed Jimeta, the Chairman, Committee on National Security, underscored the importance of national security to national development.
Jimeta said that no meaningful development would take place without the security of lives and property of the citizens and the nation’s territorial integrity.
The former Inspector-General of Police told members of the committee that there was nothing new to learn on national security, which the delegates did not already know.
Jimeta told members of the committee that they had “very little time,” noting, however, that their job was simple as there was nothing new about national security that had not been discussed.
Justice G.A. Oguntade, who chairs the committee on Law, Judiciary and Human Rights, said that with the calibre of legal professionals in the committee, there was hope for a successful outcome of their assignment.
Oguntade noted that the experience of the members would assist the conference in fashioning out a new constitution for the country.
Prof. Jerry Gana, the co-chairman of the Committee on Politics and Governance, said that good governance ensured rule of law, due process, accountability and efficiency.
According to Gana, a good government is not only sensitive to the needs of the citizens, but also ensures public and popular participation.
He said in constitutional democracy, the political party system must produce good candidates, adding that good leadership was central to the attainment of good governance.
Kumaila Mohammed, the Chairman, committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government, said that the responsibilities of the committee included discussing issues on Federalism, Regionalism, Forms of Government and Local Government Administration among others.
Some members of the committee expressed concern that Nigeria was not practising true federalism, which entailed strong federating units and a weak centre.
They contended that parliamentary and presidential systems of government had not solved the country’s problems.
They urged the committee to come up with an acceptable working form of government for Nigeria.
They insisted that a system that is home grown and takes into cognisance the peculiar nature of the component parts of the country needed to be evolved.
At the committee on Science, Technology and Development, the Chairman, Dr. Daniel Maddo, said the National Policy on Science and Technology would guide the committee in its work.
Abubakar Jijiwa, a member of the committee, expressed the hope that the committee would provide space for freedom of the media and welfare of journalists.
The chairman of the committee on Agriculture, Umaru Hadejia, who expressed concern that Nigeria was still importing food, urged the members to come up with “practical” solutions to the problems of agriculture.
Hadejia said that though River Basin Development Authorities were established to promote dry season farming, they were not working effectively as conceived.
Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, the Chairman of the Committee on Environment, read the thematic areas of concern to the committee and members agreed that coastal erosion should be added to gully erosion.
The committee also agreed to include natural resources as a thematic area under it.
The importance of the transportation sector as the main driver of the economy was emphasised by the Chairman of the committee on Transportation, Senator Musa Adedeh.
Adedeh informed members that the committee had no terms of reference and was expected to fashion out the guidelines for its deliberations.
Members of the committee called on Adedeh to confer with the conference secretariat to provide them with the Federal Government’s Transport Policy documents with which to draw out the guidelines.
Josephine Anenih, the Chairman, Social Sector Committee, urged members to justify the confidence reposed in them by the leadership of the conference by doing a thorough job.