Youth parliament seeks restructuring, implementation of confab report

• N’Assembly lifts ban on tenement rates collection in FCT
The Nigerian Youth Parliament (NYP) yesterday asked the National Assembly to revisit the review of the 1999 Constitution and commence the process of implementing the 2014 National Conference report.

Speaker of the parliament, Ayodele Obe, said during a briefing at the House of Representatives that in view of agitations in most parts of the country, there was the need to urgently undertake its economic and political restructuring.

“Restructuring will allow the federating units to realise their socio- economic and political potential,” he said.

Obe urged the Federal Government to consider immediate implementation of the report on National Conference convened in 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

While pointing out that the Senate had asked the presidency to avail it the report to enable the senators consider its provisions, Obe said with sincerity of purpose in addressing the country’s challenges, Nigeria would achieve peace and greatness.

He also called on the National Assembly to promulgate a law that would check hate speeches by individuals and groups aimed at separating the country.

This, according to him, follows the quit notices being issued by some groups to citizens from other parts of the country residing among them.

Obe requested for a meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to seek solutions to the problem of unemployment facing the Nigerian youths.

He sought the convocation of a National Youth Conference on security and peace, in line with United Nations requirements.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly has lifted the suspension on collection of tenement rates in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja councils after deliberations on the matter at the House of Representatives.

Executive Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abdullahi Adamu Candido, yesterday said following the lifting of the ban, collection of tenement rates would begin immediately and vowed to deal with fraudulent council officials designated for the collections.

He stated this while addressing journalists on the benefits the lifting would bring not only by boosting the internally generated revenues (IGR) of the councils but would also be more responsive in infrastructure development.

Candido, who was represented by Salamatu Jibril of the AMAC Council Secretariat, added that the council was confident of generating up to N800 million yearly as against the N700 million they used to realise before the ban.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) had in May, 2017 approved the temporary suspension of tenement rates collection in the FCT in a circular by the Former FCT Permanent Secretary, Babatope Ajakaiye.

Ajakaiye had drawn attention to the constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly to prescribe tenements rates in the FCT adding that the FCTA would liaise with the National Assembly for the enabling law.