Reps pass bill to put railway on concurrent legislative list to second reading

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

House of Representatives has passed a bill seeking to remove railway from the exclusive legislative list and include it in the concurrent list.

The bill titled “An act to alter the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) to provide that the federal government and the state governments shall have concurrent legislative authority on railway, and to provide for matters related thereto”, scaled through second reading after members debated its general principle at Thursday plenary.

Sponsor of the bill, Hon. Babajimi Benson representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency of Lagos State while leading the debate on the bill said that it shall alter the Second Schedule to the Constitution (as amended), Act (N0 24) 1999.

“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) is altered in the Second Schedule as set out below:
(a) in Part 1, under the Exclusive Legislative List, delete Item 55, and
(b) in Part 11, under Concurrent Legislative List, after paragraph 20, insert the following new Item;
“HA – Railways

20A – The National Assembly may make laws for the Federation or any part thereof with respect to Railways.

20B – A State House of Assembly may, subject to paragraph 20A hereof, make laws for that State or any part thereof, with respect to Railways”, he said.

The bill got the support of the members when put to voice vote and referred to constitution amendment Committee.

Vanguard News Nigeria