Paramilitary Board: House Leader, Committee Chairmen Question Aregbesola

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

House Majority Leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, and some chairmen of relevant committees of the House over the weekend asked for explanations from the Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, on why the federal government is proposing to bring all major paramilitary agencies in the country under one governing board.

The House members who hosted the Interior Minister are currently in the process of passing a proposed bill from the executive seeking to create the new board.

The House leader who presided over the meeting stated that it was “necessary for them to seek the explanation on some provisions of the proposed amendment in particular why the ministry wants all these large entities put under one board.

“And another provision in the bill is seeking the appointment of four commissioners for the board which in our view could be a financial burden on governments. purse,” Doguwa told the visiting minister.

The minister who was accompanied by some management staff of the ministry had earlier told the lawmakers that the amendment of the Nigeria Immigration and Prisons Board Act is to enable inclusion of civil defence and the federal fire service.

The aim, he added, is to “align the functions and structure of the organizations.

“This meeting is in respect of an executive bill seeking amendment to the Nigeria Immigration and Prisons Governing Board, to bring the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp and the Federal Fire Service under the purview of the board to conform with related laws and practices,” he said.

The bill also covered matters of recruitment, promotion, remunerations, discipline and regurgitations respectively.

The lawmakers however assured the Minister that the House leadership would be briefed accordingly, with a view to making informed decision on the report of the committee by the House.