Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday assented to the National Senior Citizens Centre Act, 2018, and seven others.
The other bills signed into law are the Legislative Houses (Power and
Privileges), 2018; National Institute of Legislative Studies
(Amendment) Act, 2018, and
The Rail Loan (International Bank) (Repeal) Act, 2018, and Avoidance
of Double Taxation Agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and
the Kingdom of Spain (Domestication and Enforcement) Act, 2018, were
also assented to by Buhari.
The President also signed into law the Chartered Institute of Project
Managers of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2018, Chartered Institute of
Local Government and Public Administration Act, 2018 and Nigeria
Agricultural Quarantine Service (Establishment), Act, 2018.
Sen. Ita Enang, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on
National Assembly Matters (Senate), made this known when he briefed
State House correspondents in Abuja on Friday.
According to him, the National Senior Citizens Centre Act, 2018,
allows the establishment of the National Senior Citizens Centres by
institutions and three tiers of government in the country to cater for
the needs of the senior citizens.
“National Senior Citizens Centre Act which makes it compulsory that
institutions and the government would establish and have National Senior
Citizens to allow for proper care, training, orientation/reorientation
and care for senior citizens in Nigeria”.
He said the Legislative Houses (Power and Privileges) Act “increases
the power of the legislature, gives the legislators immunity on what
they do on the floor and in plenaries, and increases their powers to do
their legislative work more effectively”.
The presidential aide added that the Act also gave the legislature
and the legislators through the appropriate officers, power to effect
arrest of any person who offended the Act.
“The Legislative House Power and Privileges Act, grants the
Legislative Houses in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly
immunity from litigation for actions taken in plenary or committee
proceedings of the House or committee.
“It strengthens the power of the Legislators to carry out their Legislative functions.
“The powers include powers to summon any person to appear before her,
give evidence, including power of an officer of the legislative House
to arrest any person who commits an offense against the Act.’’
He said the National Institute for Legislative Studies (Amendment)
Act establishing the institute and widens her powers to include powers
to provide training courses and award Degrees on Democracy, Party
Politics, Electoral Process, Legislative Practice and Procedures, among
others.