President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to six bills including the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment) Amendment Act, 2017.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters – Senate, Senator Ita Enang disclosed this to State House corespondents in Abuja on Friday.
He said other bills assented to by the president include the Federal Capital Appropriation Act, the Federal Capital Territory Water Board (Establishment) Act, 2017, National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (Establishment) Act, 2017, Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017 and Anti-Torture Act, 2017.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment) Amendment Act, 2017 includes the gas producing and gas processing companies in the list of agencies that are contributing to the Niger Delta Development Commission in addition to the Oil companies in a bid to increase funding of the Commission for effective discharge of its duties.
Previously, the NDDC Acts excluded the gas companies.
The presidential aide explained that the Act makes it explicit that the Gas companies have to be included.
“This is to diversify the sources of funding for the NDDC for the economic wellbeing of the region,” he said.
The Federal Capital Appropriation Act also assented to, authorises the Federal Capital Territory Administration to legally and legitimately provide funds out of its Statutory Revenue Fund for recurrent and capital expenditure.
President Buhari had earlier assented to the Federal Capital Territory Water Board (Establishment) Act, 2017, National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (Establishment) Act, 2017, Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017 and Anti-Torture Act, 2017.
The Federal Capital Territory Water Board Establishment Act is charged with the responsibility for providing safe, adequate and affordable water supply services to the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
It is also to collaborate with the other authorities responsible for water resources management to secure efficient use of water resources for the conservation and protection of the water resources of the Territory and the nation.
The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (Establishment) Act, 2017 is to provide national direction in cancer research, control and treatment; guide scientific improvements to cancer prevention, treatment and care, coordinate and liaise between the wide range of groups and health care providers with an interest in cancer.
Also, Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017 provides for the compulsory treatment and care for victims of gunshots and for related matters.
Specifically, the Act stipulates that a person with a gunshot wound shall be received for immediate and adequate treatment by any hospital in Nigeria with or without initial monetary deposit.
Furthermore, a person with a gunshot wound shall not be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment or torture by any person or authority, including the police and other security agencies.
Anti-Torture Act, 2017 makes comprehensive provisions for penalizing the acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, and prescribes penalties for the commission of such acts.
Enang said the six Acts have come into effect as laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.