NLC Warns National Assembly Against Bringing Back Water Bill

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned the National Assembly leadership against passing the Water Resources Bill into law.

This was disclosed by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, in a statement released in Abuja on Monday, titled, ‘Do not ambush Nigerians.’

It would be recalled that in 2018, there was outrage over the bill when the eighth National Assembly was divided over it.

But on July 23, 2020, the bill resurfaced at the National Assembly as the House of Representatives referred it to a “committee of the whole,” for third reading and passage.

Last week Thursday, Prof Wole Soyinka, a playwright and social critic; and organisations such as the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Middle Belt Forum, also warned the Federal Government and the National Assembly against resurrecting the bill.

Wabba in the statement said that the nation is already facing a lot of challenges, saying it would be costly to cause fresh and unnecessary controversy.

He said, “Information in the public domain has it that the National Assembly leadership is working surreptitiously with vested interests outside the assembly to pass the bill without due legislative process.

“Although the National Assembly is constitutionally vested with law-making, we warn against the National Assembly ambushing Nigerians.

“We equally warn against legislative abuse or betrayal of Nigerians as this is what it will amount to if the bill is passed or caused to be passed without public engagement and scrutiny. Already, the sentiments expressed against this bill are too grave to be brushed off.”

Wabba, therefore advised that the bill should not be pass into law “because of the danger it portends to national unity.”

He said, “In the light of this, we state unambiguously that the National Assembly should listen to the voice of reason by resting this bill.

“As a pan-Nigerian organisation, we would continue to work assiduously for unity, development, justice and accountable leadership.”