The Senate on Wednesday sought life imprisonment for unlawful explosive manufacturers in the country.

The Upper Chamber, while considering a Bill seeking to repeal the Explosives Act 1964 and enact the Explosives Act 2023, recommended life imprisonment without the option of fine, as punishment for any person who unlawfully manufactures any explosives in the country.

The Red Chamber also moved to establish a tribunal for strict implementation of the Audit report as adopted by both chambers of the National Assembly.

The need for an Audit Report Tribunal came to the fore in the Senate when a bill sponsored by the Chairman, Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Mathew Urhoghide (PDP Edo South), was considered and passed for second reading.

Senator Urhoghide in his lead debate on the bill seeking for an Act to provide for strict implementation of the National Assembly recommendations on Annual Federal Audit Reports and for related matters said the proposed legislation was very necessary for the potency of the war against corruption.

He said that for the war against corruption to be effective, findings and recommendations made in the Audit report must be strictly implemented or enforced.

“Is not enough for the National Assembly as provided for in section 88 of the 1999 constitution to expose corruption through required investigation but go further, to ensure strict implementation of resolutions made,” he said.

Similarly the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan in his remarks, said the missing link of strict implementation of resolutions taken by the National Assembly on yearly audit reports, must be addressed.

He maintained that “The proposed legislation is very necessary. Something in the mode of a Tribunal is needed for strict implementations of recommendations informing the prosecution of offenders.

Public Hearing on this bill must be thoroughly conducted on how the Tribunal would be put in place as a potent way of fighting corruption. (Daily Independent)

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