Buhari’s refusal of assent to NASS’ bills hits 40

President Muhammadu Buhari has again declined assent to two more bills transmitted to him by the National Assembly.

This brings to 40 the total number of bills President Buhari declined assent to since the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly on June 9, 2015.

President Buhari conveyed  his decision to withdraw assent to the two bills-Nigeria Tourism Development Authority Bill and Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority Bill-in two separate letters sent to Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, and read at plenary on Wednesday.

Giving reasons for declining assent,  President Buhari said section 14(d), section 30(2d) of the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (Repeal and re-enactment) bill contradicts section 4 (1-3) and paragraph 60 (d) of the second schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

He stated that“Section 30 of the bill proposing to levy a tourism fee on all in-bound international travellers, a tourism levy on all out-bound travellers and a tourism departure contribution fee of one per cent per hotel room rate.

“Such flat fee has been fixed by the authority and a corporate tourism development levy of 1 per cent to be charged on the revenue of banks, telecommunications and other corporate entities. This will be inimical to the growth of the tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria and constitute additional burden on the tourism business,” the letter reads as Buhari’s second reason.

The President said he was rejecting the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority Bill based on the issue of funding and overlap of functions.

He stated: “The comprehensive definition of the Nigeria Inland Waterways covers virtually all rivers, lakes and lagoons irrespective of the location of the body. The bill contradicts provisions of the constitution which limits the power of the National Assembly to make laws in relation to water from sources affecting more than one state of inland waterways which has been declared to be an international waterway or inter-state waterway.

“The bill as currently drafted subject the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Environment and Nigeria Ports Authority to the supervision of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority.

“The funding provision of the bill which seeks to appropriate 25 per cent of the ports development levy annually, 15 per cent of the ecological fund annually and 1 per cent of the funds accruable to the federal government for oil and gas within the cleared waterways and the right of way and 2.5 per cent fees annually paid by companies operating power plants within waterways are grossly excessive and will negatively affect the revenues of the federal government”.

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