Andy Esiet, Calabar
The senator representing Cross River South Senatorial in the Senate, Senator Gershom Bassey has sponsored a total of 35 bills, 55 motions throughout his two term (2015 to 2023) tenure in the senate.
Out of the 35 bills that successfully passed through the third reading, 18 were personal to him while 17 were co-sponsored. In addition, the seasoned lawmaker also had 55 motions to his credit which 13 were personal and 42 co-sponsored.
Giving a legislative stewardship of his two term tenure in a statement released to some newsmen in Calabar, June 6, Senator Bassey said a total of 318 of roads were constructed and rehabilitated in his senatorial district within the period under review.
He stated that 20 classrooms were renovated, 750 solar street lights and 35 transformers were installed, 20 solar powered boreholes constructed and 20 primary health centres fully equipped.
On empowerment, he said “3,409 persons benefited from various forms of empowerment and a breakdown shows that 400 bursary grants provided for undergraduates, 50 foreign and local scholarships provided for post graduates, 500 grants for market women beneficiaries, 1,000 youths & women trained in various trade skills, 300 youths trained in solar installation and maintenance, 300 youths trained in entrepreneurial skills and 20 youths trained and certified in international sub-sea underwater electrical & welding skills.
“100 mini buses donated to various groups, 100 tricycles donated to various groups, 200 motorcycles donated to women and youths, 300 modern vulcanizing machines donated to constituents, 20 brand new 18 &32 seater buses donated to various groups, 26 senate ad-hoc committees’ membership, 18 senate standing committees’ membership including ecowas parliament and the nigeria-morocco alliance committee, 60 youths employed in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), 15 resolutions and reinstatement to employment for aggrieved constituents through the petitions mechanism of the senate”.
He further disclosed that N350 million were disbursed to various constituents, 4,000 benefited from covid-19 grant of between N450,000 to N750,000 while 120 beneficiaries got AGSMEIS loans of N2.5million each and one ultra modern world class oil and gas park facilitated by him is under construction.
He said some of the bills he sponsored include, a bill for an act to amend the flag and coat of arms act cap f30, 2006; Federal College of Forestry Technology and Research, Akamkpa (establishment, etc.) bill, 2018; a bill for an act to alter the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to give oversight powers to the national assembly over any fund or account created for the purpose of saving excess government revenue; a bill for an act to amend the National Boundary Commission (establishment) act cap n10 lfn; a bill for an act to amend citizenship and leadership training centre act, 2004 (establishment) act (amendment) bill, 2021.
He said there is also a bill for an act to amend the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency(establishment) act, cap .p43; a bill for an act to establish the Chartered Institute of Professional Secretarial Staff of Nigeria and for matters connected therewith; a bill for an act to establish the Nigerian Research Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Bakassi; a bill for an act to provide for mandatory public infrastructure maintenance and for other connected purposes, 2021.
A bill for an act to make provisions for the receipt and utilization of donations, gifts, grants or aids by ministries, departments and agencies and for other related matters thereto; a bill on correction, reformation and re-integration centre (establishment, etc), 2016; a bill for an act to provide for biometric data security and protection for information relating to persons, including the receipt, storage, utilization or disclosure of such information and for matters connected therewith; a bill for National Boundary Commission act cap n10 lfn 2004 (amendment) bill, 2018 and few others.
Senator Bassey also sponsored motions like: urgent need to adopt value-addition and domestication strategies to ensure real and sustainable economic growth; motion on the deplorable state of Nigeria’s federal roads; motion on Calabar football viewing centre tragedy; motion on the the need to review the domestic legal framework against illicit financial flows and to consider the creation of a tax amnesty for the voluntary repatriation of funds to Nigeria.
A motion for the unwarranted and negative implications of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revised cash withdrawal limits; motion on the mayhem visited on the ancient city of Calabar the first capital of Nigeria on 23rd and 24th October, 2020; motion on communal boundary crisis arising from non delimitation of Nigerian internal boundaries; the urgent need for an effective economic framework and regulatory approach to address the infrastructure crisis in Nigeria and many others.
