Hon Kelechi Onuzuruike, Member representing Umuahia North State Constituency led the opening prayer.
The Abia State House of Assembly commenced plenary after the adoption of Votes and Proceedings of Monday,21st December, 2020.
With the absence of any message from the Governor, petitions, personal explanations and matters of urgent public importance, the Clerk read out the items on the Order Paper for the Day.
ORDER OF THE DAY
H.A.M 11: Motion on the need for Board of Internal Revenue {BIR} to work in synergy with revenue generating MDAs for optimal revenue collection sponsored by Hon Chukwu Chijioke, Deputy Minority Leader and member representing Bende North State Constituency.
The sponsor of the motion prayed the House to,
1. mandate BIR to collaborate with revenue generating MDAs, especially the Ministries in charge of Agriculture, Solid Minerals and Industries in the collection of revenue for optimal collection.
2. mandate the chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue {BIR} to release rebates accruable to revenue generating MDAs in the State in record time to enable them function optimally.
In their respective contributions, Rt Hon Kennedy Njoku, Rt Hon A.C Thomas Nkoro, Hon Munachim Alozie, Hon Mike O Ukoha, Hon Obinna Ichita, Hon Jerry Uzosike, Hon Paul Taribo, Hon Emmanuel Ndubuisi, Rt Hon Chikwendu Kalu and the Leader of the House, Hon Solomon Akpulonu advised that the Chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue be invited to the House for further explanations
On his part, the Speaker, Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, thanked the Members for their observations and findings, saying that the Chairman of BIR will be invited to the House on the issue.
On the point raised by Hon Obinna Ichita who alleged that the Executive do not obey the Resolutions of the House, the Speaker explained that the Executive has not for once disobeyed any Resolution of the House saying that grey areas with the Executive should not be seen as disobedience to Resolutions.
Presentation of the Report of the House Committee on Appropriation on H.A.B. 37: The Abia State of Nigeria 2021 Appropriation Bill, 2020.
The Chairman of the Committee, Rt Hon Kennedy Njoku, presented the Report.
The Leader of the House raised a motion to adopt the report of the Committee on Appropriation as a Working Document of the House while the Minority Leader seconded the motion.
The Report was committed to the House Committee of the Whole for further consideration.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
The House dissolved into Committee of the Whole and considered the following:
{1} The Report of the House Committee on Appropriation on H.A.B. 37: The Abia State of Nigeria 2021 Appropriation Bill, 2020.
PASSED INTO LAW
H.A.B. 37: The Abia State of Nigeria Appropriation Bill was passed into Law and will take full effect from the 1st Day of January, 2021.
ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned plenary to reconvene on 1st February, 2021.
