Reps To Debate Constitution Amendments As NSIPA Fund Delay Sparks Concern
By IFEOMA IZUCHUKWU
THE House of Representatives will on Wednesday begin debate on a comprehensive set of constitution amendment bills as part of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review, announced that deliberations will continue through Thursday, with voting scheduled for 10 and 11 December.
A total of 87 bills are under consideration, covering reforms in the electoral system, judiciary, fiscal federalism, and national security. Key proposals include creating additional parliamentary seats for women, establishing state police, creating new states and local government areas, and granting full financial and administrative autonomy to local councils. The debates are seen as a critical step in updating Nigeria’s governance framework.
In a related development, the House also turned attention to social welfare concerns, questioning the status of over ₦30 billion recovered during the Federal Government’s 2024–2025 probe into alleged financial irregularities at the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
The motion, sponsored by Rt. Hon. Saidu Musa Abdullahi, highlighted that despite the suspension of NSIPA being lifted in January 2025, the agency has been unable to fully resume operations because the recovered funds have yet to be remitted to the Treasury Single Account. Abdullahi warned that the delay is stalling key poverty-alleviation programmes such as TraderMoni, MarketMoni, FarmerMoni, and grants for vulnerable groups.
He emphasized that millions of Nigerians dependent on these interventions face prolonged hardship, and the uncertainty over fund custody poses serious fiscal and institutional risks, potentially undermining public confidence in government-led social protection efforts.
