The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday passed into Law the amended Coronavirus Pandemic Bill 2020 in order to accommodate more stipulations.
The newly amended Bill is aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19 and indiscriminate sales and distribution of COVID-19 drugs and vaccines in the State.
It would be recalled that the Bill was passed on the 26th of March, 2020 to afford Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu the legislative concurrence to expend money required to effectively contain the virus and enforce compliance by Lagosians.
The House also passed into Law the Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission (Amendment) Bill 2020.
It would be recalled that the House sent the Bill to the Governor for assent since September 2020. However, the Bill in question was not assented to by the Governor which prompted the House to set up an Ad Hoc Committee to proffer amicable resolution to the grey areas in the Bill with technocrats in the Establishment and Public Service.
Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, Hon. Victor Akande held various meetings with necessary officers in the Executive arm of government including the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Establishment and Training, Director, Admin and Human Resources (Public Service Office), Solicitor General/ Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice amongst others.
After due considerations of the submissions of stakeholders at the hearings, the Committee recommended that the proposed Deputy Clerks should be reduced from 5 to 3; the Permanent Secretary status of the Deputy Clerks be retained with special remuneration packages different from Director on Grade Level 17; also, the Leadership of the House should determine additional modalities for rewarding diligent officers and outstanding performances by staff who are committed to the goals of the Institution; amongst others.
The House thereafter adopted the recommendations of the Committee as the resolutions of the House.
The Bills scaled through their third readings. The Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa thereafter directed the Acting Clerk of the House, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko to forward clean copies of the bills to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his assent.
