By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
Immediate past Speaker of Kogi House of Assembly, Prince Matthew Kolawole has said that the 7th Assembly in the state passed 52 bills and issued 1,451 Resolutions from its motions in the last four years
Kolawole disclosed this while rendering account of stewardship of the House at a Valedictory Session of the 7th Kogi State House of Assembly on Monday in Lokoja.
Kolawole said that the Resolutions included 688 Regular Motions, 192 Matters of Urgent Public Importance as well as other Resolutions agreed to based on requests from the other Arms of Government and Reports of Committees.
“One of such Motions was that, urging Your Excellency to volunteer his services selflessly to the Nation as President.
“Your Excellency, while we take significant stock of our achievements in the number of Motions treated and Resolutions issued, we recorded, at the end of Seventh Legislative Assembly of Kogi State, 52 Bills registered and numbered after presentation”, he said.
Kolawole said the number was made up of 32 Executive Bills and 20 Private Member Bills adding that 37 of them were passed into law and assented to by the Governor.
He noted that two of the bills were still awaiting assent while one was withheld adding that the remaining 12 bills were at various stages of consideration before the end of the Seventh Legislative Assembly.
“Your Excellency, few of these bills are our collective pride and I am proud to mention the CUSTECH and Reference Hospital, Okene, on the part of the Executive Bills.
“And on the Part the Private Member Bills, the Kogi State House of Assembly Fund Management Bill, first to be assented to at the peak of national politics on legislative autonomy.
“With the subsequent constitutional amendment and assent of the former President, His Excellency Muhammad Buhari, the stage is set for financial autonomy for the judiciary and the legislature.
“Though it has not commenced at our time, the 8th Kogi State House of Assembly will benefit from our collective struggle”, he said.
Earlier in his speech, Kolawole said the Valedictory Session afforded the 7th Assembly to render it’s account of stewardship.
“Four Years ago, the Seventh legislative Assembly of Kogi State was inaugurated and today, we count our gains and at the same time our loss.
“We started as a 25 member House and ended as a 24 member House. During this period, we lost Hon John M. U. Abah of Ibaji State Constituency and Hon. Jimoh Musa Omiata of Yagba East State Constituency.
He said that during the period, he also lost his wife and late John Abah’s wife also died.
The former Speaker expressed gratitude to God and to Governor Yahaya Bello for providing him the enabling environment to lead the House in the last six years and nine months first as Majority Leader and later as Speaker.
He pleaded for forgiveness from members he night have offended saying, “We cannot part, harbouring resentment and deep-seated ill-will. I seek your forgiveness.
“On my part, for all those who may have offenced me, one way or the other, I have wholeheartedly forgiven them all.
