Bill seeking prohibition of chemical weapons progresses in Senate
Bill for Act to Prohibit Chemical Weapons and Establish National Authority for Implementation of Chemical Weapons Convention in Nigeria went through second reading in Senate in Abuja on Wednesday.
The bill seeks a law to prohibit the manufacture, production and distribution of chemical weapons in the country.
The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, explained that the bill sought to establish a body that would serve as national focal point for effective liaison with the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPWC).
Ndoma-Egba said the bill would also empower the proposed body to liaise with other state parties to the convention and to ensure that Nigeria fulfilled its obligations under the convention.
“The menace of chemical weapons cannot be over-emphasised.
“Those affected by chemical weapons have been known to suffer painful and agonising death or debilitating effects for the rest of their lives’’, he added.
He said the bill, if passed into law, would enable the country to meet its commitment to the convention and bring its provisions within the constitutional requirements of Section 12 of 1999 Constitution.
According to him, the proposed law will facilitate the destruction of chemical weapons production facilities and monitor the conversion of such facilities to other uses.
It would also facilitate cooperation and assistance between Nigeria and other state parties of the OPCW to eradicate and stop the proliferation of chemical weapons globally.
Sen. Smart Adeyemi (PDP-Kogi), urged his colleagues to accelerate the passage of the bill, especially considering the current security challenge facing the country.
“This very important bill is coming at a time when we are contending with insurgency.
“All effort must be put in place to ensure its quick passage so that we can help make the world a safe and better place for all’’, he said.
Sen. Emmanuel Paulker (PDP-Bayelsa), urged support for efforts to control the production and distribution of chemical weapons in the country.
“If chemical weapons are not restricted, it could serve as avenue for insurgents to use them against the country.
“Restraining the use of chemical weapons is of great advantage to Nigeria”, he said.
Sen. Umaru Dahiru (PDP-Sokoto), said the bill was long overdue for passage and urged the Senate to give it speedy passage because “the sooner we do so, the better for us all.’’
The Senate President, David Mark, said the Senate would outlaw any form of activity related to the proliferation of chemical weapons in Nigeria.
He said bureaucratic bottlenecks should be removed from the bill to allow for a smooth reporting system.
“This bill is long overdue. It is quite an important bill, very detailed and very comprehensive.
“It is for us to rectify the treaty which we are a party to and to also prohibit the manufacture, production and distribution of chemical weapons.
“But we must make sure that we remove bureaucracy from the reporting system. This is not where you want a long chain of reporting’’, Mark said.
The bill has been referred to the Committees on Science and Technology and that of Judiciary for further legislative action. They are to report back within four weeks. (NAN)
