By Taiye Odewale
Abuja
The Senate yesterday passed for the third reading, Bills for the establishment of National Poverty Eradication Commission (NPEC) and Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT).
While the poverty commission Bill was sponsored by Senator Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso (APC Kano Central), that of the Air Force Institute of Technology was sponsored by Senator Duro Faseyi (PDP Ekiti North).
Kwankwaso in his submission on the poverty commission Bill, explained that previous policies and programmes such as National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) and Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) had failed for lack of legal and regulatory framework.
He stated that the Bill would strengthen the execution of the poverty eradication programmes in the country, stressing that the functions of the commission when created would coordinate and monitor all poverty eradication activities.
According to him, the Bill would also provide technical expertise to and sensitise all levels of government and organisations on poverty eradication issues and coordinate, monitor and advise on all social protection activities of government.
He noted that the Bill would also assist in formulating, reviewing policies and monitoring the level of social amenities throughout the country with direct impact on the poor.
In his remarks, Senate President, Bukola Saraki said: “Poverty is the responsibility of government and that establishing the commission on poverty was the right step in eradicating poverty in all parts of the country.”
Senator Faseyi in his own report on the Air Institute of Technology Bill, submitted that institute will serve as a nucleus centre of research and innovations.
He noted that the development has made the institute which has been existing as a vocational outfit become a tertiary institution with mandate to run full National Diploma and Higher National Diploma in aerospace technology management and allied courses.
Part of the challenges facing the institute, Faseyi noted, was underfunding which has hampered their operations, saying “if passed into law, the institute will begin to draw funds from TETFUND, direct federal allocation as well as other educationally dedicated funds for researches.”
