By Henry Umoru & Inalegwu Shaibu
ABUJA- DESIRIOUS to give more teeth to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to bite, President Goodluck Jonathan has submitted a Bill to the Senate to amend its functions.
The President is also poised to attack terrorism which has reared its head in the country where many have been killed and property worth millions of naira destroyed through the action of members of the Boko Haram sect.
In a letter to Senate President David Mark, President Jonathan urged the Senate to pass into law a Bill for an Act to amend the Money Laundering(Prohibition) Act, 2011.
According to the letter read by Senate President David Mark yesterday, the President said, ''I hereby present, for kind consideration and enactment into law by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the following Bills: Terrorism(prevention) (Amendment) Bill, 2012. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and for other Related Matters.
''While I hope that the Bills will receive the usual expeditious attention of the Distinguished Members of the Senate, please accept as always, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.''
Also yesterday, the President in line with section 154(1) of the constitution has sent to the Senate, Alhaji Hassan Usman Sokodabo for confirmation as member representing Niger State and the Federal Capital Territory in the Federal Civil Service Commission for a tenure of five years.
When cleared by the Senate, Sokodabo will fill the vacant seat since November 2011.
The Senate President also read a letter from President Jonathan to confirm Mr. Shuaib Ahmed Adamu from Bauchi as a Non-Career Ambassadorial nominee and Mr. N.V. Amaku as a Career Ambassadorial nominee from Imo State in line with Section 171(C) sub-section 4 of the 1999 Constitution.
President Goodluck Jonathan has also sent the names of Alhaji Ya'u Usman Jama'a from Kaduna State and Barrister Aliyu Datti from Niger State to the Senate for confirmation as members of the National Population Commission, NPC.
When screened and cleared by the upper chamber, they will replace Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha and Alhaji Liman respectively.
Also submitted for confirmation by the Senate from the President are Nnoli Nnaji to represent the South Est geo-political zone on the Governing Board of Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA. He will replace Honourable Jerry Ugokwe who had earlier declined the offer of the appointment.
