Empower us, instead of establishing agency with similar functions, NSCDC tells Senate

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The Commandant General (CG), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Audi has told the Senate not to establish any agency with the same or similar functions with the other.

By Haruna Salami

The Commandant General (CG), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Audi has told the Senate not to establish any agency with the same or similar functions with the other.

Audi gave the advice to the Senate at a public hearing organized by the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, to deliberate on a Bill for an Act to establish Nigeria Mines Ranger Service (NMRS) for the protection of solid minerals, sponsored by Snator Mohammed Onawo (PDP, Nasarawa South).

National growth LS

Arguing his case, the CG said the NSCDC under his management is doing the same functions in the Bill, even as he maintained that the wise thing to do will be to empower the NSCDC, equip the organisation, to enable them function better.

Speaking further, he said establishment of an extra agency to perform similar functions as others will be expensive, adding that the country has over the time been facing economic problems.

In his presentation, the CG, National Unity and Peace Corps (NUPC), Dr Chinedu Nneji, said that the Bill if passed into law will not only go a long way to give the mining industry its required protections, but will also generate enough revenue to sustain the country and the agency.

He challenged NSCD, by asking them, how much have they been able to generate for the country in performance of their duties. He spoke at length on the importance of the bill, urging senators to pass it into law.

In his speech, the chairman of the committee, Senator Ekong Sampson (Akwa Ibom South) underscored the importance of the Bill and urged senators and other stakeholders to take a critical look at it in the interest of country.

Eking who said Nigeria has no business being poor with the enormous natural endowment said anything that will move the country forward is what the legislators will do, just as he urged all the stakeholders, including the military and paramilitary to collaborate in the fight against illegal miners.

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