BY AHMED AKANBI
The Senate, on Thursday, passed two key bills — the Nigerian Employees’ Compensation Trust Fund Agency Establishment Bill and the Federal Polytechnics Act Amendment Bill.
The bills were passed after being recommitted to the Committee of the Whole for further scrutiny and amendments.
Moving the motion for recommittal, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central), said some provisions needed further review to ensure clarity and a comprehensive legal framework.
He urged the Senate to rescind its earlier decisions on the bills to allow for reconsideration.
Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Kamorudeen Oyewumi (Accord Osun West), who seconded the motion, said the move would remove ambiguities and align the bills with similar laws.
The Senate thereafter considered the bills clause by clause and approved them.
Bamidele explained that the Compensation Trust Fund Bill seeks to repeal the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund Act and the Employees’ Compensation Act and create a new framework for compensating workers for death, injury, disease or disability arising from employment.
He said the Polytechnics Amendment Bill seeks to review the functions of federal polytechnics and address related matters.
Both bills were read for the third time and passed.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended lawmakers for their input, saying the bills would protect workers’ welfare and strengthen technical education for economic development.