NOA COMMENDS NASS ON PROPOSED NEW ORDINANCE BILL

Director General of the Agency, Dr. Garba Abari in a reaction to last week’s commitment by the House of Representatives to ensuring stiffer sanctions for national symbols defaulters said the measures proposed by the legislature will ensure proper handling of the nation’s symbols.

The sponsor had proposed a N100,000 penalty for people who distort the national flag and other national symbols.

The DG said with the move, the current National Assembly is giving legal recognition to the Agency’s advocacy for the amendment of relevant and obsolete sections of the Ordinance Act which had previously made it difficult to appropriately sanction defaulters. He therefore commended the 8th National Assembly for being a listening one and for taking measures to protect the national symbols from abuse.

He said the Agency will make appropriate inputs into the bill during the public hearing and other committee activities that may be required in the process for its legislation.

The NOA Director General had previously presented the correct Nigerian National Flag to the Senate and House of Representatives heads of committees overseeing the NOA as part of the Agency’s advocacies of appropriate use of national symbols.

The Bill for an Act to Amend the National Flag and Coat of Arms, sponsored by Hon. Sam Onuigbo last Thursday scaled 2nd reading on the floor of the House.