Heads Of MDAs To Get 2 Years Jail Term, N500,000 Fine For Ignoring Reps Summon

A proposed constitution amendment bill in the House of Representatives will attract a two-year jail term, a N500,000 fine or both, for heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) who ignore summons by the House with no valid excuse.

The Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

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It was jointly sponsored by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabimila and the Chairman, Rules and Business, Abubakar Fulata and was presented at the plenary on Wednesday.

Fulata, who presented the Bill, said Section 89 states that anybody summoned by the parliament and refuses to appear would be issued a warrant of arrest and be compelled to appear.

According to him, the bill seeks to alter the provision to state that anyone who refuses or ignores the summon of parliament shall, upon conviction be guilty of contempt and shall be liable to a fine of N500,000 or two years imprisonment or both.