BY Chinedu Asadu
President Muhammadu Buhari has declined assent to two more bills passed by the national assembly.
The bills are the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority Bill and the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority Bill.
This was announced via a letter read during senate plenary on Wednesday.
In the letter read by Senate President Bukola Saraki, the president said parts of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority bill contradict the 1999 constitution.
He also faulted a tourism levy on all in-bound international travelers and out-bound travelers as well as a “tourism departure contribution fee of one percent per hotel room rate”.
This, he said, will be “inimical to the growth of the tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria and constitute additional burden on the tourism business.”
Buhari also faulted the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority Bill, which he said also contradicts the provisions of the constitution and have issues with expected duties and functions.
He also said the funding is “grossly excessive and will negatively affect the revenues of the federal government”.
According to him, “the bill contradicts provisions of the constitution which limits the power of the national assembly to make laws in relation to water from sources affecting more than one state of inland waterway which has been declared to be an international waterway or inter-state waterway.
“The bill, as currently drafted, subjects the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Environment and Nigeria Ports Authority to the supervision of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority.”
Buhari had earlier rejected 20 national assembly this year.
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