A Bill for a law to provide N100, 000 fine for people who distort the country’s national flag passed second reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday.
Sponsor of the bill, Rep. Sam Onuigbo (Abia-PDP), in the debate, said the bill sought to amend Flag and Coat of Arms Act 2004 and would make further provisions to preserve the country’s national heritage.
He said there had been surreptitious effort to change the national flag as many public and private offices constructed the Coat-of Arms on it.
Onuigbo said that the offices even included official photographs of governors, ministers, and even national assembly members in the designs.
According to him, it is important to declare that any addition, subtraction or superimposition outside the version designed by Pa Michael Akinkunmi in 1959 is not the Nigerian flag.
He explained that the bill aimed to amend Section 7 of the principal Act by inserting new paragraphs to provide for stiffer penalties for offenders.
According to the lawmaker, Section 10 of the principal Act is amended by removing the fine of N100 and replacing same with the sum of N100, 000.
‘‘Also any person who flies or exhibits the national flag which is deconstructed, thereby creating an impression of using the national flag, where actually the flag is deconstructed shall be guilty of an offence against the Act.
‘‘Similarly, any person who uses the national coat and inserts same into the national flag thereby creating an illegal form of our national flag shall be guilty of an offence against this act,’’ Onuigbo said.
In his contribution, Rep. Nicholas Ossai (Delta-PDP), condemned the violation of the Act on the national flag by government and corporate organisations.
Ossai, who described the distortion of the flag as disrespect for the nation, said that violating the Act was an infringement on what the national flag set to achieve.
Also, Rep. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers-PDP) said that there was need to raise the consciousness toward protecting the country’s national pride.
He advocated stiffer penalty for offenders, saying “it is criminal and the offenders should be adequately punished’’.
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These people are just mad. The way you people are abusing the nation with you lootings, some sleeping in national assembly during session. Some fighting physical fight in national assembly, some operating with togs, all of you receiving fat allowances at the expense of the nation poor economy and suffering of the citizens. What purnishment has the metted for all these? Is someone been jailed or executed for all you atrocities. Now they want to purnish citizen for abusing ordinary flag. You people are the number one abuser of the nation.
ReplyDeleteThe flag is your pride as a Nigerian. So there is nothing like ordinary flag. Saying that means you as a Nigerian you are just ordinary person without reputation or pride or anything to write home about.......The facts remains these senators are sipping the country dry at tax payers money. But we all must be on desk to protect the country's values. Hence I support the fine on abuse of Nigeria national flag!!!!!
DeleteEbola Prince! U Don KOLO! Mumu!
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