Stakeholders back patents, counterfeit bills, four others at public hearing

There was no dissenting view at the public hearing of the Senate Committtee on Trade and Investment on six bills held Wednesday at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

The Senate Committtee had presented the six bills to seek for stakeholders and public input before presenting it at the plenary.

Indeed, stakeholders unanimously backed the six bills, three of which was sponsored by Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun central, APC).

Senator Amosun, who justified the bills and sought for inputs from stakeholders was represented by Senator Tolulope Odebiyi (Ogun west, APC).

The bills include; Patents and Design Act (Repeal and Re-enactment ) bill, Counterfeit Goods establishment bill, National Industrial Parks (establishment bill) and Nigerian Independent Warehouse Regulatory Agency (establishment) bill.

Others are Nigerian Investment Promotion Act cap N117 Laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004 (Amendment) bill and Produce (Enforcement and Export Standards act, 2004, (Repeal and Re-enforcement) bill 2022.

Rising from the meeting, chairman of the committee, Senator Saidu Alkali (Gombe North, APC) said the Secretariat is still open in the next two weeks for anybody with a memo whether for or against the bills.

The chairman emphasised that the procedure of a bill, whether by private member or an executive, must be subjected to public views.

“We are doing all these in the spirit of nationalism, these laws are meant for the public.

“A bill, whether by private member or an executive, the procedure is that the bill must be subjected to the public for us to take views.

“The Secretariat is still open in the next two weeks if there is anybody with a memo whether for or against the amendment that are being proposed, the memo can be submitted to the Secretariat” Senator Alkali added.