Abuja – The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed for the second reading a bill for an Act to amend the Nigerian Heroes Register Act.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the bill had passed first reading on Nov. 24, 2015.
Sponsor of the bill, Rep. Chukwuka Onyema (PDP-Anambra), said that it was intended to provide for the recognition and registration of all qualified persons as national heroes.
The lawmaker said that the bill would also ensure that all persons adjudged qualified were duly recognised, registered and published as national heroes.
According to him, there is also the need to remove restriction placed on the number of persons to be registered as national heroes at any given time
“I am of the opinion that we should not just remember the labours of our heroes past or present, but should they should as well be duly recognised,’’ Onyema added.
He pointed out that the Nigerian National Heroes bill and the Nigeria National Merit Award were different and as such could not be interchanged.
According to him, not much is known about national heroes.
“This bill is different from the National Merit Award Act and as such cannot be interchanged.
“As a matter of fact, not all who received national merit award are national heroes,’’ Onyema stated.
He added that the Principal Act commenced on August 10, 1979 with four persons declared as national heroes.
“These are: Mr Alvan Ikoku, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Belewa, Mr Herbert Macaulay and Gen. Murtala Muhammed.’’ (NAN)
