The House of Representatives has ordered the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment not to sign and implement the trade agreement allowing United Kingdom lawyers to practice in the country.
The upper chamber maintained that until the terms and conditions governing the same are fully examined and ascertained before such could be further revisited.
The lawmakers resolved to investigate the matter, while asking the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to appear before the Committee on Treaties, Protocols, and Agreements during the investigation and report back to the House within four weeks, according to The Nation.
The motion is sponsored by the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbare (APC, Edo) and 47 other members cut across the six geo-political zones.
Moving the motion on behalf of the sponsors, Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda informed the House of recent reports and public outcry over an alleged economic and trade partnership between the United Kingdom and Nigeria aimed at exploring new opportunities in key sectors such as the energy, legal, and financial services sectors.
He said the trade deal became very heightened some days ago as the legal aspect appeared lopsided and tilted mainly in favour of the UK to the detriment of qualified Nigerian lawyers because it seeks to allow UK lawyers to enter the Nigerian legal space and practice but not vice versa.
He stated that under the trade deal referred to as “Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP),” the British Business and Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch and Nigeria’s Minister for Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka, were to sign an agreement on behalf of their respective countries last week in the nation.