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Tag: bill

  • Tinubu endorses pension reforms for DBS retirees

    Tinubu endorses pension reforms for DBS retirees

    President Bola Tinubu has endorsed measures aimed at improving the welfare of pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).

    A statement issued by Head of Corporate Communications at the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Olugbenga Ajayi, said the development marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s pension reform efforts.

    Ajayi also noted that PTAD had previously settled arrears related to the first pension increment of 20% to 28%, which came into effect in January 2024.

    The approvals, which align with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, contained the immediate implementation of an extra budgetary allocation to enforce new pension rates for DBS pensioners.

    The President also endorsed the adoption of a proposed pension harmonisation policy, which will be incorporated into the 2026 pension budget. Additionally, health insurance coverage for all DBS pensioners has been approved, ensuring access to essential healthcare services.

    This move shows President Tinubu’s strong commitment to senior citizens’ welfare and marks a new era in DBS pension management,” said PTAD Executive Secretary, Tolulope Odunaiya.

    The President’s directive included unpaid liabilities owed to NITEL/MTEL pensioners and other retirees from defunct parastatals in the 2026 budget proposal.

    These approvals follow a formal request submitted by Odunaiya, who had urged the Presidency to authorise emergency budgetary allocations to implement critical pension reforms.

    The proposed reforms include a new pension rate of N32,000 and incremental increases of 10.66% and 12.95% for pensioners from defunct and privatised agencies. Other components of the reform package include harmonisation of pension rates across all DBS pensioners and their enrolment into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

    “We are grateful for the President’s leadership in prioritising the welfare of our retirees,” Odunaiya added. “This is a transformative moment for pension administration in Nigeria.”

    In June, PTAD announced the successful disbursement of N8.6 billion in pension arrears to 148,625 eligible DBS pensioners across various sectors. The payments reflect the implementation of the N32,000 pension increment approved by President Tinubu in 2024.

    According to Ajayi, the disbursements were made across several pension departments:

    N5.7 billion to 59,342 pensioners under the Parastatals Pensions Department (PaPD)
    N2.3 billion to 71,084 pensioners in the Civil Service Pensions Department (CSPD)
    N310 million to 9,579 pensioners within the Police Pension Department (PPD)
    N276 million to 8,620 pensioners under the Customs, Immigration, and Correctional Service Pension Department

  • Deputy Speaker, Kalu wants more support for special seats Bill, urges unity among Nigerians

    Deputy Speaker, Kalu wants more support for special seats Bill, urges unity among Nigerians

    As the constitution review process gains momentum, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has asked Nigerians to rally behind the Reserved Seats Bill, urging his colleagues to vote in favour of its passage.

    He said that the move will help shore up Nigeria’s low percentage of female representation in government, currently standing at less than 4%, and increase it to at least 10%.

    Kalu made the plea while giving his remarks at the Australian High Commission Reception and Film event in Abuja to celebrate National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observerance Committee ( NAIDOC) 2025 in Abuja.

    The Reserved Seats Bill sponsored by the Deputy Speaker aims to increase the female representation in the Senate, House of Representatives, and Houses of Assembly, with one seat reserved for a woman in each state.

    Kalu emphasized that the bill is not intended to threaten the positions of the male legislators but rather provide opportunities for women to add value to the governance space.

    He said: “We have the reserved seats bill in our nation at the moment. That bill is for the government to have more inclusiveness, so that we can celebrate the power of women, beyond sports, beyond family management, but in the governance space. If we believe and trust women to do what they do, we can also trust women to handle affairs of the governance of our country beyond what it is at the moment.

    “So, I urge you to urge your friends, the development partners, all non-governmental organizations to throw in more support in the advocacy of what is before us now as a parliament. We are soon going to be voting about how to include more women through this reserved seats. And to break it down, that bill says, let’s have one seat reserved for a woman in a state. It’s not too much, but it will help us shore up our percentage from what it is now, which is less than 4% but at least 10%. It won’t stop us as Nigerians. So, we need you as our allies, friends, the Honorable Members who are in this room. It is not a threat to us. The details of that bill state that they are not coming to contest with the men to reduce their positions. We are saying let there be a separate seat for the women in the Senate, House of Representatives and the Houses of Assembly and together, we begin to show that women are there to add value not to threaten our position. We can do it. We can give women a chance.”

    Kalu also called for unity amongst Nigerians irrespective of their tribe and religion.

    He encouraged the people to take a cue from Australians who have embraced unity in their diversity.

    “That is one of the things and lessons we will take, the ability to accommodate one another, to believe that though we are different, we are the same. That in our diversity is our beauty. It’s not a disadvantage. It’s a strength, because everyone has something to bring to the table.

    “In Australia, all religions are tolerated, all languages are tolerated. All cultures are tolerated. It’s a lesson we must take back to our places, to our different states, to our various religions, to our various cultures. Let us begin to accommodate one another more than we are doing at the moment, knowing truly that the beauty of our nation is in our diversity”, Kalu said.

  • Wahala’ looming as Hausa kick against Bill elevating only Sultan, Ooni as co-chairmen of National Traditional Rulers Council

    Wahala’ looming as Hausa kick against Bill elevating only Sultan, Ooni as co-chairmen of National Traditional Rulers Council

    The Hausa people, joined by concerned voices from across Nigeria, have kicked against bill passed for second reading by the Nigerian Senate which seeks to establish a National Council of Traditional Rulers naming only the Sultan of Sokoto and the Ooni of Ife as permanent co-chairmen.

    In a statement issued by Concerned Hausa Stakeholders, the group highlighted the various bottlenecks laced to the Senate Bill which has passed second reading.

    According to the stakeholders, the bill is ethnically biased, historically misleading, and constitutionally indefensible.

    “Nigeria is not a two-ethnic federation of Fulani and Yoruba. It is a multi-ethnic republic where equal representation, historical truth, and federal character must be respected.

    1. The Sultan of Sokoto Is a Religious Leader Not a Traditional Ruler in the Cultural Sense

    The Sultan of Sokoto is officially recognized as the “Sarkin Musulmi” Leader of Muslims not as a traditional king in the ethnic or cultural sense. His authority centers around:

    Declaring moon sightings for Ramadan and Eid;

    Representing Islamic religious interests nationally;

    Acting as patron of Miyetti Allah, a Fulani cultural organization.

    His legitimacy is thus religious and Fulani-specific, not cultural or ethnic. He does not represent the Hausa people, nor the broader traditional institutions of northern Nigeria. The Sultan himself openly declared:

    “I am Fulani through and through. If there is life after death, I would choose to return as Fulani.”

    That statement is a proud affirmation of Fulani identity not Hausa, not Kanuri, and certainly not neutral. Therefore, elevating the Sultan to permanent national traditional leadership is both misleading and exclusionary.

    If religious authority is the basis for this elevation, then Christian leaders, such as the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), should be equally considered, since both Christians and Muslims exist across North and South Nigeria.

    2. If This Bill Is Truly About Traditional Leadership, Where Are the Hausa, Igbo, Kanuri, and Others?

    If the bill is about traditional rulership, then it is unacceptable to exclude other major and historically grounded ethnic civilizations:

    The Hausa, with ancient city-states like Daura, Kano, Zaria, Katsina, and a royal tradition predating the Sokoto Caliphate;

    The Igbo, with time-honored institutions like the Obi of Onitsha, Eze Nri, and many others;

    The Kanuri, with the Shehu of Borno, one of West Africa’s oldest dynasties.

    To recognize only the Sultan of Sokoto and the Ooni of Ife is a deliberate marginalization of other Nigerian civilizations. It also ignores the fact that Daura, not Sokoto, is the traditional cradle of Hausa kingship. Sokoto is the capital of the Fulani empire, not an indigenous Hausa kingdom.

    3. This Bill Threatens National Unity and Institutionalizes Ethnic Favoritism

    This bill promotes ethnic hierarchy, not unity. By elevating only two monarchs from two ethnic groups Fulani and Yoruba it risks entrenching resentment, division, and institutionalized injustice.

    No single monarch, no matter how respected, can represent entire regions or religions. The Ooni of Ife cannot speak for the Igbo, Ijaw, Urhobo, Ibibio, or others in the South. The Sultan cannot speak for the Hausa, Kanuri, or Tiv in the North.

    This is not just about titles. It is about historical truth, ethnic dignity, and equal citizenship in the Nigerian project.

    ✅ OUR DEMANDS

    We hereby call for the complete withdrawal or fundamental redrafting of this bill, guided by the following:

    1. If the bill is religious in nature, then equal leadership must be given to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Muslim leaders, reflecting Nigeria’s religious diversity.

    2. If the bill is traditional in nature, then it must reflect ethnic equity — including the Hausa, Igbo, Kanuri, Ijaw, Tiv, Urhobo, Ibibio, and all other indigenous nations.

    3. Any national traditional leadership must be based on historical legitimacy, federal character, and inclusive dialogue, not political favoritism.

    We will not accept any structure that seeks to overwrite or erase the historical presence, sovereignty, and dignity of the Hausa nation, nor will we condone the exclusion of other ethnic nationalities.

    🗣️ Signed:
    Concerned Hausa Stakeholders
    Kaduna, Nigeria

    #hausaactivist
    #HausaRejectsTheBill
    #DauraNotSokoto
    #SarkinMusulmiIsReligiousNotTraditional
    #TraditionalJusticeNow
    #NigeriaBelongsToAll
    #EqualRecognitionNow
    #NoToEthnicSuprema

  • Senate passes Bill for establishment of Federal Medical Centre Gembu

    Senate passes Bill for establishment of Federal Medical Centre Gembu

    The Nigerian Senate has passed the Federal Medical Centre Act (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to establish a Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Gembu, Taraba State.

    The bill, which was passed on Wednesday is sponsored by Senator Haruna Manu representing Taraba Central Senatorial District.

    The Bill seeks to amend the Federal Medical Centres Act, 2022 to establish additional Federal Medical Centres, 2025

    This bill maybe cited as the Federal Medical Centress Act, (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

    This marks a major legislative milestone for Taraba State and the entire North East geo-political zone.

    Senator Manu described the passage of the bill as a breakthrough for a region that has long suffered poor access to quality medicare.

    He explained that the people of Gembu and surrounding communities are forced to travel to Jalingo, Yola, Gombe, or even Cameroon for advanced medical services, leading to financial strain and high mortality rates due to delays but with this development, medicare is now within the reach for Taraba Central.

    Senator Manu hails his colleagues for the support towards the passage of the Bill.

    The bill will now proceed to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being transmitted to the President for assent.

  • Bill to remove immunity clause enjoyed by VP, Govs, scales 2nd reading

    Bill to remove immunity clause enjoyed by VP, Govs, scales 2nd reading

    Forty-two constitutional amendment bills on Wednesday scaled second reading in the House of Representatives.

    Among the bills was the one to remove the immunity conferred on the vice president, governors, and their deputies to curb corruption, eradicate impunity, and enhance accountability in public office.

    Some of the significant proposals that scaled second reading on Wednesday include:

    A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to qualify the immunity conferred on the president, remove the immunity conferred on the vice president, governors, and their deputies, to curb corruption, eradicate impunity, and enhance accountability in public office.

    A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to separate the offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Attorney-General of a state from the offices of the Minister of Justice of the Federal Government and Commissioner for Justice of the Government of a state.

    A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to grant citizenship rights to spouses of women from Nigeria, specify the minimum number of youths and women that may be appointed into specific offices.

    Other bills include those to create Ijebu State, Ife-Ijesa State, Tiga State, Orlu State, and Etiti State.

    The bills were not debated and brought the total so far passed through second reading to 81.

  • 39 Constitutional Amendment Bills scale second reading in HoR

    39 Constitutional Amendment Bills scale second reading in HoR

    Thirty-nine constitutional amendment bills have scaled second reading in the House of Representatives.

    The bills cut across various sectors including judicial reforms, electoral matters security and policing, inclusive governance, legislature, and others.

    Some of the proposals include:

    A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for the establishment of state police and local government police

    A bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), to provide that general elections to the office of the president, state governors, National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly, and local government area councils shall be conducted simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in
    consultation with the National Assembly.

    A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to make the Court of Appeal the final appeal court in governorship, national, and state Houses of Assembly election petitions.

    A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, cap. c23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1999 (power of proclamation of new Assembly by Clerk or NASS/Clerk of House Assembly) and to make provision for the Chief Justice of Niger to make proclamation on the inauguration of National Assembly.

    A bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to establish the FCT House of Assembly.

    A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), to provide for special seats for the physically challenged persons in Nigeria’s federal, state, and local government areas, and legislative houses.

    A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to permit public servants to engage in healthcare education, production, and services beyond farming and related matters.

    A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 cap. c23 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to establish and empower the political parties registration and regulatory commission to register, regulate, and monitor the organisation and operation of political parties.

    A bill for an Act to further alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the determination of all appeals arising from election petition tribunals prior to swearing-in of president-elect, vice-president-elect, governor-elect, deputy governor-elect, members-elect of the national and state assemblies.

    A bill for an act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to vest the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the power to conduct local government area council elections.

    A bill for an Act to alter Sections 68(1) (g) &109(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to require the official resignation from political party before defection by members of the national assembly and state house of assembly.

    A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, cap. c23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to establish the national local government electoral commission as an independent body responsible for organising, conducting, and supervising elections into the offices of chairmen and councilors of all the local governments across the federation, including the area councils of the Federal Capital Territory.

    The bills were not debated.

  • Kano Assembly passes bill establishing state-owned security corps

    Kano Assembly passes bill establishing state-owned security corps

    The Kano State House of Assembly has passed a bill establishing the Kano State Neighborhood Security Corps.

    This followed deliberations in the Committee of the Whole House during a plenary session presided over by Speaker, Alhaji Jibrin Falgore (NNPP-Rogo).

    Subsequent to the deliberations, the lawmakers approved the 3rd reading of the bill, as presented by the Clerk.

    Shortly after the bill’s passage, the Majority Leader of the House, Alhaji Lawan Husseini (NNPP-Dala), stated that the bill was passed after undergoing the necessary legislative processes.

    The lawmaker explained that the corps would be a community policing body that would complement the work of other security agencies in the state.

    Husseini emphasized that the creation of the outfit would significantly enhance the internal security situation in the state.

    He highlighted the necessity for the state to establish its own security outfit, drawing comparisons with southern states in Nigeria, such as those behind the Amotekun initiative, which have set up similar agencies to strengthen internal security.

    According to him, security corps will be authorized to carry firearms as stipulated by the law.

    He added that they would also have the power to arrest offenders and hand them over to the police for prosecution.

    Husseini further said that the personnel to be recruited will not be affiliated with any political party.

    “The personnel to be recruited will not be affiliated with any political party.

    “The law grants security personnel the authority to carry firearms as stipulated by the law, make arrests, prevent crimes, and apprehend offenders throughout Kano State.

    “In accordance with the law, the leadership of the outfit will be entrusted to a non-partisan indigene of the state ,” Husseini stated.

    The majority leader added that the Commander General of the corps is to be appointed and must be a person of proven integrity while there would be a commander to lead the personnel of the corps in each of the 44 local government areas of the state.

    He noted that the commander general must be a retired security personnel of the Army or Police with at least 25 years in service and not below the rank of a Colonel or Commissioner of Police.

    The lawmaker further said the security agency would have a board to be administered by a chairman to be appointed by the governor.

  • It’s unfortunate that some lawmakers don’t know content of tax reforms Bill-Barau

    It’s unfortunate that some lawmakers don’t know content of tax reforms Bill-Barau

    Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, has said it is unfortunate that majority of people, including some lawmakers, do not understand the contents of the tax reform bills.

    He said the controversial bills were quickly passed for second reading to allow the public make comments on them.

    The bills, which were transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu earlier in September, have sparked reactions, especially among Northerners, who felt the legislation would further plunge the region into more economic hardship.

    Northern governors, traditional leaders and other different groups have rejected the bills, saying they are inimical to the region and the nation at large.

    Barau disclosed this in an interview with BBC Hausa service, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State decried that governors would not be able to pay salaries if the bills were passed into law, expressing concerns over how the bills had received urgent attention at the National Assembly.

    But speaking with BBC Hausa, Senator Barau Jibrin, who has come under heavy criticisms especially on social media for supporting the bills, said the speedy passage was to enable Nigerians have room to comment on the legislation before considering the next line of action.

    He said, “Because of the contents of the bills, we decided to invite experts or the people who developed them on behalf of the President to explain to us the provisions of the bills and also advise us so that Nigerians will know about it.

    “The bills have to scale the second reading before they could be taken to the committee for a review. And while we could ask (the committee) questions, Nigerians who might have only watched it on the television could not have room to ask questions. That was why it was resolved that the bills would be passed for the second reading so that Nigerians would have the chance to comment, give their contributions and also ask questions.”

    Asked why the bills were not first presented to the committee before passing them for the second reading, Barau said, “No, it is not done that way. It has to pass the second reading before it can be taken to the committee. The second reading is done so that the public can have room to pass their comments on it. That is why the bills were presented to the committee now so that they will review, x-ray it and tell us the contents therein.

    “The second reading is not the end of the process. No, that is even where the process begins. And it was done in order to enable the public (youth, children, women, clerics and everyone) to comment and register their complaints about it,” he stated.

    Responding to whether lawmakers were aware of the hardship the bills could subject Nigerians to, Barau remarked, “Nobody will do something that will have negative impact on his people. The issue now is to first know the provisions of the bills. Majority of people don’t even know the contents therein, even some of our lawmakers.

    “We have to first have a grasp of the bills before they would be understood, that was why it was sent to the committee for them to review so that we know the situation. We will also invite experts to go through it, but we have not gotten to that level now.”

  • Ogun assembly passes power sector bill

    Ogun assembly passes power sector bill

    Ogun House of Assembly on Thursday passed the bill seeking to improve electricity generation, transmission and distribution within the state.

    The bill also seeks to establish an electricity market and key power sector bodies, as well as enforce consumer rights and obligations.

    Mrs Bolanle Ajayi (APC-Yewa South), the Deputy Speaker, presented the report of the Committee of the Whole during plenary in Abeokuta.

    Ajayi moved the motion for the adoption of the report, which was seconded by the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye (PDP -Odogbolu).

    Mr Yusuf Serif (APC-Ado Odo Ota 1), the Majority Leader, moved the motion for the third reading of the bill and it was seconded by Adeleye.

    NAN reports that the lawmakers had during the second reading of the bill on Aug. 28 took turns to debate the desirability of the bill .

    Some of them however thanked the federal and state governments, as well as the National Assembly, for moving the issue of electricity from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent legislative list.

    They noted that it allowed  states to generate, transmit and distribute electricity within their jurisdiction.

    The legislators explained that the initiative would assist in promoting healthy competition among electricity operators, create enabling environment for industries and boost business investment.

    The lawmakers noted that if the state was able to generate power, over 50 per cent of the challenges facing the people would have been resolved.

    They opined  that access to power would also help reduce rural-urban migration in the state.

  • Bill to create new state in South East passes 2nd reading in HoR

    Bill to create new state in South East passes 2nd reading in HoR

    A Bill seeking to create a new state in the south-east geopolitical zone has passed second reading at the house of representatives.

    The proposed legislation, which is co-sponsored by three lawmakers from the region — Amobi Ogah (Abia), Miriam Onuoha (Imo), Kama Nkemkama (Ebonyi), Chinwe Nnabuife (Anambra), and Anayo Onwuegbu (Enugu) — scaled a second reading during plenary on Thursday.

    The lawmakers are proposing to alter the 1999 Constitution to create a new state from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.

    The new state will be known as Etiti, with Lokpanta as its capital.

    The state will have 11 LGAs: Aninri, Awgu, Isuikwuato, Ivo, Oji-River, Ohaozara, Okigwe, Onuimo, Orumba north, Orumba south, and Umu-Nneochi.

    In his legislative brief, Ogah said the bill seeks to address a “longstanding” issue of regional parity and administrative efficiency within the south-east.

    “The establishment of Etiti state is not just a matter of administrative convenience but a step towards ensuring balanced regional development and effective governance,” Ogah said.

    It responds to the aspirations of the people of a very important region to this country and aligns with the principles of equity and inclusivity enshrined in our democratic ideals.

    “Suffice it to say that it is a long overdue step in the right direction to foster equitable representation, enhance governance efficiency, and promote socio-economic development within the region.”

    The bill was voted for when it was put to a voice vote by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house.

    The bill was read for the first time on July 2.

    On Thursday, the senate also introduced a bill seeking to create Tiga, a new state, from Kano.