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Tag: bill

  • 2024 budget: Senate moves session to 1pm today

    2024 budget: Senate moves session to 1pm today

    The special session of the Senate on the consideration and passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill will commence by 1pm today (Saturday) according to a memo by the Clerk of the Red Chamber, Chinedu Francis Akubueze.

    The Clerk in his memo addressed to the senators, did not give reasons for shifting the plenary from 10am to 1pm.

    The memo read, “Dear Distinguished Senators.

    “PLENARY SITTING TO COMMENCE AT 1PM PROMPT.

    “This is to kindly inform Distinguished Senators that the plenary sitting of the Senate, scheduled for Saturday, December 30th, 2023, will hold by 1pm prompt.

    “Thank you and God Bless”

    TBN gathered that the two chambers of the National Assembly will consider and pass the budget today and adjourn for the New Year celebration.

    ,

  • S/East Devt Commission bill passes third reading at House of Reps

    S/East Devt Commission bill passes third reading at House of Reps

    Fifty-three years after the Nigerian civil war, the House of Representatives passed through third reading the bill seeking the establishment of south east development commission.

    The House unanimously took the decision at the Committee of the Whole chaired by the deputy speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu.

    Standing in Kalu’s name as the lead sponsor and indeed, all the lawmakers from the South East region, the explanatory memorandum of the bill stated that the Commission will be charged with the responsibility to receive and manage fund from allocation of the Federation Account for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damages suffered by the region as a result of the effect of the civil war.

    When established, the commission will as well tackle the ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges in the Southeast States which include Abia, Imo, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi.

    Incidentally, the passage of the bill is coming at a time members of the national assembly from the region led by the deputy speaker are championing a new initiative known as Peace in South East Project (PISE-P) which is craving for a non kinetic approach to resolving the socio-economic and sociological challenges and also boost the infrastructural development of the area.

    The implication of the third reading of the bill is that it will now be taken to the Senate for concurrence before it will be transmitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his assent to make it a law.

    Similarly, the House also passed through third reading a bill seeking to repeal the Weights and Measures Act, Cap. W3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to establish the Nigerian Weights and Measures Regulatory Agency, for the development and enforcement of varying scopes of legal metrology standards for the promotion of fair trade, protection of public health, safety and the environment.

    The House also took the decision at the Committee of the Whole while considering the report on the bill.

    Signed:

    Levinus Nwabughiogu, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Senate passes bill extending implementation of 2023 budget to March

    Senate passes bill extending implementation of 2023 budget to March

    The Senate on Thursday passed an amendment bill, seeking to extend implementation of the  2023 Appropriation and Supplementary Budget from Dec. 3, to March 31, 2024.

    The passing of the bill followed the suspension of senate rule 78 sub (1) to allow for the first and second reading of the bill at plenary.

    The bill which was consolidated into one and titled “A Bill for an Act to Amend the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Act in order to extend the implementation year from  Dec. 31,  to March, 31 2024” was sponsored by the senate Leader, Bamidele, Opeyemi.(APC -Ekit).

    Earlier, before an accelerated passage of the bill, Opeyemi in his lead debate said the bill sought  to extend the implementation of the 2023 Appropriation and Supplementary Acts from Dec 31, to March 31, 2024.

    He said the extension was to give all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that received allocation in the 2023 supplementary budget more time to execute the proposed projects.

    He said the execution of the projects was needed to reflate the economy.

    He said the 2023 appropriation and supplementary budget recently passed by the National Assembly and recent 2023 capital releases to MDAs were unlikely to be utilised before Dec. 31, due to late releases of the fund.

    According to him, the funds if not utilised will lapse, if the capital implementation was not extended beyond  Dec .31.

    “In view of the critical importance of some key projects nearing completion, it is expedient to grant extension of the expiration clause to avoid compounding the problem of abandoned projects given that some of the projects were not provided for in the 2024 Budget .

    “Hence the need to extend the implementation year from Dec.31, to March, 31 2024,” he said.

    “I , therefore urge my colleagues to give their full support to the bill to allow full utilisation of the capital releases in order to help reflate the economy.

  • Bill to nominate, not elect to replace serving lawmakers in event of death fails in Senate

    Bill to nominate, not elect to replace serving lawmakers in event of death fails in Senate

    A Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act, 2022 to allow political parties nominate and replace validly elected serving lawmakers in the account of resignation, death or vacancy (of seat) failed to scale through the second reading in the Senate.

    The bill was seeking to allow political parties to nominate rather than elect to replace any duly elected serving members of the National and State Assemblies who loses his seat in the event of resignation, death or vacancy.

    In his submission, Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) said the purpose and intent of the bill is to save the nation from unnecessary spending of resources in the conduct of elections to replace vacant seat in the National and State Assemblies.

    “When a member resigns or dies, the party should nominate a replacement without having to conduct elections. Why are we wasting money in conducting elections, when such can be deployed into infrastructural development?”.

    While seconding the bill, Senator Joel Onowakpo Thomas (Delta South) urged the Senate to read the bill for the second time.

    However, Senator Suleiman Abdulrahman (Kano South) argued that passing the bill would deny the people their right to choose who represents them at National and State Assemblies.

    He noted that the system of government that Nigeria is operating allows the people to choose who they want, stressing that it would be out of place for party leaders to hand-pick who represents the people.

    When the bill was thrown to voice votes, with the Senate President Godswill Akpabio asking if the bill be read the second time?

    The “Nay” was overwhelmingly louder, which saw the failure of the bill to advance.

  • Senate passes 2024-2026 MTEF, probes tax waivers

    Senate passes 2024-2026 MTEF, probes tax waivers

    The Senate has approved the 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).

    It has also ordered investigation into all tax waivers from 2015 till date and directed that all waivers not directly linked to non-governmental/non-profit organisations should not be granted.

    The senate said before waivers can be approved, there are certain conditions attached, adding that some people had been benefitting from the waiver year in, year out.

    Addressing newsmen after plenary, chairman of the Joint Senate Committees on Finance, Appropriations, National Planning and Foreign Debt, Senator Sani Musa, said so much had been lost to the waiver.

    He said: “We cannot continue to talk of waiver, while we kill our local manufacturers.

    What we have today are cartels, who are not given back to Nigeria. We will take the bull by the horn.”

    He said the Customs told the Senate that the nation lost about N1.3 trillion to waivers, adding that it doesn’t make any economic sense when waiver is granted and nothing is gained.

    In the report of the Senate Joint Committees, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will borrow N7.8 trillion to fund the 2024 budget of N26 trillion that will be presented to the National Assembly soon. In the budget, N8.2 trillion is earmarked for debt services.

    In the report presented for consideration on the floor of the Senate, Sani Musa revealed that the Federal government projected the reduction in inflation from 27.33 % to 21.4% in 2024.

  • Three Bills for establishment of Aviation college, others pass 2nd reading

    Three Bills for establishment of Aviation college, others pass 2nd reading

    Three bills seeking the establishment of the College of Aviation; Mining and Maritime Universities in Nigeria, yesterday Wednesday 15 November 2023, passed the second reading on the floor of the Senate.

    They are: (1). A Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal College of Aviation Technology, Ilara Remo, Ogun State and for related matters, 2023 (SB.52); (2). A Bill for an act to Repeal the Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geoscience Act, 2018 and Establish the Federal University of Mining and Geoscience, Jos, Plateau State and for related matters, 2023 (SB.12).

    The third; (3). A Bill for an act to Establish the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State and related matters, 2023 (SB.75).

    Leading the debates of these bills were Sen. Daniel Olugbenga Justus (Ogun East), Sen. Diket Satso Plang (Plateau Central) and Sen. Joel Onowakpo Thomas (Delta South) respectively.

    The bills which were read out aloud by the Clerk and the Senate President, and thereafter subjected to voice votes after exhaustive and comprehensive debates passed the Second Reading; and was referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions.

    But the third bill was referred to the Committee of the Whole for clause by clause legislation having first been passed by the 9th Senate.

    The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio said the bills when passed will enhance the needed skills and capacity for Nigeria’s advancement.

  • Reps make case for collapsed road infrastructure in Imo communities

    Reps make case for collapsed road infrastructure in Imo communities

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on relevant MDAs of the Federal Government to urgently set mechanisms in motion towards rebuilding collapsed Akokwa-Umuchima-Mgbe-Orlu Federal road, and to Reconstruct the collapsed Mgbe-Umuezeala-Ogboko bridge in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State.

    The House also mandated the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Federal Ministry of Environment and the Ecological Fund Office to embark on thorough repair, reconstruction and remedial works on the Mgbe/Umuezeala/Ogboko Bypass in Ideato South Local Government Area of the State.

    It further mandated FERMA, the NDDC, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Federal Ministry of Environment and the Ecological Fund Office to carry out extensive repair on the Akokwa-Umuchima-Mgbe-Orlu Federal Road which connects Ideato to other parts of the State.

    It also called on the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relief Agencies to immediately provide relief materials for the displaced people of Ideato South Local Government area and its environs.

    These resolutions followed the consideration and adoption of a motion on notice brought by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere calling on the House to mobilize federal government efforts into alleviating the untold sufferings currently faced by the people of the affected communities on the stated road corridors.

    The lawmaker in his presentation cited Section 14(2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) “provides that the security, safety and welfare of the people of Nigeria shall be the primary purpose of government.

    “The National Assembly is saddled with the task of making laws for the peace, order and good governance of the Federation or any part thereof as enshrined in Section 4(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended).

    “The Mgbe/Umuezeala/Ogboko Bypass in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State, is a make shift road carved out by the residents, as a result of the total collapse of the Akokwa-Umuchima-Mgbe-Orlu Federal Road which connects Ideato to other parts of Imo State.

    “The Mgbe/Umuezeala/Ogboko Bypass is the only route that leads to Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State (after the failure of the Akokwa-Umuchima-Mgbe-Orlu Federal Road) and as such, its collapse amounts to a total cut of the people of Ideato South Local Government Area from the other parts of the State.

    “As a result of ravaging gully erosion, the Mgbe/Umuezeala/Ogboko Bypass and all the houses/landed properties situated within the precincts of the road have been completely washed off by the erosion and many residents have fled from the area, for the fear of their lives.

    “As a result of the ravaging gully erosion which brought down the bypass, the life, livelihood and properties of many of my Constituents have been lost in the process and if nothing is urgently done to curb it, more lives, livelihood and properties of my Constituents will be lost.

    “As I speak, I cannot travel home because there is no road to ply and the seemingly alternate route that runs through Enugu to Arondizuogu, is a death trap and no one dares ply through the road, for fear of insecurity,” the lawmaker informed colleagues.

    He therefore expressed worries that “if no urgent and immediate repair/reconstruction steps are taken to salvage the situation, more devastating damage would be done to the lives, livelihood and properties of my Constituents and this may adversely affect my access to my Constituents.”

    The House in approving the resolutions mandated its Committees on Works, Emergency and Disaster Preparedness (when constituted) to ensure compliance and report back for further action.

  • Methodist Prelate calls for calm over bill seeking to regulate Christianity

    Methodist Prelate calls for calm over bill seeking to regulate Christianity

    The Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr Oliver Aba has urged Nigerians to be calm over the bill seeking to create a National Centre for Christian Education (NCCE) in Nigeria.

    Aba made the call at a press briefing marking the end of the 40th Annual Council of Methodist Bishops held in Enugu on Sunday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the bill which has passed second reading in the Senate is said to regulate and set standards for the practice of Christianity in Nigeria.

    It was sponsored by Sen Binos Yaroe, representing Adamawa South Senatorial District.

    Aba said when some members of the Christian faith were against it, he reached out to a Christian Association of Nigeria Leader in a state who told him not to be afraid of the bill.

    “He told me that the bill will be good for all Christians in Nigeria, adding that the whole idea was brought by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

    “So let every Nigerian be calm and let us see what will become of it,” he advised.

    Speaking during the opening of the council’s meeting, the Chairman, CAN, Enugu Chapter, Rev. Emmanuel Edeh told newsmen that the bill would benefit all Christians in Nigeria.

    He explained that the intent and purpose of the bill was not that the Federal Government would be granting Christians permission to preach or tell anybody about Christ.

    Edeh noted that there was a big misconception about the bill, adding that the bill never came from the government but from CAN.

    “The truth is that many Christians and Clergy have not understood what the bill is all about.

    “As a member of the National Executive Council of CAN, many media houses have published the impression so far from the content of the bill.

    “It is a Christian affair that there should be a board or commission that represent them at the national level,” he said.

    The chairman said the commission or board should be a way of guiding and checkmating activities of christians in the nation on some of the activities and practices.

    He further explained that the bill would not take away from any denomination their in-house educational arrangement.

    “Catholic, Anglican, Methodist Churches and others have their own education commission and if the bill is allowed to see the light of the day, the smaller churches struggling to have schools can have boards to run to.

    “Just like CAN stood their ground when President Buhari in 2020 signed into law Company and Allied Matters bill conferring Corporate Affairs Commission to regulate Christians and Charity Organisations.

    “If it was fought on individual denomination, nobody would have won the battle.

    “So I see this bill as a way of Christians coming together to coordinate and see that the theological content and some other teachings/activities are coordinated on what the Bible provided for,” he added.

  • NASS to revisit bill on constitutional roles for traditional rulers – Speaker

    NASS to revisit bill on constitutional roles for traditional rulers – Speaker

    The Speaker House of Representatives, Abbas Tajuddeen, on Saturday in Zaria said the 10th assembly would revisit the bill seeking constitutional roles for traditional rulers.

    The speaker disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmed Bamalli.

    He said the visit was a homecoming to seek royal blessings, guidance, and prayers from the royal father.

    Tajuddeen, who was accompanied by some members and leadership of the house, told the emir that the visit was to also appreciate the support and prayers received from his constituency and Nigerians.

    “We are here to also seek for advises from you the traditional rulers.

    “I want to also intimate you that we will revisit the recommendations of the bill submitted by the traditional rulers seeking for a constitutional role and ensure that the bill is passed.

    In his response, the emir noted that the traditional rulers had played several developmental roles at the pre-independent and post independent Nigeria, as such their roles could not be over emphasised.

    He also noted with dismay that some politicians were initially against the bill seeking constitutional roles for the rulers on the premise that such roles would amount to creating another tier of government.

    The emir said it was not true that assigning constitutional roles to the traditional rulers amounted to creating another tier of government.

    The royal father said an extensive deliberation on the issue was held in Kaduna under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto.

    He added that a committee headed by Emir of Lafia, Nasarawa State, who was a former Justice of Supreme Court, drafted the bill which was eventually not passed by the NASS.

    “We are therefore appealing to the 10th assembly to revisit the bill and ensure its speedy passage to enhance security, growth and national development.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that after the courtesy visit, the speaker held an interactive session with people of Zaria Federal Constituency.

  • Tinubu signs first bill into law as president

    Tinubu signs first bill into law as president

    President Bola Tinubu has signed into law a bill for the retirement age and pension rights of judicial officers in the country.

    While signing the bill, Tinubu pledged his administration’s dedication to strengthening the judiciary and ensuring the rule of law.

    He added that the the Federal Government would continue to empower judicial officers to execute their responsibilities effectively.

    The bill was transmitted by the Senate to former President Muhammadu Buhari in May for his assent in line with the provision of the Authentication Act.

    A statement by Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information in the State House, said Tinubu assented to the bill to amend the constitution.

    “In exercising the powers vested in him under the 1999 Constitution as amended, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday at the State House assented to a fresh amendment of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

    With the signing of the Constitutional Amendment Bill, retirement age and pension rights of judicial officers have been effectively brought into uniformity among other related matters.

    The bill seeks to ensure uniformity in the retirement age and pension rights of judicial officers of all superior courts of record.

    With this, judicial officers of the various superior courts of record listed in Section 6(5)(c)-(i) of the constitution will have a synchronised retirement age of 70 instead of 65 years.

    The Uniform Retirement Age Bill only seeks to bring  the retirement age of High Court Judges to be at par with that of the Justices of the two appellate courts.

    The law will promote public confidence in the judicial system and protect judicial independence.

    It will also eliminate the possibility of removal of judicial officers by the executive arm of government.