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Tag: Bills

  • Omo-Agege solicits support of GCUOBA on bills

    Omo-Agege solicits support of GCUOBA on bills

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has urged old students of Government College Ughelli to approach his office with bills that will better the lot of Nigerians.

    Omo-Agege stated this on Friday in Abuja when he played host to the national leadership of Government College, Ughelli, Old Boys’ Association (GCUOBA).

    He commended the old students for their efforts in helping their Alma Mata by assisting the school in providing infrastructure.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yomi Odunuga, quoted him as saying: “It (Government College Ughelli) is a renowned institution. For that reason, any assistance that I can provide by virtue of this office, please count on it. I will not hesitate to provide such if it is within my powers.

    “In the National Assembly, you have a representative here in me. If you have things of interest like a piece of legislation that you want to advance, you can always count on me to help push that”.

    Earlier, the leader of the delegation and President General of GCUOBA, Architect Charles Majoroh congratulated the Deputy President of the Senate on his election.

    He also commended Omo-Agege for appointing some old students of the institution as his legislative aides, even as he invited the lawmaker to the Association’s Annual Dinner coming up in Abuja this weekend.

  • Buhari assents to two bills

    Buhari assents to two bills

    President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to two bills passed by the 8th National Assembly.
    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate),Sen.Ita Enang disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday.
    He listed the bills to include Federal University Agriculture Zuru, Kebbi State Bill and the Architects Registration Council Amendment Bill .
    He said by giving assent to the Federal College of Agriculture Bill, the institution had been upgraded from a Federal College of Agriculture to a full-fledged Federal University of Agriculture with all the powers of its status.
    He explained that the assented Architects Registration Council amendment bill had increased the penalty fee of N1,000 to N500,000.
    This, he said would generally enhance the architect registration process.
    He also said the bill was also designed to enhance the council’s penalties and make the appeals from the Disciplinary Committee lie with the High Courts.
    On why some bills were not assented to, Enang explained that there was cogent reasons for any bill that did not receive assent of the president.
    On why screened and confirmed ministerial nominees were yet to be inaugurated.
    He said: “Mr President upon receipt of communication from the National Assembly will on a date he will fix, notify the screened and cleared nominees.”
    Enag,who also responded to a question, on why the President did not attach portfolios to the nominees said the constitution did not oblige the President to do so.
    He thanked the senate for its patriotic decision to extend the annual vacation and concentrate on the screening and confirmation of the nominees

  • Buhari signs FCT, other bills into law

    Buhari signs FCT, other bills into law

    President Muhammadu Buhari has signed three bills into law.
    The new laws are: The Federal Capital Territory Appropriation Act, 2019, Federal Polytechnic Kaltungo, Gombe State (Establishment) Act, 2019 and the Federal Polytechnic, Daura Katsina State (Establishment) Act, 2019.
    The Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Friday.
    He said the Federal Capital Territory Appropriation Act, 2019 appropriates a total sum of N243, 374,511.077 for the 2019 financial year out of which N130.7 billion is for capital expenditure while the balance is for recurrent.
    He said: “This amount is from the Statutory Revenue Allocation due to the Federal Capital Territory.
    This is in addition to the budgetary provision of N23, 023, 593, 146 for Capital Expenditure made in the 2019 National Budget earlier assented to by Mr. President on May 27, 2019.”
    As part of his desire to improve and expand admission opportunities for children in tertiary institutions in the country, he said that the President assented to bills for the establishment of two Federal polytechnics in Nigeria.
    The Laws establishing the named Polytechnics, he said, are standard with the Laws establishing all other Federal Polytechnics in Nigeria.

  • We’ll pass budget within 3 months – Lawan

    We’ll pass budget within 3 months – Lawan

    President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan says henceforth the National Assembly (NASS) will ensure the passage of the nation’s appropriation bill within three months of its submission by the Executive arm of government.

    Lawan stated this known when he fielded questions from State House correspondents after joining President Muhammadu Buhari to perform the weekly Friday’s Juma’at prayer at the Aso Rock Mosque, Abuja.

    He, however, expressed the hope that the executive would always ensure early submission of the budget enable the assembly deliberate and pass it in good time.

    “Well, this is a crucial thing that worries everyone, every Nigerian wants to see the National Assembly passes the budget in good time and what we have in mind we’ve campaigned with that and it’s something both of us in the National Assembly have bought into – that we’ll pass the budget within three months by the grace of God.

    “But I want to say here that it takes two sides of government to pass the budget in good time.

    “I am sure that the executive side of the government would like to present the budget before the National Assembly in good time – in September or early October.

    “By the grace of God, we in the National Assembly will ensure that we carry out the budget defence and do the remaining parts of the processes and before we leave for Christmas break, the budget would have been passed and Mr President would have the budget before him to assent,’’ he said.

    The senate president, therefore, called for sacrifice by both the assembly and the executive so as to create “a window for budget defence only, a dedicate period and timeframe- say a month of which only budget defence will be carried out in the national assembly.

    “It is our desire in the National Assembly that every minister, every chief executive officer of every agency comes to the National Assembly and defence the budget of his agency or her agency before going out of the country.

    “That window is going to be available within the one month but that is the only window that is going to be available.

    “After that for example, every minister or head of agency who did not come to defend the budget of that institution, the National Assembly would go ahead to work on such a budget appropriately.’’

    According to Lawan, the national assembly is in a hurry and thirsty to perform and will support President Buhari in his efforts to transform the nation’s economy for the benefit of all citizens.

    He added “I believe that nobody would take pleasure in wasting the time of this administration.

    “We are in a hurry, we are thirsty to perform, we want to support Mr President, we want to see Mr President achieve those legacies dreams that he has and we are going to work full course and full time to ensure that we give him the maximum support that he requires.’’

  • Senate moves to override Buhari’s veto on constitution, income bills

    The Senate, yesterday, resolved to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on two bills, which the National Assembly earlier passed and forwarded to him for assent, but he declined.

    The bills are: The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration No. 28) Bill, 2018 and the Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) Amendment Bill, 2018.

    The Senate also resolved to reconsider and pass 11 bills and withdraw four others, passed by the Chamber and forwarded to President Buhari, which he refused to sign into law, giving various reasons.

    The apex legislative chamber made these resolutions following the consideration of the report of its Technical Committee on Declined Assents to Bills by Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation.

    The Constitution Alteration Bill No. 28, rejected by the President, seeks to provide for the time within which the President or Governor shall lay the Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly or House of Assembly, to encourage early presentation and passage of Appropriation Bills.

    Buhari had declined assent to the bill, saying that section 2(b) and section 3(b) of the bill appear not to take full cognisance of the provisions of section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution.

    However, the Upper Chamber saw no cogent reason in Buhari’s ground for declining his assent, wherein he cited section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution.

    Presenting the report of the Technical Committee, the Chairman of the Panel, Senator David Umaru (APC, Niger East) said: “For clarity, section 58(4) deals with mode of exercising federal legislative powers: general, particularly, the number of days to assent or decline assent to a bill.

    “It provides “Wherein a bill is presented to the President for assent, he shall, within 30 days thereof, signify that he assents or that he withholds assent.”

    He further explained that the bill seeks to make it mandatory for Mr. President and Governor of a state to cause to be prepared and laid before parliament, estimates of the revenues and expenditure of the federation for the following year.
    According to Umaru, the bill will also make the parliament to pass the appropriation bill before the commencement of the next financial year.

    The committee further noted that “the legislative intent behind this bill is to ensure that we run a normal financial year.”

    On the other hand, the Income Tax Relief Amendment Bill, which the Senate also resolved to override Buhari’s veto, seeks to allow companies that expand their operations in pioneer industry or product to apply for a new pioneer status.
    However, the President declined assent to the bill on the following grounds:

    “That there are ongoing consultations by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the tax holidays incentive regime for expansion projects, investments in rural areas, as well as for Agriculture/Agro-processing to be concluded and pave way for presidential orders, or executive bills for consideration and passage by the National Assembly.

    “That the consultations would result in fiscal measures that would greatly enrich the quality of the tax holidays incentive regime for these types of projects and investments.
    “That at the end, these fiscal measures when finalized, would be subsequently submitted to the National Assembly by way of presidential Executive orders, or executive bills for consideration and passage into law by the federal legislature, in due course.”
    In its observations, part of which was read out on the floor of the Senate by Senator Umaru, the Technical Committee noted that President Buhari’s reason for declining assent to the bill was rather simplistic.

    “Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, we wish to state here that the committee finds Mr. President’s observation on this bill rather simplistic. Certainly, Mr. President’s overall intention to come up with legislative proposal that would stand the test of time is commendable.

    “However, lawmaking cannot unjustly suffer in anticipation of a proposed legislation. Above all, nothing stops Mr. President or anybody for that matter from proposing an amendment to an existing law or even a repeal of an existing law.

    “There is nowhere in the world where the President can propose to stop the law-making process by an executive fiat or order. The President cannot withhold assent to a bill on the mere fact that consultations are on-going, which will enable him come up with a new bill”, the committee stated.

    Umaru said the 11 bills that would be passed again and transmitted for assent, was based on the fact that some of the observations made by the President were convincing.

    “The committee from its findings discovered that Mr. President withheld assent to some of the bills on the grounds that provisions of the extant acts are adequate enough to address the issues raised in the proposed legislations.
    “Also, it is not every aspect of the economy that should be regulated by law but by policies of government.

     

    “The passage of the Suppression of Piracy Bill that the President referred to in his Executive Communication when combined with the two bills currently before the Senate on the same subject matter, would address the issues raised in the NIMASA Amendment Bill,” he said.
    According to him, one of the 11 rejected bills the committee recommends for consideration and passage is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No. 8) Bill, 2018.

    Others are: Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No. 15) Bill, 2018; Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No. 20) Bill, 2018.
    Also, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No.22) Bill, 2018 was recommended for consideration and passage.

    Others are the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No. 24) Bill, 2018; Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill, 2018; Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, 2018 and National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (Establishment) Bill, 2018.

    Furthermore, the committee recommended that the Senate does consider and pass again the National Research and Innovation Council Bill, 2018 among others.

    Meanwhile, the Senate resolved to withdraw the Chartered Institute of Entrepreneurship (Establishment) Bill, 2018; the Subsidiary Legislation (Legislative Scrutiny) Bill, 2018; the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Amendment Bill, 2018.

    Contributing, Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, congratulated the committee for a professional and thorough job.

    He called for a filter system where before bills scale first reading, the Senate was properly advised on whether or not to consider it to avoid waste of time and energy.
    “We must also find a way to ensure that MDAs that implement such laws are present at public hearings,” he said.

    Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP-Taraba) commended the committee for a job well done.

    He said: “Some of the issues Senator Lawan raised are true, but beyond that, there is behind the scene politics that lead to non-passage of some of these bills.

    “For instance, the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. Some lawmakers will be part of passage of bills and later go behind to deny the decision of the National Assembly to support the Executive.

    “We must all know it should be Nigeria first. There was no party politics in passage of the electoral bill but unfortunately it got swallowed up in political crisis.”

    Senator James Manager (PDP-Delta) also commended the committee for a job well done.
    He, however, expressed concern that “about 20 years down the line, we still have this problem.”

    “There are lots of things that can make both arms work together but that does not mean one arm must insist that its way must persist.

    “It is worrisome how few persons sit and advise the president, creating problems not just for the National Assembly but the country at large because laws are made for all even those unborn.

    “So, there must be a system where complicated issues like this are resolved for a win win situation.”
    The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, asked the Clerk of Senate to commence work on the bills slated for reconsideration to ensure that they were passed within the life of the 8th Senate meant to elapse on June 9.
    He, thereafter, put the recommendations of the technical committee to voice vote and they were all adopted.

     

  • Buhari declines assent to fresh five bills

    President Muhammadu Buhari has again declined to assent to five bills sent to him by the National Assembly.

    Stating several reasons, the president said he would not assent to the Nigerian Film Commission bill, Immigration Amendment bill, Climate Change bill, Chartered Institute of Pension Practitioners bill and the Digital Rights and Freedom bill.

    His letters of decline was read by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday.

    Buhari said he decided not to sign the Digital Rights and Freedom bill because it “seeks to cover too many technical subjects and fails to address any of them extensively.”

    “These areas include surveillance and digital protection, lawful interception of communication, digital protection and retention etc. Which are currently the subject of various bills pending at national assembly. We therefore suggest that the scope of the bill should be limited to the protection of human right within the digital environment to reduce the challenge of duplication and legislative conflict in the future,” the letter reads further.

    He mentioned several reasons he decided not to sign the Nigerian Film Commission bill.

    “Section 1 (k) of the bill states that 1% of the proceeds for the television license for the national broadcasting commission shall be paid into a fund to be controlled by the national film commission, it is conflict with section 16 (1) of the national broadcasting commission act which stipulates the purpose for which expenditure to be generated by NBC may be used.

    “Section 7 (2) (d) of the bill proposed 5% VAT on all film related activities to the national film development fund violates section 40 of the Valued Added Tax and ensuring formula described there in because it averts funds normally distributed to states of the federation.”

    The Immigration Amendment bill was denied assent “due to the concerns expressed to the retroactive effective of the provisions of 38 (5) of the bill and the impact of the section on the ease of doing business initiative of the federal government. There are also concerns that if passed, the bill will be destructive to Nigerians in diaspora if other countries were to reciprocate the provisions of section 38 (5) in their immigration laws.”

    The climate change bill was also not signed because “the scope and guiding principle of the bill replicates the function of the federal ministry of environment which is charged with mainstreaming climate responses and actions into government polices but does not suggest the scrapping of the ministry.

    “Setting up a council as suggested by Section 2 of the bill is expensive to maintain as it amount to proliferation of government agencies especially when there are existing agencies already performing the proposed functions.

    On the Chartered Institute of Pension Practitioners bill, Mr Buhari said he declined assent because ‘the objectives of the Chartered Institute of Pension Practitioners created by the bill are similar to the objectives of the Signified Pension Institute of Nigeria which is already in existence and functional and this will amount to duplication of the functions of a separately constituted institute. Concerns have also been raised in connection with the propriety of the private investigate panel in conducting criminal investigation as suggested by section 8 (1) of the bill.”

     

  • Buhari declines assent to two bills from National Assembly

    President Muhammadu Buhari has declined assent to the Chartered Institute of Training and Development of Nigeria Bill.

    The president also declined assent to the Nigerian Aeronautic Research Rescue Bill.

    The communication from the president to the House of Representatives was read on the floor of the House by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, at Tuesday’s plenary session.

    Mr Dogara read: “The president declines assent to the chartered institute of training and development of Nigeria bill.

    “This is because there are concerns that the Institute does not possess the capacity of the requirements that might be imposed on it if the bill is assented to.

    “And some aspects of the bill might run fowl of the stipulated guidelines as they should be,” he said.

    The speaker further read that the president also declined assent to the Nigerian Aeronautic Research Rescue Bill recently passed by the National Assembly.

    “Presidential decision to decline assent to this bill is because of the numerous discrepancies of the bill which makes it not in tandem with international best practices guiding the aviation industry worldwide.

    “Certain sections are just a duplication of the functions of NEMA and other Agencies,” he said.

    The president also wrote the House on the burning need to settle local debts for Delta and Taraba, following approval of disbursements received from the NASS.

    “The National Assembly should also review the reimbursement proposed for Kogi and Bauchi states,” Mr Dogara read.

  • Buhari writes Saraki, withhold assent to 15 bills

    Buhari writes Saraki, withhold assent to 15 bills

    President Muhammadu Buhari has written to Senate President Bukola Saraki to express his decision to decline assent to 15 bills.
    Following the president’s letter, the Senate on Tuesday resolved to set up a Technical Committee to review the bills that were rejected by the president.
    The Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan (APC, Yobe) moved that the committee be established after the Senate President read out letters from President Muhammadu Buhari, withholding assent to the 15 bills passed by the National Assembly.
    His decision to withhold assent to these bills was communicated to the Senate via several letters. Although Mr Buhari communicated his decision to the parliament while the National Assembly was on its annual recess which started in July, Mr Saraki read out the letters Tuesday – upon resumption.
    The bills are National Research and Innovation Council (Est.) Bill, 2017; National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (Est.) Bill, 2018; National Agricultural Seeds Council, 2018 and Subsidiary Legislation (Legislative Scrutiny) Bill, 2018.
    Others are Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill, 2018; Chattered Institute of Entrepreneurship (Est.) Bill, 2018; Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) (Amendment) Bill, 2018; Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
    During the break, the president also rejected the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and five constitutional amendment bills.
    The president also introduced Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Bill, 2018 to the upper chamber as he requested that the bill be considered and passed into law.
    In his reaction, Lawan suggested that the Senate take advantage of Buhari’s observations and review the bills.
    “I have listened to the letters that you have read conveying the observations from Mr. President not to sign so many bills. I am of the opinion that we should take advantage of this device that is all these things that have been brought to us and understand.
    “What I believe, we can have a platform to avoid this kind of things from happening. We should put in a lot of time and our very limited resources. If at the end of the day, we are not able to get what we want, we need to take prompt action.
    “Therefore, I will suggest we take up a particular compromise after the chairmanship of business and rules and some loyal senators or whatever it is, we would set up a technical committee stating what happened, why those bills were not signed we may have excluded some things that may not be too serious but maybe we have not taken too much time to look at them,” he said.

  • Buhari refuses assent on four bills, explains why

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday communicated his decision to withhold assent to four bills to the National Assembly.

    At the House of Representatives, the presidential decision was contained in a letter read to members by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, at the start of the day’s proceedings.

    The bills are the “Corporate Manslaughter Bill, 2018”; “Agricultural Credit Scheme Bill, 2018”; “National Child Protection Bill, 2018”; and “Court and Tribunal Standard Scale Fines Bill, 2018.”

    Buhari gave reasons for rejecting the bills.

    For instance, on the corporate manslaughter bill, Buhari said several of its provisions were inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.

    He also rejected the agricultural credit scheme bill on the grounds that the National Assembly jacked up the fund created in the scheme to N50bn.

    The President explained that he was more convenient with the extant provision of N100m.

    On the child protection bill, Buhari noted that the proposed agency would merely duplicate the functions of already established agencies and the Ministry of Women Affairs.

    He turned back the court and tribunal bill for being “ambiguous” and conflicting with extant laws.

     

  • Pregnant women stage protest against Akeredolu [Photos]

    Pregnant women stage protest against Akeredolu [Photos]

    Apparently worried over the outrageous childbirth medical bills in Ondo under the administration of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, pregnant women on Thursday staged a protest, grounded activities at Ondo State Specialist Hospital, in Akure.

    According to a witness, who spoke to TheNewsGuru.com on the peaceful demonstration, the protesters reportedly demanded that Akeredolu reverse the new ₦25,000 bill for normal delivery which was absolutely FREE (including caesarean section, CS) under former Governor, Olusegun Mimiko.

    Our source quoted one of the pregnant women: “ This is not the Ondo we used to know, under Mimiko, we don’t pay a dime to get maternal care, in fact the government gives us maternal kits that contains some of the things we will need in the persiod.”

    Hitherto free delivery at the Mother and Child Hospital by the immediate past administration where pregnant women in the state had their safe delivery without paying any fee has now been abolished. Sometime last year, a mother and her new born child were detained at the hospital over failure to pay for the fees demanded by the hospital. It took the intervention of a philanthropist who raised the said amount before she could be released.

    Under Akeredolu, the health sector in the state according to critics is nothing to write home about. Apart from the crazy bills for pregant women, there has reportedly been dearth of personnel, especially doctors and nurses at the hospitals, thereby putting the lives of patients in danger during emergency.