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Tag: Gbajabiamila

  • Alleged maltreatment of Nigerians: Gbajabiamila speaks on outcome of meeting with Ghanaian authorities

    Alleged maltreatment of Nigerians: Gbajabiamila speaks on outcome of meeting with Ghanaian authorities

    …urges Ghana to revisit law on $1m business capital

    …seeks bilateral trade law between the two countries

    …advocates application of ECOWAS protocols

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has made some far-reaching proposals that would bring an end to the attacks on Nigerian traders doing business in Ghana.

    During a ‘Legislative Diplomacy’ bilateral meeting with Ghanaian lawmakers and some top government officials as part of his ongoing visit to Ghana to resolve the crisis, Gbajabiamila advocated for an amicable settlement of trade disputes through arbitration and fair judicial processes.

    The Speaker also said he would be glad to champion a law to improve the bilateral trade relations between Nigeria and Ghana, noting that citizens of the two countries remain brothers and sisters.

    He called on Ghanaian authorities to revisit the component of the law that requires a capital base of $1 million for businesses to start, saying as Africans, Ghana should encourage brotherliness.

    “First, amicable settlement of trade disputes through arbitration and fair judicial processes. In this context, we do believe that while it is the sovereign right of the government of Ghana to pass and implement the GIPC Act, we would implore you to explore alternative and less aggressive options of engaging, sanctioning and relating with our traders and business people who operate in your country, pay taxes and contribute to the development of both our nations.

    “Secondly, we would encourage you to revisit the component of the law that requires a capital base of $1,000,000. We are all Africans, we all have towns and villages, and we know only too well that majority of our traders across the continent are petty traders. The prospect of them being able to raise a capital base of $1,000,000 before they can trade in goods that may be worth less than $1,000, clearly is a major challenge.

    “Thirdly, one of the things we are all proud about and the common surname that we all bear is ‘ECOWAS’ and as you know, by virtue of being ECOWAS countries, our nations and our citizens should be able to live, work and thrive in any of our nations without any form of hindrance or discrimination.

    “It is in this light we would encourage that we explore how the principles and the application of ECOWAS protocols – which we are both signatories to – may perhaps conflict with the application of the GIPC Act, especially vis-à-vis the recent adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACfTA) by African nations; and also the movement towards a single currency in the West African subregion.

    “Fourth, is the importance of strengthening legislative diplomacy and collaboration. Legislative diplomacy is a tool that has been used across the world – both in developing and developed nations – to negotiate, to arbitrate and to find peaceful resolution to disputes between nations. Legislative diplomacy is akin to back-channel diplomacy, which in many cases, makes it more possible for countries to debate and find solutions to problems, without any country losing face publicly.

    “In this regard, I do believe that this step both our parliaments have taken to sit, to discuss, deliberate and find solutions; is a sterling example of legislative diplomacy, which the rest of the continent can follow to ensure that while the executive arm of government is performing its duties, that we in the legislature can also leverage our knowledge, our experience, the relationships we have amongst ourselves, to complement efforts in finding collective solutions to our shared problems.

    “Fifth, like I said right from the beginning, Nigeria and Ghana are siblings from the same family. I for one, would be willing to champion a law that helps to improve the bilateral trade relations and reciprocal legislation between our two countries and in this regard, we would like to explore the possibility of jointly passing what we could potentially call a Nigeria-Ghana Friendship Act – or something in that line, which will help to cement into law the good relations between our countries and also create a legal framework for further camaraderie that will enable us to ensure that, when it comes to Nigeria and Ghana, our laws will support efforts to improve relations, trade and positive and friendly interactions between our citizens, institutions and our governments.

    “We do not have an exact title for such a law as at now, but agreeing on reciprocal legislation that cements the friendship between our nations; and ensures that it continues to thrive and benefit all our citizens – no matter where they live – would go a long way in strengthening our relations on all levels,” Gbajabiamila said.

    Noting that the relationship between Nigeria and Ghana is one of the most important in Africa, Gbajabiamila said at a time the world is battling the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic impacts and the pressures on public coffers “and service delivery systems are weighing heavily on us all, it is clear that this is not a time for conflict and disagreements, but a time for partnership and solidarity.”

    He said it is in a bid to improve the bilateral relationships among African countries that he has been championing the creation of the Conference of Speakers and Heads of African Parliaments ( CoSAP) aimed at identifying, discussing and resolving issues and challenges that affect growth, stability and development within different regions and across the continent.

    “While our countries share a constructive and healthy rivalry in several areas – ranging from football to music, food and movie production, amongst others – we know that our healthy rivalry is based more on friendship than enmity and more on healthy competition than destructive confrontation.

    “We are friends, we are family, we are one and are determined to remain so, as we continue what our founding fathers started over six decades ago. These reasons, ladies and gentlemen, is why we are here: to deliberate on how we can jointly overcome current challenges and together, build the peaceful and prosperous future we both seek for our countries and our citizens.”

    He said the challenges that Nigerian traders face in Ghana are a cause for deep concern for all arms of the Nigerian government and the Nigerian people, calling for urgent action to end the hostility.

    Gbajabiamila added that: “The escalation of the tensions between our citizens and our nations is nothing for either of our countries to be proud of. And therefore, as I said today at the Nigeria High Commission, it is important that we leaders ensure that our utterances and our actions; and what is reported in our media do not fan the flames of conflict and confrontation, but instead, fuel the possibilities of first de-escalating tensions; finding constructive options for resolution; and working together to effectively implement those solutions, both here in Ghana as well as in Nigeria.”

    Speaking, the Ghanaian Minister of Trade and Industry Hon. Alan Kyeremateng, said there are many Ghanaians and Nigerians who are going about their lawful duties without difficulties.

    “The incidence that has occurred where some shops were locked up must have risen out of situations where there were clear abuses of the application of the laws.

    “I was happy that the Nigerian Speaker of the House of Representatives mentioned that if they are doing legitimate business, please allow them as brothers and sisters to continue to do so. I want to give you that assurance that that will be the case. Anybody engaged in business, trading, doing the rightful things, they must have no difficulties.

    “Even in cases where we found that in some instances where the laws were not being followed, I, in my capacity as the Minister of Trade, had ordered that they shut the office and those who are being seen as offending the law be given an opportunity to regularize their documentation.

    “I say this, being the Minister of Trade and Industry, this is not something that is new, I have always since the time I’ve been a Minister found a way of going along, so that those who needed to regularize their businesses would do so.

    “Also as indicated by the Speaker, that it will be a desire to see whether certain aspects of the law could be looked at, I’m sure the Speaker will look at that request and appropriate Committees would be engaged on the subject

    “As long as the laws remain on our statute books, I will like to request that, you send a strong signal to our brothers and sisters who are engaged in retail trading that at least for now until further considerations are made on our statute books, they should just respect the law because Ghanaian traders themselves are required to respect the laws of our country. And in that sense, it will be discriminatory for us to require Ghanaians to respect the same laws in our statute books and not require foreigners to do so.”

  • Gbajabiamila jets to Ghana today over alleged maltreatment of Nigerians

    Gbajabiamila jets to Ghana today over alleged maltreatment of Nigerians

    House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila will visit Ghana today to liaise with his Ghanaian counterpart over the misunderstanding between Nigeria and Ghana.

    Gbajabiamila stated this on Tuesday while addressing State House Correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    The Speaker, who said he was at the Villa to rub minds with the President on the diplomatic row, described his planned visit as “Legislative Diplomacy”.

    Last week, the Speaker said the closure of Nigerian shops in Ghana contravened Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) trade protocols and called for a decisive solution between both countries.

    “It is a usual engagement, like we always say when issues come up. I see Mr. President and find out and run things by him and we discuss issues. One of the issues we discussed today is that I will be leaving for Ghana tomorrow to meet with the Speaker of the Parliament in Ghana to look at the issues on the ground as they affect our citizens. Then, we will try and calm things down and see if there’s a way forward.

    “I’ll meet with the Speaker tomorrow. I informed the President and he’s aware of every single step that we are taking all the way. We hope that we’ll come to an amicable settlement, one way or the other.

    “It’s called Legislative Diplomacy. If you remember very well, during the days when I was Leader of the House, I led the delegation to South Africa during the crisis there with Nigerians. We were able to accomplish quite a bit, to simmer things down at that time,” he said.

    When he was asked if his consultation would involve demands to the Ghanaian government, the Speaker said: “No demands; we are just going to discuss in the spirit of African Parliaments and we’ll be looking at issues from time to time as they affect African countries. This is one of them.”

    On the current situation between Nigeria and Ghana, Gbajabiamila said he would rather not speak for now.

    According to him, all efforts should be focused on sorting out the relationship and not heating up the atmosphere with comments.

  • Why we suspended probes, investigative hearing – Gbajabiamila

    Why we suspended probes, investigative hearing – Gbajabiamila

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has said the decision of the House leadership to halt all investigative hearings and ongoing probe was to enable the House put in place more measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic

    The Speaker dismissed claims in some quarters that the action was aimed at truncating the investigating being carried out by the House.

    Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Lanre Lasisi quoted him as saying that summer vacation is part of the Legislative all over the world, stressing that the House has not breached any law by sending its members on break.

    He however said the vacation has not prevented the members from carrying out their oversight function over government agencies, adding that even while on vacation, members were still on the road working.

    He said that activities of the House have not been totally shut down, adding that the leadership of the House decided to suspend pubic and investigative hearings for the three weeks remaining of the annual recess to put in place more measures in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Gbajabiamila explained that the House has not breached any law or known convention by embarking on an annual recess, while recalling that members were working during the recess until when it became imperative to suspend the public hearings.

    He said “First of all, whatever form of democracy you practice around the world, there’s always an annual recess; we are not reinventing anything. Recess has only one meaning: it’s either you are on recess or you are working.

    “I’ve been in the National Assembly, I’ve never known of a situation, and I’m yet to be proven wrong where, when on an annual summer recess, members are working, conducting public hearings, doing investigations.

    “I’m not talking about other recess, it’s a different thing when you close plenary and committees are still working, there’s a big difference. But in the summer, we go on an annual recess.”

    He maintained that the House was not insensitive to the realities of the coronavirus pandemic that disrupted activities globally, which was responsible for the continuation of legislative activities well into its annual recess.

    While insisting that the House has always conducted its responsibility with utmost dedication, Gbajabiamila said, “You can see that some members are actually on the road right now doing their work, that’s a different kind of oversight.

    “Members are actually out working and that hasn’t stopped, except for public and investigative hearings. Now, because there’s COVID-19 and people are forced to adhere, it’s no excuse to continue to work the way we used to.

    “For the Civil Society talking about why the House is going on recess, well, we are always happy to look at advanced democracies, whether it’s Germany, United States, United Kingdom; we are always happy to compare the Nigerian Legislature to those places.

    “As I speak to you, the United States Congress is on annual recess. You won’t hear of legislative hearing or any public hearing. Just last week, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress had to call her members back through a zoom conference because of the issue of US…. and the impending elections. But right now they are back in their constituencies. That is the way it is done the world over.

    “Secondly, back home in Nigeria, the judiciary is on its annual recess, but you will not say because there’s a corruption case, you will find one court opening and sitting and hearing one corruption case. No, they have one or two courts that are open for administrative purposes, but they are on recess.

    “And recess is only two to three weeks to go and then work continues as usual. To take a clearer picture, we are only doing what is in keeping with all that has been done since I got to the House.

    “There might be one or two issues where there’s an exception. In fact, the first time ever when the House had to recall itself was some years ago, when Tambuwal was the Speaker. There was an oil crisis in the summer and we reconvened the House on a Sunday because of the urgency of that moment.”

  • PDP calls for Gbajabiamila’s resignation, accuses him of frustrating corruption investigations

    PDP calls for Gbajabiamila’s resignation, accuses him of frustrating corruption investigations

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday accused the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila of frustrating corruption investigations by the lower chamber.

    PDP made the claims while faulting the decision of Gbajabiamila to shut down the sitting of various committees investigating the executive.

    While urging the Speaker to step down, the former ruling party said Gbajabiamila’s action is a “deliberate design to cover the stench of corruption oozing out of the APC administration.”

    In a statement signed by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP charged Gbajabiamila, to stop “circumventing the statutory duties” of the lower legislative chambers by placing “wedges in the way of the fight against corruption by the legislature.”

    According to PDP: “It is clear that the shutdown directive is targeted at frustrating revelations from ongoing investigations on the $500 billion foreign loan from China, particularly as it relates to the mortgaging of our nation’s sovereignty to China.

    “This is in addition to the investigations into the humongous corruption in government agencies including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) the N300 billion unremitted revenue to the federation account as well as allegations of corruption in government earnings and the expenditure in Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDA’s) under the APC.

    “It is therefore unfortunate that under the Gbajabiamila-led leadership, the basic responsibility of the House of Representatives, which is its oversight on the executive, has just been maimed through a forced holiday on the members of the respective committees and their Chairmen.

    “If the Honourable Speaker is inclined towards allowing the covering of corruption, against the purpose for which he was elected to lead the House, then, he should take a bow and step aside.”

    The House of Representatives is currently investigating some ministries and agencies of the federal government over alleged corruption.

    The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi is being probed by lawmakers for loans collected and others being expected from the Chinese government for the construction of railway lines in Nigeria.

    Also being probed is the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, over alleged mismanagement of funds.

    NDDC is also being probed for alleged spending of over N81 billion on palliatives during the COVID-19 lockdown.

    Following issues arising from the investigative hearing by the House, Gbajabiamila reportedly shut down all committee sittings.

    During one of such sitting, the Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio alleged that lawmakers benefitted from most of the contracts in NDDC.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Transport has now warned that the probe by lawmakers could prevent Nigeria from accessing the loan worth billions of dollars from China.

  • Gbajabiamila spearheads African Speakers’ push for debts cancellation

    Gbajabiamila spearheads African Speakers’ push for debts cancellation

    Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila on Monday convened a meeting of some African Speakers of Parliaments where it was agreed that there is an urgent need to push for debt cancellation for the continent from their multilateral and bilateral partners.

    This is as Gbajabiamila’s initiative to establish the Conference of African Speakers and Heads of Parliament (CoSAP), a body that will facilitate increased collaboration between Speakers, Heads of Parliament and National Assemblies across Africa got a boost.

    The African Speakers will also seek to advance the African development agenda within and outside the continent in conjunction with both the executive arms of government as well as African regional institutions.

    These emerged following a virtual meeting conveyed by Gbajabiamila on Monday with Hon. Tagesse Chafo, Speaker, House of Peoples Representatives, Ethiopia; Rt. Hon. Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, PhD, Speaker of Parliament, Ghana; Hon. Justin Bedan Muturi, Speaker, National Assembly, Republic of Kenya; Rt. Hon. Donatille Mukabalisa, Speaker, Chamber of Deputies, Rwanda; and President Moustapha Niasse, AFP, President, National Assembly, Senegal.

    In his opening remarks, Gbajabiamila said there was an urgent need to join local and global efforts to push for the cancellation of the external debt owed by various countries on the continent.

    Saying that development across the continent has become stunted due to the heavy burden of the debts, Gbajabiamila noted that the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has compounded the issue for the continent, considering the socio-political and economic consequences of the disease.

    “We all agree that Africa’s debt burden has become an existential threat to our societies, our economies and the future; we leave to posterity, and we need to do something about this and treat it as a continent-wide priority.

    “It is safe to say that the burden of debt servicing, vis-à-vis spending on education and health care for example, is a threat to our continent’s stability and development, especially in the era of Covid-19.

    “When we find ourselves having to make policy choices between paying debts or saving lives, we know something is not morally right. And as democratically elected representatives of our people, we cannot be silent. We must speak up and we must act. And the time to act is now.

    “Furthermore, is the need for us to reflect on, the processes that led to Africa’s heavy indebtedness in the first place, the role parliamentarians can play to address this going forward and what assurances we as parliamentarians can give our borrowers that if our debt is cancelled, the freed-up resources will be invested in social and economic development of our citizens.

    “If we want debt cancellation, we must be able to build the confidence of the borrowers that the cancellation will indeed save lives and livelihoods across the continent, and we, as Speakers and Heads of our parliaments, will ensure that is indeed the case”.

    On the need for the establishment of the Pan-African Speaker’s Conference, Gbajabiamila noted that collective efforts at tackling challenges facing the continent have become expedient.

    He said: “The motive behind this initiative is that each year we identify a theme, issue, or challenge that is pan-African in scope and we meet to deliberate on how we can work together across parliaments in Africa to tackle these continental issues and challenges.

    “As heads of our respective parliamentary entities, it will also be a good platform to share experiences and expertise in different aspects of our legislative duties pertinent to the growth, development and sustenance of our economies and our societies; and on ways to enhance the capacity and impact of our parliaments on our democracies and the lives of the peoples we all represent.

    “We have spent decades learning from the rest of the world, now we must begin to learn from one another”.

    Throwing his weight behind the two initiatives, Hon. Tagesse Chafo, Speaker, House of Peoples Representatives, Ethiopia, noted that though almost every government on the continent has been trying to seek debt forgiveness, this should not, however, stop the parliaments from contributing to the efforts through a platform such as this.

    “As representatives of our people, we are to come together, advise and campaign about the issue, we don’t have to keep quiet because debt cancellation would be good for the resuscitation of our economies that have been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added.

    In the same vein, Rt. Hon. Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, Speaker of Parliament, Ghana noted that the debt burden is essentially a common challenge on the continent, as most African countries have to depend on foreign loans to execute their national budgets.

    He, however, noted that the Speaker’s group, in its efforts to push for debt cancellation must be able to convince the creditors about accountability if they hope to succeed.

    He said: “Donor agencies are interested in accountability because they are confounded about the issue of corruption, and we must be able to give the assurance and that is why the Speakers Conference is critical. And if nothing is done, there may be no economy to service the loans”

    Hon. Justin Bedan Muturi, Speaker, National Assembly, Republic of Kenya also emphasised the need for the initiative, adding that, the coronavirus pandemic has undermined most African economies because conditions attached to most of the loans have been eroded by the consequences of the novel pandemic.

    On her part, Rt. Hon. Donatille Mukabalisa, Speaker, Chamber of Deputies, Rwanda, while noting that African countries depend on and heavily burdened by loans even before the pandemic, however, added that the group must be clear about the kind of debt it is seeking to address and from which partners.

    While President Moustapha Niasse, AFP, President, National Assembly, Senegal also regretted that the pandemic has affected all economies on the continent negatively, he, however, suggested that opinions of members of the forum must be sought on how to solve the issues between suspension or cancellation of debt
    “We must be convinced that we have a job to do at the level of parliament,” he added.

    It was also agreed that a Communique would be released in the first week of September 2020, while the campaign for implementations of the plan of action would begin in the second week of September 2020 as well.

    According to the forum, the third week of September would be devoted to the planning for the 2021 conference by the Secretariat.

    While it was decided that Nigeria would host the maiden edition of CoSAP chaired by Nigerian Speaker the Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, the new body is expected to meet again in the first week of September to approve the plans and swing into action.

  • Defection: Declare Dogara’s seat vacant or face legal action, PDP tells Gbajabiamila

    Defection: Declare Dogara’s seat vacant or face legal action, PDP tells Gbajabiamila

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State has called on the leadership of the House of Representatives to declare the seat of Hon. Yakubu Dogara representing Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency, vacant following his defection from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The party who made the call in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Hon.Femi Gbajabiamila, demanded for the invocation of the provisions of Section 68(1)(g) & (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) in respect to it.

    In the letter dated 30th July, 2020 and jointly signed by the legal representatives of the party, S. Rabo Esq., J. S. Jihrin Esq. A. S. Idris Esq and H.S.Saraki Esq , which was made available to newsmen on Monday , the party also threatened to initiate legal action against the Speaker if he fails to heed to their demand.

    The letter partly reads ;”We write with esteemed compliments as the legal representatives of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) herein referred to as ‘our client to, upon its instructions and authority, forward the subject of this correspondence for your attention and necessary action”

    ”In the light of this, our client has briefed us that it has been formally notified by Honourable Yakubu Dogara, the member representing Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency in Bauchi State and the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, regarding his defection from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC). A copy of Honourable Dogara’s notification dated 24th July 2020 is hereby annexed and marked as appendix ‘A’.”

    It reads further ”It is against the background of the foregoing that we demand your invocation of the provisions of Section 68(1)(g) & (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) by declaring his seat vacant consequent upon his said defection within (7) working days of the receipt this notice.”

    ”This comes with the further notice that upon your refusal, failure or neglect to heed this demand, we shall proceed to commence legal action against you in a competent Court of law thereby bringing to the fore the import of the famous legal maxim that says: “product agit qui praecepto legis obtemperial” i.e “he sho acts prudently who obeys the command of laws” in the context of your pledge to uphold justice, the rule of law and the deepening of democratic processes as captured in your inaugural address as the Speaker of the 9th Assembly in the House of Representatives.”

  • Serap to NASS: ‘Publish all reports of corruption probes since 1999’

    Serap to NASS: ‘Publish all reports of corruption probes since 1999’

    The Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila have been sent a request by a Nigerian group, to urgently publish all reports of corruption probes by the National Assembly since 1999.

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) made the request under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.

    The organization also the two principal officials of the National Assembly to “disclose the number and details of public hearings and corruption probes by the National Assembly that have resulted in any indictment of suspects, and to name such suspects.

    “The reports should be sent to appropriate anti-corruption agencies to consider if there is sufficient admissible evidence to pursue prosecution,” the group said in a 25 July letter by
    its deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare.

    “Publishing the reports of hearings and probes would bolster public trust and confidence in the oversight functions, and dispel the perception that many of these hearings and probes are politically motivated and serve personal interest, rather than the general public interests.”

    “The most effective way to deter corruption is to make the cost of engaging in these types of acts higher than the rewards.

    “This end can only be accomplished by making public the reports and pursuing public accountability for corrupt acts. Doing so would also give Nigerians greater confidence that their lawmakers can use their constitutional oversight functions to address corruption in Nigeria.”

    The FoI requests, read in part: “We urge you to sponsor a resolution to stop lawmakers from directly getting involved in the execution of projects by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to ensure the proper and effective exercise of oversight functions, including investigations of corruption allegations, such as those involving the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).”

    “We also urge you to urgently use the opportunity of the ongoing public hearings and corruption probes to influence Nigeria’s anti-corruption agenda, including by immediately amending section 52 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act on independent counsel for corruption.”

    “Section 52 requires the Chief Justice of Nigeria to authorise an independent counsel to investigate any allegation of corruption against high level public officials, and to report his/her findings to the National Assembly or appropriate house of assembly.”

    “The proposed amendment should include additional requirements beyond merely reporting to lawmakers, that would allow the independent counsel to use the findings of any investigation as a basis to pursue effective prosecution of corruption cases without any authorisation by the executive or the National Assembly.”

    “SERAP notes that both the Senate and House of Representatives have over the years conducted several public hearings and corruption probes to expose pervasive problem of corruption in MDAs.”

    “SERAP is concerned about the systemic and widespread corruption allegations in MDAs and among high-ranking public officials, and the negative impacts on socio-economic development, as well as access of Nigerians to public goods and services, including quality education, adequate healthcare, clean water and regular electricity supply.”

    “We would be grateful if the requested information is provided to us within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of the FoI requests. If we have not heard from you by then, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions under the Freedom of Information Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to compel you to comply with our requests.”

    “The exercise of oversight functions and powers by the National Assembly to conduct public hearings and corruption probes in MDAs should be regarded as a public trust.”

    “The National Assembly has a unique opportunity to enhance transparency and accountability, as well as the integrity of its oversight functions on corruption matters in particular, and other constitutional roles, in general, including by publishing widely the reports of all corruption-related public hearings since 1999.”

    “There is legitimate public interest in the publication of the reports of these public hearings and probes. The public hearings and probes can only serve as effective mechanisms to prevent and combat corruption if their reports are widely published.”

  • BREAKING: Gbajabiamila orders commencement of legal proceedings against Akpabio

    BREAKING: Gbajabiamila orders commencement of legal proceedings against Akpabio

    The House of Representatives has initiated moves to sue Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio for perjury.

    Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said at plenary on Thursday he has instructed the Clerk to engage lawyers to file the suit after the Minister failed to respond to the House request to publish the list of members who got contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NCDC).

    Gbajabiamila vowed he will not preside over the House and allow anybody tarnish its image for whatever reason.

    Details shortly…
  • NDDC has failed for two decades – Gbajabiamila

    NDDC has failed for two decades – Gbajabiamila

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has stated that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has failed the region and its people for over two decades.

    According to him, the commission failed in spite of the huge funds at its disposal.

    Speaking during an investigative hearing on the alleged financial mismanagement in the NDDC, Gbajabiamila stated that the people of Niger Delta are yet to benefit from the commission which was established 20 years ago.

    He said; “In the over two decades since that promise has not been kept. Despite its critical importance and the vast sums that have been appropriated by the Federal Government, the Niger Delta of Nigeria continues to score exceptionally low on many of the major human development indices.

    “These statistics reflect the reality of disease and deprivation, lack of opportunity and broken dreams that is the plight of many of our fellow citizens in the region.

    “It is therefore particularly disturbing and quite frankly, embarrassing that every other news report about the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) seems to centre around escalating allegations of corruption and malfeasance.

    “The purpose of this investigative hearing is to ask why the failure persists and to do so with a determination to understand the causes of that failure so that the parliament can act to redeem the NDDC and remove those factors that imperil the commission’s noble mission.

    “We will examine the allegations of corruption and malfeasance that have dogged the commission. We will do so with neither fear nor favour, confident in the assurance that we have both a constitutional duty and moral obligation to ensure that the enormous sums of money appropriated to the NDDC over the years are appropriately accounted for by those whose responsibility it has been to manage this important and all too essential public trust.”

    Gbajabiamila added that the success of the investigation will depend on the willingness of the various ‘stakeholders’ in the commission, within government and in the local communities, to cooperate with the committee.

    He said; “I encourage all the stakeholders to consider this investigative hearing as a last-ditch effort to save the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and to engage with this committee in a patriotic partnership to break the jinx of underdevelopment in the Niger Delta region.”

  • Rape now a pandemic in Nigeria – Gbajabiamila

    Rape now a pandemic in Nigeria – Gbajabiamila

    Gender activists under the auspices of the Movement Against Rape and Sexual Violence visited the House of Representatives on Wednesday to seek action against rape and other sexual crimes.

    Wife to the Governor of Kaduna State, Aisha el-Rufai, led the team that visited the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, at his office.

    Gbajabiamila, while responding to MARS-V, said rape and sexual violence have become a pandemic in Nigeria. He stated that both the leaders and the people of Nigeria must rise against rape.

    The Speaker said the statistics on rape cases in Nigeria “is mind-boggling”. He stated that Nigerians, especially those that hold religious views on rape, need adequate education and awareness against the rape pandemic.

    He said, “While I see so many women here with you, this is a fight not just for women. I can see some few men too, but this is a fight for all. Let a subliminal message be sent that even though over 95 per cent of the victims are women; let it be that it is we, the men, that are championing your cause.

    “The statistics are very alarming on the issue of rape. You hear figures in terms of rape and gender-based violence that are mind-boggling. It is only a deprived mind that can engage in rape. I consider the issue of rape as a pandemic. In my estimation, it is a pandemic.

    “The issue of rape should be treated the way coronavirus is treated. How do we treat a pandemic? There has to be a frontal onslaught. The media has a role to play. It should be in the front line. There is a lot of work to be done from different angles. In a pandemic, you look for cure. No sane man would have sexual intercourse with a three-month old baby. The idea alone is sickening.”