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Tag: House of Representatives

  • Vaccine Bill: Gbajabiamila led House announces two-day public hearing

    …to Oversight Covid-19 Spendings

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has assured that transparency and accountability will be upheld in the conduct of the public hearing stage of the Control of Infectious Disease Bill, 2020.

    The Speaker said the public hearing, which is expected to take place in the next few weeks, would be for two days and will be physical and open to submission of memorandum and position papers from members of the public.

    Gbajabiamila, who spoke on Monday while receiving some Civil Society Organizations that paid him a courtesy call in his office said the effects of the Covid 19 disease during and after its outbreak are of paramount concern to the House.

    The CSOs who were led by Clement Nwankwo, the Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), also had in attendance Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Mufuliat Fijabi, Chief Executive Officer, Women Trust Fund and Samson Itodo, Executive Director, Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA).

    He said while the House would step up its oversight responsibility on issues and palliative programmes around Covid-19, the 9th Assembly’s Legislative Agenda would be rejigged to reflect the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Saying that the House would continue to observe its weekly sitting and add more days where necessary, the Speaker assured that the House would continue to pass critical legislation during the Covid-19 period.

    “On the Control of Infectious Disease Bill, we are aware that many of the comments it generated are genuine, some were political and some were clearly based on the misunderstanding of the bill but we can not ignore any and that is why we are taking it to public hearing.

    “It is going to be conducted over two days and because we don’t want to endanger anyone’s life, all the Covid-19 protocols would be observed in a hall that is supposed to take 300 people, we will have about 40.

    Those who could not make it the first day would have the opportunity to be there the second day.

    “The public hearing would be physical because this is all about transparency and accountability. We don’t want to endanger the lives of Nigerians. It will be beamed live on TV and Radio but those that can not make it to the public hearing will have the opportunity of sending their memorandum to the House.

    “The Bill that will be passed by the House will be the aggregate of the submissions of Nigerians”.

    He also said the timeous passage of the first Economic Stimulus Bill was borne out of the urgency to address the economic implication of the pandemic on the country

    “The Bill is meant to among other things avoid job loss of Nigerians and to ensure tax relief for Nigerians and their employees during these times. It also seeks to ensure the availability of funds for protective materials and sensitive materials needed by frontline health workers in their line of duty.

    “I’m glad that the people have seen the necessity in the stimulus initiative which is the work of parliament and if people observe what is going on around the world, it is the legislature that designs the economic stimulus, the executive has the implementing power.

    “The Economic Stimulus Bill is essential because it affects the revenue distribution for the nation, and anything that has to do with national revenue begins at the National Assembly”.

    The Speaker added that, “in a few weeks, we will set up a Post Covid-19 response team, to look at how we react after the pandemic. The Police Act would be laid next Tuesday for consideration because to reform the Police is most necessary.

    “We are also working on the codification of the Nigerian Social Investments Programs so that it is not subject to the discretion of any officer because that is what obtains in other countries.

    “On the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan, we have our work cut out for us, oversight of the loan and other Covid-19 donations will be more vigorous,” Gbajabiamila said.

    Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Clement Nwankwo of Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) commended the Speaker and the House for rising to the occasion by its many efforts to proffer solutions for the novel pandemic during and after its outbreak.

    “the leadership of the National Assembly have been doing a great job, first to say is how the House of Representatives has shown leadership in consultation pertaining the covid-19 era and particularly taken a lot of positive steps to address some of the issues of concern.

    “Particularly on the fact that the Speaker has sponsored a couple of Bills, especially the Economy Stimulus Bill, looking at some of the raised concerns.

    “We also appreciate the timeliness in the Bills and hope the implementation will be as efficient and expedited as the citizens expect”.

    Auwal Rafsanjani, the Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), also urged the house to ensure effective oversight to checkmate the allegations regarding the sharing formula of palliatives of the Federal Government.

    Samson Itodo, Executive Director, Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YAIGA) also commended the Speaker over the timeous passage of the Economic Stimulus Bill but expressed concern that though the House has passed the bill, it has yet to progress further, and advised the Senate to expedite action on Bill that addresses issues concerning the survival of the organized and informal sectors of the Nigerian economy for its eventual transmission to the President for assent.

  • House of Representatives broke, in dire need of funds – Spokesman

    House of Representatives broke, in dire need of funds – Spokesman

    The House of Representatives is facing serious cash crunch, its spokesman Benjamin Kalu said at the weekend.

    He said the problem of funding is hampering the implementation of its programmes and slowing down its activities, including several investigations pending before it.

    Besides, the budget of the lower chamber of the National Assembly has not increased in the last 10 years, despite increases in the cost of living across board, he said.

    Despite the development, Kalu assured the nation that the leadership of the House would manage available funds judiciously and give Nigerians effective legislation.

    Addressing reporters at the weekend in Abuja, he said: “Your observation about the financial problems of the committees, if any, is in order. The impression out there is not true. The House of Representatives is struggling with funds because the activities of the House are bigger than the budget. This is the fact. Many are not aware of this because they don’t understand the workings of the institution.

    “That is why we are working hard to open up the activities of the institutions so that people can understand what we do in the House. The activities are many while the funding is small. Many will not like to hear this, but this is the truth.

    “The Speaker and the leadership are struggling to manage all the responsibilities of the House with the available resources. You will agree with me that the ability to harness available resources to meet a definite goal is the definition of management.

    “The goal is to give proper representation to Nigerians and to make good laws for them. We are not even talking of the representatives’ functions that have to do with constituency projects. Let us focus on making laws and doing our oversight functions.

    “The money is not enough. So, if any committee says we are struggling, it is because there is no money, and not because the leadership does not want to give them money. It is because they are trying to manage what they have and their scale of preference determines who they fund.

    Kalu called for more funding of the legislature to perform better, saying: “How would you have known, if the House of Representatives were useless and not carrying out their oversight functions? A motion was raised and in the wisdom of the leadership, they set up a committee. Look at what they are discovering there.

    “They need money to do that job. I will still join my voice with the voices of those who are sincerely asking for more funds for the operation of the National Assembly. I say that, not wanting to know how the public will react, because many of them react in ignorance.

    “When it is the House of Representatives, everyone screams without taking time to do critical analysis but with biases. It is time high we changed the narrative and began to let the people know the truth.

    “I have been in my office since I resumed and I don’t have a computer from the government to do my job. This is the fact. All my aides don’t have facilities to do their jobs. They keep rationing these funds because it is the much we can do.

    “So, I am asking the Nigerian public to be patient with us. What these committees are supposed to achieve, they will achieve them over time. But remember: we are operating on the same amount of budget that this House operated on 10 years ago.

    “Look at the purchasing power of our currency 10 years ago and weigh it with what it can buy today. So, I agree with you that they are struggling with funds, but the leadership is doing something about it.

    “Apart from paucity of funds, investigations take time. You may be asked to investigate for two weeks and in the course of doing that, you discover other things that may take you beyond that time.

    “You don’t have to stop because of that. All they have to do is request the House to extend the time because it is better to delay the period of investigation and get to the truth than to maintain the short period and deny some people the truth.”

    On the House’s observation of a 15-minute tea break during plenaries and complaints from Nigerians on this development, Kalu said: “Medically speaking, you have been advised not to sit down in one place for too long because it is unhealthy to do so. It affects blood circulation and the people here are not young people.

    “In the wisdom of the House, they give 15 minutes to stretch their legs and for our Muslim brothers to have their prayers. This is a secular country and we must do everything possible to accommodate the different religions. The policy of the House is to make sure everybody is accommodated.

    “When they stand up to go and pray, it becomes rowdy. So, we say let us programme it to allow them have their prayer, have tea and come back. I don’t think it is a bad decision; it is a healthy one…”

     

  • Reps probe NBET over alleged statutory breaches, violation

    Reps clear 3 colleagues accused in US sex scandal
    PIC.34. MEMBERS OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AT A SPECIAL SITTING TO MARK END OF THE 2ND YEAR
    OF THE 7TH ASSEMBLY IN ABUJA ON THURSDAY (6/6/13).
    By Gabriel Okoro, Abuja
    The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Public Procurement and Power to jointly investigate the allegations of gross statutory breaches including violation of the public procurement Act 2007 by the management of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc.
    The decision is sequel to a motion raised by Mr. Muhammed Soba(APC, Kaduna) during matter of urgent national importance at plenary on Tuesday.
    Raising the motion, Mr. Soba notes that contrary to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and extant Guidelines and Regulations from the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Managing Director and Management of NBET, executed Power Purchase Agreements and initiated the performance and implementation of its terms in total disregard for due process, which has resulted in losses to the Federal Government worth over N90 billion.
    According to him, contrary to the provisions of the Act, NBET engages Consultants in breach of the Act and extant Guidelines, Rules, Circulars and other Subsidiary Legislation. One of many examples is the engagement of Messrs AELEX(Law Firm) and Azinge & Azinge(Law Firm) despite the fact that they lacked basic bidding documents, the least responsive bidder was not awarded the contract and the required authorization from the Attorney General of the Federation was not obtained prior to the engagement of these Law Firms.
    “Most contractors and vendors engaged by NBET are not registered with the Bureau of Public Procurement, neither are they registered on the National Database of Federal Contractors, Consultants and Service Providers which is a gross violation of the provisions of the Acts”, he said.
    He further observed that the Managing Director and Management of NBET have been accused of awarding contracts arbitrarily and not to be the lowest evaluated responsive bidder as required by Section 16(17) of the Public Procurement Act 2007 resulting in losses worth billions of Naira.
    To this end, the lawmaker worried that if urgent steps are not taken to investigate these allegations and address any proven infractions, an institutional system of manipulation of the procurement process would have been created and an awkward situation would have been created which will lead to further financial losses to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
  • Kaduna Killings: Reps urge Police to fish out perpetrators

    Kaduna Killings: Reps urge Police to fish out perpetrators

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday called on the Nigerian Police Force to carry out thorough investigation to fish out the perpetrators of killings, abduction and destruction of property in Kaduna State.
    This was sequel to a motion under matters of urgent public importance by Rep. Yakubu Barde (Kaduna-PDP), on the need to address killings, abduction and destruction of property in Kajuru and Chikun local government areas of Kaduna State.
    Moving the motion, Barde noted that Kasuwan Magani, a community in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state always hosted large and weekly market that usually attracted many sellers and buyers from different parts of the state and the country.
    According to him, on Oct. 18, 2018 which was a market day, the community was thrown into crisis which started in the market and spread to other areas of the community.
    He also said that the Paramount Ruler of Adara people, the Agom Adara, on receiving the report of the crisis paid an on-the-spot visit to the area.
    The lawmaker said the Ruler was on his way back abducted alongside with his wife and driver by armed men, while three other persons on his entourage lost their lives.
    Barde said that the Ruler’s wife was, however, released two days ago.
    “On Oct. 21, 2018 which happened to be a market day in Kajuma town in Chikun local government area, some hoodlums suddenly launched an attack on marketers in the guise of retaliation of what happened in Kasuwar Magani.
    “This spread panic to neighbouring town like Rico, Sabon Tasha and Jonruwa with irate youths barricading the roads, thereby killing some people and burning cars.
    “As a result of the crisis, over 50 persons lost their lives with property worth millions of Naira destroyed and many families rendered homeless,” he said.
    The lawmaker expressed worry at the spate and rate in which the lives and property of citizens were being destroyed at the slightest provocation with absolute disregards for human lives.
    According to him, barely eight months ago, a similar crisis was recorded in the same community during which several lives and property were destroyed.
    He, therefore, commended the timely intervention of Gov.Nasiru El-Rufa’i and security agents to bring the situation under control.
    Contributing to the motion, Rep. Toby Okechukwu (Enugu-PDP), expressed worry over the killings and called for full investigation into the crisis.
    The House observed a minute silence in honour of those who lost their lives.
    It also mandated the National Emergency Management (NEMA) to provide relief materials to the families and persons affected by the crisis.
    The House also urged the security agents to intensify efforts at ensuring the release of the abducted paramount ruler.
    NAN

  • FG treating 2019 elections as an emergency – Dogara

    FG treating 2019 elections as an emergency – Dogara

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has said that the legislature is committed to free, fair and credible elections in 2019, and decried that the federal government is treating the 2019 elections as an emergency.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Dogara stated this during a meeting of the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu.

    The Speaker, who acknowledged gains recorded during the last election cycle in 2015, urged the electoral umpire to ensure that standards are improved upon.

    “I want to reiterate that we are committed to an electoral process that will better our experiences of our 2015 general elections. We’ve already set a standard where the world has avowed our electoral process to be fair to a certain degree and we must not go below that standard,” Dogara stated.

    He pledged the commitment of the National Assembly to enabling INEC to achieve this goal through appropriation.

    The Speaker further expressed concerns about what he described an emergency approach being taken towards the 2019 elections.

    “As leaders of the National Assembly, we are committed to appropriating whatever is needed within the confines of the resources of the nation for INEC to be able to actualise this and that is why this meeting is important.

    “However, personally, I have some questions that I intend to raise, but I will raise these in the process of discussion because it appears that we are treating this 2019 election as an emergency, which it ought not to be, so that is just my concern,” said Dogara.

    The INEC chairman Professor Yakubu, on his part, thanked the leadership of the National Assembly for their continued support.

    “Let me, on behalf of the commission, thank your excellencies and the leadership of the National Assembly for this meeting. We are now reenergised and more reassured that our plans for the 2019 general elections are absolutely on course as far as funding is concerned,” he said.

    He, however, stressed the need to act quickly, especially as elections are “exactly a hundred and ninety-one days away”.

     

  • NASS siege: Boma Goodhead stands out – Saraki

    NASS siege: Boma Goodhead stands out – Saraki

    Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday praised Honourable Boma Goodhead, a member of the House of Representatives for the role she played during the invasion of the National Assembly by armed security operatives on Tuesday.

    TheNewsGuru reports Saraki saying “I believe that Honourable Boma Goodhead, a member of the House of Representatives, stands out” at the world press conference he convened to address the invasion of the NASS.

    “She looked a masked security operative in the eye and dared him to shoot. She let it be known that Nigerians would not stand for the barricade at the National Assembly, that we would not be cowed.

    “It was another pointer to what is possible in this country when women take their place in leadership,” Saraki said.

    Boma on Tuesday dared operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to shoot her and others blocked from entering the National Assembly.

    The lawmaker represents Asalga/Akulga federal constituency of Rivers State.

    Infuriated that people were stopped from gaining access into the premises, Goodhead charged towards the DSS agents.

    “Start shooting, shoot this gun”, she said pointing to operatives’ rifles.

    “How many people can you shoot down here, how many?” she screamed.

    However, the operatives kept their cool and said no word.

    At a point in the video, a voice was heard appealing to Boma to calm down.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BmN8Hm9B1ob/?taken-by=thenewsgurung

     

  • Breaking: NASS leadership meets Tuesday

    The leadership of the National Assembly (NASS) is expected to meet on Tuesday 7 August.

    TheNewsGuru reports the NASS leadership meeting will have in attendance the Senate and House of Reps leaders.

    The Senate two weeks ago hurriedly adjourned plenary until September 25 given the current uncertainty in the nation’s political environment.

    The NASS leaders are also to meet with INEC leadership after their consultations.

     

  • May Day: Dogara speaks on minimum wage bill

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday said the House is ready to pass the minimum wage bill as the legislature awaits the executive to forward the bill for upward review.

    Dogara,in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Turaki Hassan, to mark 2018 Workers’ Day celebration, reiterated the desire of the House to provide a better life for workers.

    The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the Speaker said he was not unmindful of the struggles and hardship faced by Nigerian workers in their daily lives.

    According to him, this is why the National Assembly is committed to putting more resources in the hands of workers.

    He expressed optimism that the Federal Government Committee on Minimum Wage currently conducting public hearings across the six geo-political zones in the country, would soon conclude its assignment.

    He said that a new national minimum wage bill would be transmitted to the parliament by the President.

    “On behalf of the entire members of the House of Representatives, I want to use this occasion to, once again, underscore the importance of workers to the growth and prosperity of our dear nation, Nigeria.

    “We see the struggles you go through to survive on wages that can barely last through the first week of the month. “We see your dedication to doing your bit in ensuring that Nigeria continues to run effectively in spite of unfavourable conditions.

    “We commend your courage, your commitment to service and nation building and urge you to continue supporting government policies and agenda.

    “I assure you, on this occasion, that the National Assembly will give expeditious passage to the Minimum Wage Bill whenever it is transmitted by the executive and any other initiative that will promote the welfare of the Nigerian worker.

    “We will support it wholeheartedly,”

  • Why House is probing Special Presidential Investigation Panel – Dogara

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has explained why the House is investigating the Special Presidential Investigation Panel to ascertain where it got the powers to investigate public officers as it is not listed among the agencies listed to discharge that function in the constitution.

    Dogara said while speaking at a public hearing on the Legality and Modus Operandi of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel in the National Assembly on Thursday, that the probe became imperative because of the confusion of roles which has been identified by the Executive branch itself.

    He noted that the Constitution which is the supreme law governing affairs in Nigeria has vested the respective powers of investigation and eventual trial of public officers who are in breach of the Code of Conduct on the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Code of Conduct Tribunal, in addition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) which were established by two extant laws and copiously vested with powers and jurisdiction to investigate allegations of crime and to charge possible offenders to the Federal High Court.

    Speaker Dogara added that while it is undeniably the responsibility of the Judiciary to give final interpretation on the legality or otherwise of any question of law, it is also the constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly to make laws, or to plug defects in any existing law, or to amend any laws as it deems fit, especially to protect Nigerian citizens from the possibility of double jeopardy of facing different laws and different judicial and executive agencies on the same subject matter.

    He stated, “This investigation is further strengthened by the confusion of roles which has been identified by the Executive branch itself. It is public knowledge that the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, had waded into these matters in a letter titled, ‘Re: Directive in Respect of Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel on the recovery of public property’, which has not been denied. According to Malami’s letter to Obono-Obla: “I have received a letter Ref. SH/OVP/DCOS/FMJ/0424 dated 20th October, 2017 in respect of the above subject from the Office of the Vice President. In the said letter, the Vice President expressed his concerns on the activities of the Special Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property which runs contrary to the enabling Act establishing it. He also noted that the activities of the Panel run foul or contrary to established administrative procedures and protocols in the Federal Civil Service Structure”.

    Hon Dogara continued, “The spirit, if not the letter, of Section 36(9) of the Constitution guaranteeing a right to fair hearing and outlawing double trial by Courts or Tribunal set up by law, should guide our attitude on this matter, especially now that the Supreme Court has decided that the Code of Conduct Tribunal has a quasi criminal jurisdiction.

    “While we recognise the need to tackle the problem of corruption with renewed vigour in our society, as we fully subscribe to the dictates of the Constitution which enjoins the State to ‘abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power’ Section 15(5), we must, however, be conscious of doing things and implementing our laws in such ways and manner that will portray us as a democratic society conscious of the Rule of Law and Fundamental human rights.”

     

  • Light bill: Reps move to curb excessive charges

    Light bill: Reps move to curb excessive charges

    The House of Representatives on Thursday said it would meet with Community Development Associations (CDAs) in different geo-political zones in the course of its Ad Hoc Committee assignment, to curb excessive electricity charges.

    Chairman of the committee, Rep. Ajibola Famurewa (Osun-APC), who made the assertion at the inaugural meeting of the committee, said excessive electricity charges were being levied on consumers by distribution companies (Discos).

    He said that majority of Nigerians were suffering under the arbitrary charges for electricity from the distribution companies.

    “The committee was given the mandate by the House to determine the differences between the prepaid meters installed by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and the MOJEC prepaid meters by DISCOs.

    “It would also determine the costing algorithm used by Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in arriving at the consumers’ price.

    “The committee is to ascertain the average cost of electricity in West African sub region vis-a-vis Nigeria.

    “Its mandate also include finding out why DISCOs have not complied with the deadline of March 1, 2017 in phasing out the estimated billing system.”

    According to him, relevant organisations and agencies to be investigated include Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, the Central Bank of Nigeria , (CBN), the Consumer Protection Council, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NIBET) and the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

    Others are Electricity Distribution Companies of Nigeria (DISCOs), Nigeria Labour Congress, and Association of Nigerians Electricity Consumers among others.

    Famurewa said that there would be zonal interactive sessions with electricity consumers in a bid to understand the scope of the problem.

    According to him, the committee will try to meet the six weeks given as deadline by the House.

    This, he said, was to allow the House takes a timely decision on the issue to ease the suffering of the people.