TheNewsGuru

Tag: Lawan

  • 2020 Budget final copy for consideration November 28 – Lawan

    2020 Budget final copy for consideration November 28 – Lawan

    Senate President Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan has said the National Assembly is looking forward to receiving the final copy of the 2020 Appropriation Bill from its committees by November 28 and pass the budget before the Christmas break.

    The Senate President also assured Nigerians that between tomorrow and November 5, the various committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives are expected to defend their presentations before the committees on appropriation.

    He added that today’s deadline for budget defence remained sacrosanct.

    Lawan also said the current National Assembly was not a rubberstamp to anybody but only collaborating with the Executive in the nation’s interest.

    The Senate President frowned on the insistence of government to sign agreements with labour unions, especially those in the Education sector, which are not implemented.

    According to him, strikes have had adverse effects on the nation’s educational system.

    Lawan said even though the legislature would disagree with the Executive on what they consider inappropriate, they would not go to the market place to fight them over such issues.

    The Senate President said all parties would sit and resolve their differences in the overall national interest.

    He stressed that the legislature is the only arm of government that can represent the people adequately, take time and carry out timely legislations on matters that enhance good governance and would, therefore, not renege on its responsibility.

    stamp. We are working on the budget and if we see any area we don’t agree with, we will say so because we have to do the right thing until we are able to get the budget processed and passed…”

  • Senate President denies shutting out press from legislative business

    Senate President denies shutting out press from legislative business

    The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said on Monday that it was share misrepresentation of fact to say that journalists were not allowed to cover the budget defence sessions going on at the National Assembly.

    Lawan was reacting to report published in some dailies last week that the media were shut out of the coverage of the budget defence at the various Senate committees.

     

    “There is no shut out of the press from what we do,” Lawan told reporters.

    “We need the press to tell Nigerians what we are doing. You (journalists) are our friends. That was a misunderstanding (of what happened),” Lawan said.

    The Senate President said it should be expected that journalists, at some point, may be excused from such meetings when sensitive issues that bother on national security are being discussed.

    “I want to assure Nigerians that whatever we do in this Senate and indeed in this National Assembly is in the best interest of Nigeria. We will not compromise on anything as far as the national interest is concerned,” Lawan said.

     

  • Senate will ensure passage of 2020 Budget before year end – Lawan

    Senate will ensure passage of 2020 Budget before year end – Lawan

    …directs MDAs to appear for Budget defence immediately

    Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are to appear before Committees of the Senate this month to defend their voted in the 2020 Budget, Senate President Ahmad Lawan said on Tuesday.

    Lawan stated this at the presentation of the budget by President Muhammadu Buhari during a joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

    He said for timely passage of the budget, all MDAs should appear before the committees for the defence within this month.

    Lawan said the national assembly committees were ready to receive ministers and other heads of agencies for the budget defence

    “We have earmarked the month of October to be the sole window for all budget defence activities in this year by all MDAs.

    “Our committees will be expected to conclude their work on budget defence within October 2019.

    “The subsequent necessary legislative work will be carried out in November and December leading to eventual passage before December 31.”

    Lawan said that the presentation of the budget marked another day of exercising the constitutional obligations and mandates by both the legislature and the executive as provided for in Section 81 of the 1999 Constitution.

    “This function being the first in the Nineth National Assembly, makes it even more significant as both the legislature and the executive have demonstrated readiness and commitment to work together in order to pass the 2020 budget in a good and desirable time.

    “Clearly, this effort is to enable the Federal Government provide those laudable objectives of physical infrastructure and socio-economic services to our citizens,” he said.

    He further said that the public and the private sectors needed a reliable and predictable budget cycle for the planning and execution of fiscal and financial policies and programmes.

    “It is therefore, necessary that the present cycle is changed to January-December.

    “In this regard, the national assembly and the executive must work together to ensure the realisation of the important objective.”

    Lawan said that the National Assembly, after the receipt of the budget, would swing into action to start work immediately.

    He said: “Both chambers of the national assembly have constituted their committees, we are therefore, ready to start processing the budget.

    “The National Assembly will treat the 2020 budget with the same commitment or even more.

    “In our effort to pass the budget, we will also be guided by the legislative requirement of a thorough scrutiny,” Lawan said.

    The President of the Senate also promised that the National Assembly would fast track the amendment of the Public Procurement Act 2007 to ensure effective and efficient budget implementation.

    He said that over the years, the public procurement process appeared to be encumbered by a lengthy bidding process and inadequate mobilsation of funds among other limitations of the Act as amended.

    “These tend to delay execution of government programmes and projects, or even stalled achieving the execution.

    “The national assembly will fast track the amendment of the Act to ensure effective and efficient implementation of our budgets.”

    He said that the assembly would ensure that the Federal Government was better enabled to provide enhanced security for protection of lives and property of Nigerians.

    “We will also ensure an improved and revitalised economy that is all inclusive; able to create and sustain employment opportunities for our teeming youths; taking Nigerians out of poverty to prosperity and sustainable development.

    “The budget estimates would remain what they are, estimates, until we are able to generate and receive the necessary revenues to fund and foot the bills.”

    He assured Buhari of the readiness of the Assembly to partner with the administration to achieve all the goals and targets of taking Nigeria to the `Next Level` of development and prosperity.

     

  • Arrest, prosecute foreigners engaged in illegal mining, Lawan urges security agencies

    Arrest, prosecute foreigners engaged in illegal mining, Lawan urges security agencies

     

    …Says mining sector must be revamped, protected

     

    The President of the Senate, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, has called on security agencies to arrest and prosecute foreigners and anyone engaged in the illegal mining of the country’s mineral resources.

    Lawan made the call on Wednesday in his remarks after the consideration of a motion titled “The need to check illegal mining activities in the country.”

    The motion was sponsored by Senator Ya’u Sahabi Alhaji (PDP, Zamfara North) and co-sponsored by 32 other senators.

    The Senate President, while speaking passionately on the motion, said “This Senate will look into the solid minerals sector seriously, and we will charge our Committee on Solid Minerals, Steel Development and Metallurgy to call for a public hearing on what the sector should be in this country.

    “We know we have policies on solid minerals as well as legislation. The Federal Government gave N30 billion to the ministry just to revamp the sector in the last four years but I think as a parliament, we should be able to contribute very meaningfully to ensuring that this sector, which is so important to us, given the kind of situation the oil industry is going through, is given attention.”

    Lawan called for proper revamping and protection of the mining sector, adding that illegal mining is unacceptable.

    “We have to work to ensure that this particular sector is properly revamped and protected. The situation of illegal mining is unacceptable. We can’t tolerate it and allow that to happen.

    “If there are any foreigners coming in their helicopters and on their feet to come and mine our resources without the necessary documentation, I think it is for us to ensure that our security agencies arrest them and prosecute them.

    “I believe that this Assembly, particularly this Senate, must be at the vanguard of reviewing the situation in the mining sector and what we need to do if there are gaps in terms of legislation,” Lawan said.

    Earlier, the sponsor of the motion, Senator Sahabi Alhaji, said “illegal mining sites not only breed criminality but also exacerbates into full scale terrorism and insurgency as witnessed in these states, particularly Zamfara State, where the state of insecurity can be traced to illegal mining sites.”

    According to the lawmaker, the solid mineral sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country has dwindled overtime due to illegal mining.

  • Nigeria@59: Our challenges, stepping stone to greatness – Lawan

    Senate President, Ahmad Lawan on Monday said the challenges facing Nigeria are stepping stones to success.

    In his independence message to Nigerians, Lawan said as Nigeria comes of age, with its people increasingly asserting themselves in every sphere of life across the globe, there was indeed much to be proud of in being a Nigerian.

    “Let us count our blessings and be driven forward by them. But there is still much to be done to fully realise the lofty dreams that inspired our founding fathers in their brave struggle that ended colonialism on our shores 59 years ago. We must never lose sight of our God-given potentials and we must be prepared to do our part in realising Nigeria’s greatness.

    “For this generation of Nigerians, we must not waver or be discouraged by the challenges of nation-building. The current challenges that Nigeria is going through are definitely not insurmountable and should be seen as a necessary process towards the attainment of greatness.

    “Therefore, our historic mission today is to keep in mind those dreams of our founding fathers, put our hands to the plough of nation-building and hand over to future generations a great foundation to build on,” he said.

    According to him, the thrust of his goodwill message was to admonish fellow compatriots to continue to have faith that Nigeria would be great and remain the indissoluble entity envisioned by the nation’s founding fathers.

    “God has endowed us with all it takes to be great. It is imperative on all of us, therefore, to play our parts individually and collectively to build the nation we envision and achieve our destiny of prominence and influence on the global stage.

    “With our creativity, resilience, hard work and the eagle spirit, we shall surely ride the storms of these challenges to reach the heights that we desire. We have no need to despair as a people. The leadership of this country is working hard to improve the lives of Nigerians. I appreciate all citizens for the support and the understanding shown so far and urge everyone to remain steadfast.

    “I assure fellow Nigerians that your representatives in the ninth National Assembly will provide legislative support for every idea and initiative geared towards making Nigeria our pride and beloved homeland,” he said.

  • 2020 Budget: Senate yet to receive MTEF from Executives – Lawan

    2020 Budget: Senate yet to receive MTEF from Executives – Lawan

    By Emman Ovuakporie
    … indications of a delayed budget passage
    There are indications that the 2020 Budget may suffer late passage as the Senate on Tuesday said it’s yet to receive MTEF/FSP draft from President Muhamnadu Buhari.
    This is however contrary to the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act which mandated the President to submit a draft copy of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to the National Assembly four months to the end of the year.
    The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan announcement upon the resumption of Senators from their end of long recess was a declaration that the 2020 budget might suffer serious delay as experienced in previous assemblies.
    Section 11of the Act clearly stated that “not later than four months before the commencement of the next
    financial year, cause to be prepared a Medium-Term Expenditure Framework”.
    The same Act in its section 18 stipulated that “the MTEF shall be the basis for the preparation of the estimates of revenue and expenditure required to be prepared and laid before the National Assembly under section 81 (1) of the Constitution.”
    The lawmakers had gone gone on an executive session that lasted about one hour, thirty minutes, when Lawan announced that the Senate had resolved to await the submission of the MTEF by the President.
    The Fiscal Responsibility Act placed so much importance on the MTEF document to the extent that it has spelt out the specific details of its contents and scope.
    It’s states that “The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework shall contain a Macro-economic Framework setting out the macro-economic projections, for the next three financial years, the underlying assumptions for those projections and an evaluation and analysis of the macroeconomic projections for the preceding three financial years.
    The Act equally stipulated that the MTEF be accompanied by a Fiscal Strategy Paper setting out the Federal Government’s medium-term, financial objectives; the policies of the Federal Government for the medium-term relating to taxation, recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, debt expenditure, capital expenditure, expenditure, borrowings and other liabilities, lending and investment;, as well as the strategic, economic, social and developmental priorities of the Federal Government for the next three financial years.
    Lawan had in anticipation of a prompt submission of the document promised last Friday that the first major work of the Senate upon resumption would be the consideration and approval of the MTEF.
    Recall that in previous assemblies the budget was delayed for more than six months in both chambers.
    A reference point was the 2016 budget which even led to the sacking of Abdulmunin Jibrin over alleged padding.
    The executive sent it in December 2015.
  • JUST IN: Senate to inaugurate Standing Committees Wednesday

    JUST IN: Senate to inaugurate Standing Committees Wednesday

    The Senate will on Wednesday inaugurate its standing committees at plenary. President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan disclosed this after a closed-door session on Tuesday.

    The Senate had on resumption from its annual recess immediately went into an executive session.

    Lawan said that the Senate resolved during the executive session to inaugurate all its Standing Committees at plenary on Wednesday.

    He said the Senate also resolved to await the presentation of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper as well as the 2020 budget proposals by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He, however, did not give a definite date when the two important communication from the executive would get to the National Assembly.

  • Why we are hungry, thirsty to receive 2020 Appropriation Bill – Lawan

    Why we are hungry, thirsty to receive 2020 Appropriation Bill – Lawan

    The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said on Friday that the National Assembly is eager to receive the 2020 budget proposals.

    “We are hopeful and optimistic, as well as hungry and thirsty, to receive the 2020 appropriations bill,” Lawan told reporters shortly on his arrival from a private visit abroad.

    Lawan seized the advantage of the National Assembly’s current recess to travel on a private visit to Morocco and Germany.

    “I am aware that the executive arm of government is working assiduously to ensure that the appropriation bill for the year 2020 is presented to the National Assembly by the end of this month.

    “The National Assembly will work so hard to ensure that the 2020 budget is passed before we go on Christmas break,” Lawan said.

    The Senate President said budget is one issue that the National Assembly will take head-on to ensure that the undesirable trend of the budget is reversed.

    “We believe this can be achieved, as doing so would make the economy better and predictable.

    “We also think an early passage of the 2020 appropriations bill will have a desirable impact on Nigerians,” Lawan said.

    Lawan also disclosed that the executive has forwarded to the Senate the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) which will be considered when the Senate is back from its recess next week.

    “We hope to take on the MTEF within the first legislative week. Our committee on Finance will be saddled with its first major responsibility that it works expeditiously on the Fiscal Strategy Paper/Medium Term Expenditure Framework’s request of the executive arm of government and thereafter the budget will come after that.”

    The Senate President said the ninth National Assembly would work assiduously with the executive arm of government to improve the security situation of the country.

    The Senate, he added, will also evaluate the crisis that affected Nigerians living in South Africa.

    “In the eighth Senate, we had an Ad-Hoc Committee that I was privileged to chair, to review the security architecture of the country. We are going to look into that report, and in addition, other contemporary issues that affect security in the country.

    “We are also going to look into the crisis that affected Nigerians living in South Africa.

    “You recall that this issue was reviewed before we went on recess. The Senate felt as an institution that our citizens’ diplomacy must be protected where ever they go in the world.

    “The government must be there for them, and I’m happy that after the xenophobic crisis, the Federal Government was able to take a position.

    “We need to be much more resolute, whatever the situation is; our citizens must be protected. If someone runs afoul of the laws of a country, there are processes and procedures on how such a person can be prosecuted.

    “Therefore, we must try to protect our citizens. I also think we must be proactive to tell our citizens that if they choose to live in any country, they must ensure to stay within the limit of the laws of that country, just as we expect of foreigners in ours,” Lawan stated.

  • FG commences ‘secret’ investigation into bank accounts of Lawan, Gbajabiamila, CJN others

    The Federal Government has commenced an investigation into bank accounts belonging to Senate President Ahmed Lawan, his deputy, Ovie Omo-Agege; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; his deputy, Idris Wase, as well as the principal officers and members of the National Assembly.

    The probe conducted by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) would also investigate accounts owned by Nigeria judges including the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad.

    The bank accounts of “other relevant politically exposed persons,” are also included.

    The NFIU has taken a giant step in their secret investigation and written to all banks in the country, to send the banking information of the names under investigation.

    The letter signed by the NFIU’s Associate Director, Analysis and Compliance, Fehintola Salisu, gave the banks up till September 13 (Friday) to comply with the directive.

    The letter addressed to all Chief Compliance Officers of the banks was tagged “Request for information on all accounts of 1. the National Assembly. 2. All accounts of all the members of the National Judicial Council. 3. All accounts of all the members of the National Assembly. 4. Accounts of principal officers (Management) of National Assembly Service Commission. 5. All accounts of principal officers of the judiciary.”

    “Kindly provide the NFIU with a schedule (account names and account numbers) of the National Assembly, members of National Assembly and principal officers of National Assembly Service Commission, as well as all accounts of National Judicial Service Commission and their principal officers, including judges and other relevant politically exposed persons.

    “Kindly note that your response is expected on or before September 13, 2019,” the letter read.

    However, when questioned, the NFIU Director, Modibbo Tukur, said he was not aware of the letter, but stated that the banks could be punished for leaking the content of the letter, which he described as an “operational issue”.

    He said, “You must have seen that the letter was not signed by me. It is an operational issue.

    “If it is an operational issue, leaking it is an offence. It is a punishable offence.

    “If they are doing their analysis, it may not come to my knowledge. I will find out if you want me to do so.

    “But the person you mentioned that signed the letter is an operational director. So anything she signs is confidential. I am even surprised at how the banks allowed it to leak. It is punishable.”

    Reacting to the exercise, the Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr Peter Akpatason, said it was a routine process by the security and intelligence agencies.

    He said: “I am not aware (of it) but I think it is a routine thing that they do. I don’t think there is any big deal about it.

    “It is a normal thing. Ideally, they should have the account details of business people, politicians and others.”

    When asked about the possibility of clamping down on targeted persons, the legislator said, “I do not think it is targeted at any particular person. It is a routine thing they are doing and they have the right to do it.”

    However, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, criticised the NFIU’s directive to the banks. He stated that it is purely invasion of privacy.

    According to Adeyeye, many of the senators were businessmen before they were elected to the red chambers, he argued that the NFIU knows where to go to find out the earnings of lawmakers and not their bank.

    “The salary and emoluments of the lawmakers are being determined by an agency of government that is well known. They can find out what the senators earn from them.

    “I don’t think it is right to ask banks to expose details of the accounts of each lawmaker because many of them are private businessmen and women until their election to the National Assembly.

    “Publishing the accounts of the senators is purely an invasion of privacy,” he said.

  • SERAP, others sue Lawan’s Senate over plan to spend N5.5b on cars

    SERAP, others sue Lawan’s Senate over plan to spend N5.5b on cars

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), BudgIT, Enough is Enough (EiE) and 6,721 concerned Nigerians have filed a suit to prevent the Senate from spending N5.5 billion on cars for every senator.

    The concerned Nigerians prayed the court to “restrain, prevent and stop the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) from paying or releasing N5.550 billion budgeted for purchase of luxury cars for principal members of the Ninth Senate, and to restrain and stop the Senate from collecting the money until the downward review of the amount proposed by the Senate”.

    In suit filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, the plaintiffs argued that “spending …N5.550 billion to buy luxury cars for principal members of the Ninth Senate is unjust and unfair”.

    They added: “It negates the constitutional oath of office by members to perform their functions in the interest of the well-being and prosperity of Nigeria and its citizens, as contained in the Seventh Schedule of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended).”

    The plaintiffs also said: “The proposed spending by the Ninth Senate raises pertinent questions: What is the economic value and contribution of the vehicles sought to be purchased to the grand scheme of Nigeria’s economy? What are the parameters used to arrive at the cost efficiency and value for money in the decision to purchase the vehicles? Where are the vehicles purchased by the eighth Senate?”

    The concerned Nigerians, who joined the suit as co-plaintiffs with SERAP, BudgIT and EiE, include: BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) co-conveners Oby Ezekwesili and Aisha Yesufu as well as Jibrin Ibrahim, Edetaen Ojo, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi and Deji Adeyanju.