TheNewsGuru

Tag: NASS

  • We’ll resist any attempt to increase prices of petroleum products – NUPENG tells FG, NASS

    The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has said it will resist any attempt by the Federal Government and National Assembly to further increase prices of petroleum products.

    The union also criticised the proposed N5 petrol levy by the Senate, describing it as a huge joke.

    Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Chairman of NUPENG, said in Lagos on Saturday that the proposal was ill-timed and also smacked of insensitivity to the current economic hardships facing Nigerians.

    He wondered how the nation’s Upper Chamber could think of another fuel price increase when Nigerians were “striving to
    cope with the current harsh economic realities”.

    “How can the Senate propose such a bill at this particular period when poor Nigerians can hardly feed themselves?

    “The prices of foodstuffs have tripled in the market, while workers’ salary has not been increased,” Korodo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Sen. Kabiru Gaya (APC-Kano), the Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, had on June 1, presented a bill entitled, “National Roads Bill” to the House.

    The bill recommends that Nigerians should pay N5 levy on every litre of imported petroleum products and that levy will form part of the proposed national roads fund.

    It also recommends the deduction of 0.5 per cent on fares paid by passengers travelling on inter-state roads to commercial mass transit operators as well as the return of toll gates on federal roads, among others.

    Korodo said:“Just a year ago, the pump price of petrol was increased from N87 to N145 per litre and Nigerians accepted the increment because of the sincerity of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    “Any attempt to adjust the price of petrol under any guise will be resisted by the Organised Labour.”

    The NUPENG chief called on well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the leadership of the Senate to step down the bill.

     

     

    NAN

     

  • Dino Melaye disgracing us in NASS, we want him recalled – Aggrieved constituents tell INEC

    Constituents of Kogi West Senatorial District on Friday gathered at the All Progressives Congress, APC, secretariat in Kabba, headquarters of Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of the state to demand the immediate recall of their representative at the Senate, Dino Melaye, whom they accused of deliberately enmeshing in scandals to bring disgrace to the district.

    The protesters had earlier gathered at the Kabba Township Stadium, from where they proceeded to the INEC office, Lokoja, to initiate the process of recalling Melaye, who represents Kogi West at the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

    The protesters listed 18 offences against the lawmaker, saying he deserved to be recalled. Reading from a prepared text, one of the leaders of the ‘Senator Melaye Recall Groups’, Hope Kolawole, said, “We the combined people of Kogi West Senatorial Zone in Kogi State are here today to initiate the process of recall for Senator Dino Melaye.

    We are here to pick the forms to commence the process from INEC.

    “Let it be known that all of the local government areas comprising Kogi West Senatorial Zone are united in their resolve to recall Senator Dino Melaye and remove the disgrace he has become to all us. (Sic).

    We have compiled the key reasons below to show the world that Senator Dino Melaye’s recall is not only long overdue, but the right thing to do in the best interest of Kogi West Senatorial zone, Kogi State, Nigeria, and in fact the institution and dignity of the distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic (of Nigeria).”

    Some of the infractions they listed against Senator Melaye are: “Not deeming it fit to have a constituency office in Kogi West Senatorial Zone even after two years in the Senate; he has no projects initiated in the constituency after two years in the Senate; he is known for a continuous flow of irresponsible utterances which embarrassed the constituency.

    “He is enmeshed in a pending certificate scandal. His source of wealth is questionable to us and certainly not the model we wish our youth to emulate. He is an electoral fraud and has been caught on audio offering a judicial officer money to decide an electoral matter in his favour.

    “Whether the appropriate authorities act or not, we the people of his (Melaye) constituency who are at the receiving end of his shameful deeds have run out of patience and are resolved to recall and replace him with a decent and people-oriented Senator.

    “We understand the requirements of Section 69 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) regarding the recall of such a member of the National Assembly and hereby assure everyone that Kogi Central Senatorial Zone is united in this and will achieve it.

    “We hereby give the Kogi State Government notice that we are going through with this and if they will not help us, they must also not try to stop us or put obstacles on our way, in particular, everything the law requires to be done by the administration in Lokoja in aid of this process must be done with despatch.”

  • BREAKING: Acting President, Osinbajo receives 2017 Budget from NASS

    The Presidency on Friday confirmed the reception of the 2017 Budget from the National Assembly leadership.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President, Mr. Laolu Akande, confirmed this on his Twitter handle, @Akandeoj.

    He said the document was formally received in the office of the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Friday.

    Akande added that the bill is currently undergoing diligent consideration by the Executive arm of government.

    “2017 Budget -Appropriations bill now officially received in the Acting President’s office and undergoing very prompt and diligent consideration,” he wrote.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had on Wednesday told reporters that upon receipt of the document, copies would be made available to ministers to compare what their ministries sent to the National Assembly and what was returned.

    He had told the reporters that a decision on who would sign the document between Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari who is currently in London, the United Kingdom for medical consultation would be taken at the appropriate time.

    But Akande had stated that Osinbajo will sign the document once he is satisfied with what was transmitted back to the Executive from the National Assembly.

    However, in another twist, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang​ said the President and not the Acting President will assent the budget despite being on medical vacation.

  • Osinbajo yet to receive 2017 Budget from NASS – Presidency

    The Presidency on Wednesday said the 2017 Appropriation Bill passed into law week is yet to be transmitted to it by the National Assembly.

    This was revealed by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    Mohammed however, said the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, was in possession of an “advanced copy” which ministers would use to check if there are discrepancies between what they sent to the National Assembly and what was returned.

    The minister spoke with State House correspondents after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the National Assembly had earlier promised to transmit the budget to the presidency today (Wednesday).

    “It has not yet been transmitted but at least the Minister of Budget and National Planning‎ has received an advanced copy of what was passed and that is what we need to look at and compare to what we sent. It has not been transmitted officially to the Presidency,” the minister said.

    He said all ministers would be required to look at the document against what they sent to the federal lawmakers and report back to Udoma for harmonisation.

    “In respect of the budget, it was only this morning that the Minister of Budget and National Planning informed the council that the budget has been passed.

    “He has not sent to us individually, copies of the passed budget. We now need to look at it against what we sent and if there is any discrepancies we will report back to the Minister of Budget and National Planning on harmonisation.

    “The Ministry of Budget and National Planning‎ will make the implementation of the 2016 budget public. They have told us that about N1.2tn has been released for capital,” he added.

    When asked who will sign the budget between the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari who is currently in London, United Kingdom for medical consultation, the minister simply said, “when it is transmitted to the Presidency, that decision will be taken‎.”

    He also assured Nigerians that the two ministers recently confirmed by the National Assembly -Stephen Ocheni (Kogi) and Suleiman Hassan (Gombe) would be inaugurated in due course.

    He was not specific on when the inauguration will take place.

    On Ebola virus, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said the Federal Government had put in place a standby team of 10 health care workers that can be deployed wherever they are needed.

    “We already have a standby team comprising 10 frontline health ‎care workers that would be moving to any location they are needed. It is only then that we will require more money, but now, we don’t need additional money,” the minister said.

  • Acting President, Osinbajo reviews 2017 budget

    The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is currently reviewing the 2017 budget.

    The Senior special assistant to the Acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo on Media and publicity, Laolu Akande stated this on Monday in a statement on his twitter handle @akandeoj.

    Laolu revealed that the acting president is presiding over a meeting with the economic management team with the aim of reviewing the 2017 appropriation bill amongst other economic matters.

    “Acting President Osinbajo, presiding over Economic Management Team reviewing major issues, 2017 budget & others. In attendance are ministers & CBN gov.” he said.

    He also stated that the implementation of the 2017 appropriation bill would not be difficult once the bill has been assented.

    It could be recalled that the National assembly had on Thursday passed 2017 appropriation bill.

  • 10 things you must know about 2017 budget passed by NASS

    The National Assembly (NASS), yesterday, passed the 2017 Appropriations Bill, raising the budget from N7.28 billion earlier proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari in December last year, to N7.44 trillion.

    Here is a compilation of 10 Significant things you need to know about the 2017 budget passed by NASS.

    1. The budget has been raised from N7.30 billion earlier proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari in December last year, to N7.44 trillion.
    2. The increase in expenditure came with a significant mark up in the benchmark crude oil price to $44.5 per barrel from the N42.5 per barrel proposed by the President.
    3. It is a 33 page document and it will be scanned and uploaded online after the passage by the president.
    4. 30 per cent or N2.18 trillion was allocated to capital expenditure, while recurrent expenditure (non-debt) and debt service received N2.987 trillion and N1.84 trillion respectively.
    5. debt service allocation comprise N1.488 trillion to service domestic debt; N175.88 million to service foreign debts, while N177.46 million is to retire maturing loans.
    6. For the first time in the history of Nigeria, the full details of the National Assembly’s budget are in the appropriation bill.
    7. NASS raised its budget by N10bn from N115bn to N125bn.
    8. The breakdown shows that out of the N125 billion approved by the National Assembly, the management has a vote of N14,919,065,013, the Senate has an allocation of N31,398,765,886 while the House of Representatives will spend N49,052,743,983. The breakdown of the management is N6,714,696,986 will be spent as personnel cost, N6,192,052,825 as overhead costs and N2,011,315,202 as total capital.
    9. The Senate will spend N1,856,510,517 on personnel costs; N25,111,332,147 as total overhead costs and N4,430,923,222 as total capital .The House of Representatives will spend N4,923,743,127 as total personnel costs; N39,635,756,179 as total overhead costs and N4,493,244,677 as total capital.
    10. The total Budget for 2017 stands at N7.441 trillion.

    ***Nigerians will now wait for the president to sign the long-awaited budget into law in a few weeks.

    Some other allocations are as follow:

    Debt Service (Local & Foreign): N1,663,885,430,499.
    Sinking Fund: N177,460,296,707.
    Recurrent Non-debt expenditure: N2,086,176,493,860
    Federal Executive Bodies: N1,413,441,659.90

    Service wide Votes &Pension: N191,631,846,958

    Other service wide votes: N138,700,000,000
    Reforms to Special Acts: N40,000,000,000
    Special Intervention recurrent (Heads):N350,000,000,000

    Presidential Amnesty Programme Stipends: N766,700,000,000
    Total Recurrent: N987,550,033,000
    Capital Expenditure: N1,710,580,601,619.

    Head of sub-total Federal Executive Bodies: N7,248,944,788
    Head of Federal Executive Bodies:N1,717,829,446,407.

     

  • World Press Freedom Day: Report NASS activities correctly, shun propaganda, Saraki tells journalists

    World Press Freedom Day: Report NASS activities correctly, shun propaganda, Saraki tells journalists

    Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has tasked journalists across the country to report activities of the National Assembly as it happens and not based on propaganda.

    Saraki made this statement while addressing Senate Press Corps in Abuja on the occasion of the 2017 World Press Freedom Day.

    “Your stories play a major role in the discharge of our responsibility. I urge you to go beyond propaganda and report us correctly,” Saraki said.

    Saraki also said the Senate received a total number of 196 nominees for various appointments, but confirmed 185 in less than two years.

    He noted that the National Assembly under his leadership had passed motions that impacted on well-being of the nation, adding that such was done with private sector participation in the economy.

    According to him, the upper legislative chamber has investigated fraudulent cases through its oversight functions, noting that the exercise has so far yielded better results.

    “As we continue to pass motions, we have investigated some fraudulent cases as an institution and have prevented so much for the betterment of the country,” he maintained.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that every year, 3rd of May is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.

    World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991. This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration on media pluralism and independence

  • Again, Buhari writes NASS, seeks approval to borrow fresh $5.851bn loan

    Again, Buhari writes NASS, seeks approval to borrow fresh $5.851bn loan

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday wrote to the National Assembly, seeking approval to borrow a fresh $5.851bn foreign loan for the upgrade of various sections of the Nigerian railway.

    This was contained in a letter to the leadership of the National Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara and obtained exclusively by TheNewsGuru.com.

    In the letter, Buhari sought the approval of the lawmakers to borrow a total of $5.851 billion from China to fund Nigeria’s railway projects.

    The president however urged the lawmakers to fast track the approval to enable Nigeria access the China-Africa fund package already included in 2016-2018 external borrowing plan which was forwarded to the National Assembly last August.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Senate had rejected the borrowing plan entirely in November last year.

    Buhari further explained that the funds accessible under the package are limited and that applications from other African countries are treated on ‘first come first serve’ basis.

    Buhari stated in the letter: “I wish to refer to my earlier letter with respect to the above subject and to inform the distinguished senate that the China Exim bank has approved our request for a loan to execute the Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project, Lagos-Ibadan segment for a sum of $1.231 billion.

    “The China government has also informed us that the approval of the Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project, Kano-Kaduna segment and coastal railway project, the Lagos-Calabar segment are imminent.

    “China Exim supported projects; Lagos-Kano modernisation projects, Lagos-Ibadan segment $1.231 billion; Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project, Kano-Kaduna segment $1.146 billion and coastal railway project, the Lagos-Calabar segment 3.474 billion, making a total of 5.851 billion.

    “The China government has also informed us that the approval of the Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project, Kano-Kaduna segment and coastal railway project, the Lagos-Calabar segment are imminent.

    “China Exim supported projects; Lagos-Kano modernisation projects, Lagos-Ibadan segment $1.231 billion; Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project, Kano-Kaduna segment $1.146 billion and coastal railway project, the Lagos-Calabar segment 3.474 billion, making a total of 5.851 billion.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the President also repeated his request for endorsement of the $575 million loan from the World Bank to tackle infrastructural collapse and combat polio outbreak in Nigeria’s North-East ravaged by Boko Haram terrorism.

    Out of the total package of $575 million, $125 million is for the polio emergency, while $450 million is to assist Nigeria in the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the North-East.

     

     

  • Legislative/Executive face off: Peace talks ongoing with NASS leadership – Presidency

    Legislative/Executive face off: Peace talks ongoing with NASS leadership – Presidency

    The presidency has assured that the alleged rift between the legislative and executive arm of government was blown out of proportion and that a peace talk process has been initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari to smoothen the relationship between both arms of government.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had set up a committee chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to look into how to resolve the rift.

    A competent source in the Presidency, who spoke on condition of anonymity with The Punch on Monday confirmed that talks had started, describing the Osinbajo panel as a standing committee.

    The source explained that the Vice-President had met with leaders of the National Assembly even personally, adding that Buhari had also met with them.

    He stated, “The Federal Executive Council has something like a standing committee devoted to interacting with the National Assembly.

    “That committee has all former members of the National Assembly as members and the Vice-President is the chair.

    “That was the committee the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, talked about.

    “Now, since the FEC meeting, where this matter came up, there have been several interactions between both arms of government including meetings with Mr. President and National Assembly leadership. “The Vice-President has hosted the National Assembly leaders too, including when some of them came for one-on-one meeting.

    “The point is that at any point, interactions are going on and very robust too between the Presidency and the National Assembly.”

    The source expressed the hope that the grey areas would soon be sorted out.

    He added that while the Presidency had made its position known on the issue of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, further talks could still hold.

    “On Magu, the Presidency is very clear and the views are already public. And yes, there will be more opportunities for even more interactions between the two arms of government on Magu and other pertinent issues,” the source said.

  • Dogara replies El-Rufai, releases 6 months pay slip

    Dogara replies El-Rufai, releases 6 months pay slip

    The face-off between the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara and the Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is far from nearing its end as the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas on Tuesday (today) in Abuja issued a strong worded release asking Mallam El-Rufai to face business of governance in Kaduna and leave the National Assembly to do its job.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that El- Rufai and Dogara had at the closing session of a retreat for National Assembly members in Kaduna, exchanged words with El-Rufai challenging the National Assembly to make its budget public while Dogara challenged the governor to make public what he was getting as security vote and as allocations to local governments.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that El-Rufai on Monday released details of what he spends on security votes as well as what he earns as governor.

    However, in a similar vein, the Speaker on Tuesday (today) released his payroll which dates back to the past six months.

    See photos of slips below: