TheNewsGuru

Tag: National Assembly

  • Sale of Polaris Bank followed due process – House of Reps C’tte

    Sale of Polaris Bank followed due process – House of Reps C’tte

    Mr Henry Nwawuba, Chairman, House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the sale of Polaris Bank, on Thursday, said the ongoing sale of the bank followed due process.
    The lawmaker said this at a news conference at the National Assembly in Abuja.
    He allayed investors’ fears on the status of the financial institution, adding that there were evidences of substantial compliance with the process.
    According to him, out of the 35 companies invited to bid for the bank, the regulatory agency shortlisted the bidders to 15 and later seven and afterwards got Presidential approval to proceed with the sale of the bank.
     “Before we broke up from plenary sessions to work on the budget, there was a motion on the floor asking the CBN to suspend the sale of Polaris Bank, I happened to have emerged to Chairman of the committee.
    “The Committee has started work and we have looked at the documents and that is the beauty of investigation in Parliament.
    ” The beauty is that regardless of what comes on the floor, it is only when we started looking at the documents before us that we start getting clearer picture,” he said.
    He said the committee had so far found evidence of substantial compliance in the  process of selling the bank, adding that about 35 companies were invited to bid and it went down to 15 and finally to 7.
    He said recommendation was made and a presidential approval given, adding that the committee was happy with the process and  intended to conclude investigation and lay the report before resumption of plenary.
    According to him, so far, everything looks good and that there is no cause for concern, adding that for the stability of the financial systems in Nigeria, the committee called on Nigerians to know there was nothing wrong with Polaris Bank.
    “What the House is looking at is the process of the acquisition or the sale and so far, we are confident from what we are seeing.”
    He said until investigation was concluded, he would not be able to speak authoritatively on the matter, but added that from what the committee could see, there seemed to be substantial compliance.
    According to him, Nigerians are enjoined to continue to relax and leave their deposits with the bank and continue their business with the bank.
    “We feel that as a responsible House, we would look at the process and that is how we oversight the sector and that is what we are looking at.
  • Buhari to present 2023 budget estimates to National Assembly on Friday

    Buhari to present 2023 budget estimates to National Assembly on Friday

    President Muhammadu Buhari will on Friday present the 2023 budget estimates to the joint session of the National Assembly by 10 am.

    This is contained in a letter written to the President of Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan by President Buhari and read at plenary on Tuesday.

    Lawan said the venue for presentation of the 2023 budget estimates by Buhari would be at the temporary chamber of the House of Representatives.

    According to him, arrangements would be made to accommodate all the senators, adding that senators would proceed to the venue in procession .

    Newsmen reports that Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed said the federal government was proposing an aggregate expenditure of N19.76 trillion for the 2023 fiscal year.

    The minister who made this known at the 2023-2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) interaction with the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, however said she may not be able to make provision for treasury funded capital projects in the 2023 fiscal year.

    Newsmen reports that Ahmed also said the budget deficit for the 2023 fiscal year may be between N11.30 trillion and N12.41 trillion, depending on the choice that would be made by the federal government on the issue of fuel subsidy payment.

    She stated that the federal government was projecting total revenue of N8.46 trillion, out of which N1.9 trillion was expected to come from oil-related sources while the balance would come from non-oil sources.

    Ahmed explained that the benchmark crude oil price was pegged at 70 dollars per barrel and at an exchange rate of N435.57 to a dollar, oil production was put at 1.69 million barrel per day, real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was projected at 3.7 per cent while inflation was put at 17.16 per cent in the MTEF.

    She said petrol subsidy would remain up to mid-2023, based on the 18-month extension announced early 2021, in which case only N3.36 trillion would be provided for it in next financial year.

    The minister also pointed out that Nigeria has been able to consistently without defaulting, service her debt, adding that the country does not have any projections even in the near future, to fail in its debt obligation.

    Speaking further, Ahmed said although the amount currently used to service the country’s debt had overshot what was appropriated for in the budget, measures have been put in place to manage the situation.

  • Senate passes bill to increase Appeal Court Justices from 90 to 110

    Senate passes bill to increase Appeal Court Justices from 90 to 110

    The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill amending the Court of Appeal Act 2013 increasing the number of Justices of the Court of Appeal from 90 to 110.

    This followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters by Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

    In his lead debate, Bamidele said the bill sponsored by Senator Chukwuka Utazi sought to increase the number of Justices of Court of Appeal from 90 to 110.

    According to him, the legislative intent of the amendment is to ensure that the court has the requisite manpower to allow cooperation of all the divisions of the court.

    He said the bill was designed to bring justice closer to litigants in line with the current reality of expediting the administration of Justice.

    “This is necessary in order to eliminate delay in the justice delivery systems, as it relates to the adjudicatory powers of the court.

    Also Read

    Senate passes bill to amend CBN Act for 2nd reading

    “These proposed amendments undoubtedly are targeted at increasing the workload of the court and enhancing its effective performance,” he said.

    He said that stakeholders were unanimous in their support of the passage of the bill, given its strategic relevance to the justice sector reform.

    He said the amendment would ultimately stimulate quick dispensation of justice

    “The one silent improvement of this bill is the aspect that seeks to integrate virtual court proceedings which have become an integral part of our court proceedings.

    “This also is in line with the guideline given to courts by the Chief Justice of the Federation, as justice will no longer be delayed,” he said.

    The Senate also stood down a bill for an act to provide for the rotation of power in the country.

    This followed a submission by senators Bala Ib’n Nala and Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege that the bill was in conflict with the provision of the 1999 Constitution.

    The bill was sponsored by Senator Abba Moro.

    Presenting the bill, Moro said that it sought to enact legislation to amend provisions of the constitution and provide for rotations of the presidency among the geo-political zones of the country.

  • NASS bemoan long-term impact of borrowing on Nigeria

    NASS bemoan long-term impact of borrowing on Nigeria

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has expressed worry over the long-term impact that the endless borrowing by the Federal Government would have on the country.

    Hon Gbajabiamila said President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to lay the 2023 Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly early October, and decried the huge deficit in the proposed budget of the Federal Government.

    The Federal Government is proposing a budget with estimates totalling N19.76tn, while the deficit will hover between N11.30tn and N12.41tn, depending on the duration that the Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) subsidy regime will be extended, in the 2023 fiscal year.

    The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, had, on August 29, 2022, in her presentation to the House Committee on Finance, at the hearing on the proposed 2023-2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper, decried that the government might be unable to provide for treasury-funded capital projects next year, especially due to dwindling revenue and petrol subsidy.

    Ahmed had pointed out that crude oil production challenges and the PMS subsidy deductions by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (formerly Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) constitute a major threat to the country’s revenue growth targets.

    Gbajabiamila, in his remarks at the opening of plenary on Tuesday after the National Assembly returned from its two-month annual break, expressed concerns over the revelations from the proposal.

    He said, “We hope to receive the 2023 Appropriations Bill from the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, in the first week of October. In advance of this, the Senate and House Committees on Finance have begun interactive sessions with the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the government on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper.

    “Some concerns have emerged from these interactions, most prominently of which are the issues of the scope of deficit financing to be proposed in the new budget and the decline in crude oil production due to theft and sabotage.

    “While the House appreciates that our current fiscal conditions necessitate borrowing to finance budgetary expenditures, we are, nonetheless, concerned about the long-term impact of this burden on the country and our ability to pay what we owe in a responsible and sustainable way. These questions will be central to our consideration of the 2023 Appropriations Bill when presented.

    “We will also be mindful of the provisions of our laws, especially the Fiscal Responsibility Act, as it relates to the scope of deficit financing of the budget. Ministries, departments and agencies of the government should take note that appropriations for new projects will be influenced by the extent to which existing projects have been funded and their performance in executing these projects as intended.”

    Speaker also noted that due to theft and various acts of economic sabotage, the country is experiencing a massive decline in the volume of crude oil exports.

    “Our crude oil export of 972,394 barrels per day for August is the lowest we have recorded in the last two decades,” he said.

    Gbajabiamila added, “At a time when we are already experiencing severe financial constraints, the perpetrators of this brazen heist threaten our ability to serve the Nigerian people and meet the demands of governance and nation-building. Their actions constitute treason against our country, for which they must be held accountable.

    “There are mechanisms in place to prevent these sorts of bad actors, and the government spends significant amounts of money each year to protect oil and gas resources in the country. Evidently, these existing arrangements do not suffice.

    “As such, there is an urgent need to review them and make the necessary improvements. It is also of particular importance that the perpetrators of these crimes against the state are identified, prosecuted and subjected to the stiffest penalties the law allows. Those who seek to impoverish our country in this manner have declared war against the Nigerian people. They are no different from the insurgents and terrorists against whom we are battling in various theatres.

    “The government’s response must be sufficient to convince them of the error of their ways and deter others who might be tempted to join in their treason.

    “I met with the Finance Minister and the DG Budget (Office, Ben Akabueze) and made it clear to them that ‘enough of crude oil theft.’ Nigerians don’t want to hear that again. What do you intend to do about it? That’s the important question.”

  • Reps probe NNPC 32-year venture contracts

    Reps probe NNPC 32-year venture contracts

    The House of Representatives has begun probe into the Joint Ventures and Production Sharing Contracts entered into by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the last 32 years.

    The House’ Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate the Structure & Accountability of the Joint Venture Businesses and Production Sharing Contracts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation from 1990 to Date, on Tuesday, held its inaugural investigative hearing.

    Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, while declaring the hearing open, said he was delighted to inaugurate the committee “at this critical point of our nationhood where more resources are needed to diversify our economy.”

    Gbajabiamila maintained that the investigation became necessary as there are serious allegations that operations of the Joint Venture businesses and Production Sharing Contracts, for which NNPC is a party and representing Nigerian interest, “Have over the years been conducted with highest degree of opaqueness to the extent that the Nigeria government and her citizens have been deprived of the value of their investment in the oil and gas sector.

    “Accordingly, it will amount to administrative recklessness for any sane government to sit aloof and see such a sensitive sector that determines its future existence not being given appropriate attention in the governance process.

    Also Read

    2023: INEC clears Umahi, 79 others for NASS elections in Ebonyi

    “It should be noted that the Joint Venture agreements and the production sharing contracts are supposed to protect the interest of all parties. However, there are concerns that these agreements are being observed in branches and that Nigeria is being short changed.”

    Chairman of the committee, Abubakar Fulata, noted that the thrust of the probe would be to critically examine whether the operations of the JV businesses and PSCs between the oil companies involved in the arrangements with the NNPC had been conducted within the ambit of the laws and to determine whether the benefits accruable to Nigeria were fair and reasonable.

    “It should be noted that any infractions in the oil and gas business either by the operating companies or individuals within the sector has a corollary effect on the Nigerian economy.”

    Therefore, the committee in the conduct of this hearing will not leave any stone unturned as we pledge to act fairly in the best interest of the stakeholders and the Nigerian state,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the House Committee on Public Accounts, on Tuesday, invited the Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Sylva Okolieaboh, over the failure of his office to present the 2020 audit reports of ministries, department and agencies of the Federal Government to the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.

    The Chairman, Oluwole Oke, at the continued investigative hearing of the committee, decried that the delay was affecting the work of the parliament.

    Oke said, “As the 9th Assembly is winding down, we need to redouble our efforts at looking into all the reports already laid before the House. Right now, we have completed work on those from 2017 and our reports are already in the press, after which we will lay the report before the whole House for official consideration.”

  • NASS passes start -up bill to Buhari for assent

    NASS passes start -up bill to Buhari for assent

    The National Assembly has transmitted the Start-up Bill to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent having passed through all required legislative processes.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the senior special assistant national assembly to the president, Senator Babajide Omoworare.

    Recall that the Bill was forwarded to the National Assembly pursuant to Sections 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution for consideration by President Buhari in a letter dated February 21, 2022.

    Also Read

    National Assembly should be blamed for worsening insecurity in the country; MASSOB

    The Start-up Bill, 2021 will provide for the creation and development of enabling environment for technology-enabled start-ups in Nigeria. It aims to position Nigeria’s ecosystem, as the leading technology centre in Africa, having excellent innovators with cutting-edge skills and exportable capacity.

  • Ganduje commiserates with Sen. Gaya over son’s death

    Ganduje commiserates with Sen. Gaya over son’s death

    Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has commiserated with Sen. Kabiru Gaya over the death of his son, Sadiq Kabiru Gaya.

    Ganduje, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, described Sadiq’s as a great loss.

    “May Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala forgive all his shortcomings and reward his good deeds. We received the information with shock, “the statement quoted the governor as saying.

    The governor was at the Abuja residence of the bereaved senator who represents Kano South in the red chamber of the National Assembly.

  • Senator proposes bill to forbid same faith ticket

    Senator proposes bill to forbid same faith ticket

    Sen Smart Adeyemi, (Kogi-West Senatorial District), has proposed a bill seeking to end the nomination of candidates of the same religion for president and vice presidential positions.

    Adeyemi, who disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Sunday, said there was need to forestall the contentious issues on nomination of candidates of same religion by political parties after 2023 presidential election.

    The proposed bill was titled “A Bill for an act to Amend the Electoral Act 2022 and for other related matters connected”.

    Adeyemi said the bill was seeking to amend section 84  of the  act by inserting a new subsection (3). According to him the proposed sub section 3 entailed that:

    “No political party shall nominate candidates of the same religion as Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates after this dispensation. This bill may be cited as Electoral Act 2022 (Amendment) Bill, 2022,” Adeyemi said.

    He said the bill sought to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to promote religious harmony in the country by discouraging political parties from fielding running mates of same religion with the presidential candidate.

    “I hereby propose an amendment of Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022 by inserting a new sub section 3. When this is accommodated, it will serve as a guide against any oversight, such as this in the future as further occurrences will be deemed as silent policies which will be capable of bringing down the fabrics of the nation.

    “For me as a statesman, I owe myself the responsibility to speak the truth at all times, irrespective of mischievous misinterpretations,” Adeyemi said.

    Adeyemi said he supported the positions of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on the contentious issue of muslim–muslim ticket.

    He, however,  said he was fully in support of the candidacy of Senators Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as APC candidates for the 2023 presidential election, given their individual steering performances and pedigrees in governance.

    ”Let me say very clearly that I am in total support of the issues and concerns raised by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). I am a practising Christian.

    ”But we must not confront these issues in such a manner that will obstruct the fabric of our national unity, peace and stability which we have all fought very hard to keep.

    “Yes, there have been oversights in key appoints in the past, which tends to keep the Christians at a disadvantage and this has caused apprehension amongst us.”

    “It must not be seen that there are no Christians who are eminently qualified to occupy any of these positions.”

    Adeyemi called on all Nigerians, irrespective of religion, to see the emergence of Tinubu and Shettima as the will of the almighty who governs the universe.

    ”However, let us, in unity of faith in our nation and above all, in the almighty God give our support to the APC Presidential and Vice presidential candidates to pilot the affairs of our nation within the stipulated time.”

  • National Assembly should be blamed for worsening insecurity in the country – MASSOB

    National Assembly should be blamed for worsening insecurity in the country – MASSOB

    The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra has blamed the National Assembly for the poor handling of the planned impeachment of  President Buhari.

    MASSOB posited that the Senate watched helplessly and couldn’t make any meaningful move as the insecurity issues in the country worsened.

    MASSOB’s position was made known by the group’s National Director of Information, Sunday Okereafor when he addressed pressmen on Friday.

    Okereafor said the goings on in Nigeria were similar to what had happened in countries like Liberia, Serbia, and Yugoslavia, adding that leaders of such nations were meant to face the law for their failure to protect the lives of the citizens.

    He said, “The Senate must be held responsible for the killings in the country. The Senate building is very beautiful, but there is no foundation.

    “It will fall one day. How can the Senate be there and people are being killed? Tomorrow, you will hear, ‘We will impeach Buhari’; next tomorrow, you will hear again, ‘We will impeach Buhari’.

    “Finally, when they give them money, they won’t say anything again. They (senators) should be ashamed of themselves. They should be ashamed that as the pillar of democracy in the nation, they can’t do anything.”

    On the ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, he said the Buhari regime was paying lip service to their demands because many top politicians like senators had their children schooling abroad.

    “Most of those who call themselves elites are there and ASUU is on strike for over five months. The government cannot even pay the teachers. But they send their children to France, Germany, America a,nd Israel, and abandon their education to die. Most of them are building refineries overseas and NiNigeria’sefineries are in a bad shape.

    “Even in the oil-bearing communities, there are no roads. Tell me, the Senate of Nigeria, is it not the upper house in the National Assembly, which should decide what is good for the country and make laws?

    “MASSOB and the Biafra Independent Movement are asking, who are they deceiving? Today, tomorrow, we will impeach the President. After collecting money, you won’t hear from them again. It is a shame!”

    He added, “Nigerians voted them into office. But what are they doing to help protect the people? How can they be there and insecurity is rising every day?

    “The Senate must be brought to justice for allowing the killings in the country. Today they will say impeach Buhari and when they give them money, they will keep quiet. Who are they deceiving? MASSOB and BIM are asking.”

  • NBC and Fines: Is there still a National Assembly? – By Okoh Aihe

    NBC and Fines: Is there still a National Assembly? – By Okoh Aihe

    For the writer it can be a punishing ordeal to write on issues nobody seems to care about or looks the writer is totally ignored with his writings destined for a contemptuous place in the newspaper heap, until somebody with love for letters and reason climbs the stage.

    It can really be exhausting but to give up writing is no better alternative but an act of cowardice that shouldn’t be accommodated by any society in desperate need of deliverance from wickedness and misgovernance. There is so much happening in our nation that places a demand on people of conscience and goodwill to speak up.

    On the trending issue of the documentaries on insecurity and banditry by the BBC and Trust TV, we came to the eerie conclusion last week, that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) would sanction broadcasters even on grounds of speculative guilt, irrespective of what the regulatory books say.

    The sanctions came immediately. Multichoice Nigeria Limited, with trade name DSTV, NTA-Startimes, TelCom Satellite Limited (TSTV) and Trust TV were fined Five Million Naira each; the first three for running a BBC documentary titled, The Bandit Warlords of Zamfara, while Trust TV featured a documentary, Nigeria’s Banditry: The Inside Story, on March 5, 2022.

    The documentaries, according to the sanction letter signed by the NBC boss, Mallam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, glorified the activities of bandits  and undermined National Security in Nigeria. The weight of the sanction rested on three sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, 6th edition, namely: Sections 3.1.1, 3.12.2 and 3.11.2.

    For instance, Section 3.1.1 says, “No broadcast shall encourage or incite to crime, lead to public disorder or hate, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference to any person or organization, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity,” while Section 3.12.2: “The broadcaster shall not transmit a programme that incites or is likely to incite to violence among the populace, causing mass panic, political and social upheaval, security breach and general social disorder.”

    This writer has spoken to a number of people, including some former leaders of the NBC, they all come with the opinion that they found no fault in the said documentaries. They pointed out that the Trust TV documentary ran since March 5, 2022, yet it is difficult to point to any documented evidence of any harm it has done in the public space. One may not want to dwell on these sundry opinions because, from all indications, there will be a cocktail of litigations from this action by the government. Condemnations are pouring in but there is a remote possibility that the leadership of the country may be accumulating invectives for an action he has no direct contribution to.

    The Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) responded to the fine by saying that the NBC even violated contents of its Code by not following the laid down procedure of imposing fine. The operators were not notified of any complaints against them nor were any queries issued before the fine.

    The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) have asked the government to rescind the fine. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) have gone to court to request that the fine be declared arbitrary and illegal. The situation continues to boil over, calling attention to two documentaries that people hardly saw.

    Our conclusion in last Wednesday’s article titled, From Telecommunications to Broadcasting, Desperate Times Indeed,  was informed by two primary factors. One. The NBC had been directed to sanction the broadcasters by the Government. At least, the Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said so. Two. The NBC has no right to disobey the Minister when such a directive is given. That is the position of the NBC Act apropos the Minister.

    The Power of the Minister to give directives is so important that it occupies a whole Section of the National Broadcasting Act Cap N11, 2004. It states: “Subject to the Provisions of the Act, the Minister may give the Commission directives of a general character relating generally to particular matters with regard to the exercise by the Commission of its functions under this Act and it shall be the duty of the Commission to comply with such directives.”

    Those who framed the Act didn’t have water in their mouth nor did they leave room for any equivocations. Since August 24,1992, when this Act was birthed as Decree 38, the authority of the Minister has remained unshaken for whatever reason.

    The Act is what emboldens this present Minister to always announce with unrestrained pomposity that the Government has directed the NBC on what to do when facing some regulatory challenges.

    The unfortunate irony is that the broadcasting industry has been deregulated since 1992 to welcome private investors, and this makes the industry a business, although the government still wants to have a leash on it and dictate the rhythm of growth and operations. The industry faces challenges as a result of such regulatory infractions. A number of the operators are exposed to varying degrees of debts owed to banks and individuals, because they wanted to invest in a business in their own country. It may not be appropriate to list some of them because, really, it is their private business!

    Since last week I have been asking myself and some friends who still spare some time out of their buckets of worries to engage with me, whether the National Assembly really exists in this nation, for her fortunes to witness such rapid degradation. In both houses – Senate and House of Reps, there are Committees on Information; what oversight do they give the broadcasting industry? Would it not be their responsibility to make interventions where the Act is obtuse? Why would they watch one man completely destroy an industry?

    I feel sorry for the staff of that Commission. I have known some of them since 1992, since when they got employed as junior staff. I have watched some of them grow and build capacity over the years as they gradually climbed the steps of the Civil Service. I can testify that they are not derelict in knowledge and commitment to duty. It is so painful to see these people look morose just because a certain politician has embarked on an exaggerated ego trip. Can’t they at least even get help from the National Assembly?

    One thing I can tell you. This is the worst of times for the workers of the NBC. But it is like a dress rehearsal for some more ominous things that may come in the days ahead. The outrage is about fines today, in the days and months ahead, leading to a very important election period, it may be something more pcatastrophic for the nation.

    There are all kinds of premonitions and very troubling suggestions about stations that may be shut before the elections. While these suggestions have no similitude in reality, it will be important to caution against arbitrary actions that could throw the nation into further distress. My advocacy here is for the health of the broadcasting industry and the overall health of the entire nation.