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Tag: Reps

  • Reps panel invites VC of Nnamdi Azikiwe University

    Reps panel invites VC of Nnamdi Azikiwe University

    The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has invited Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi, the acting Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Awka, Anambra over alleged poor projects execution.

    Rep. Abubakar Fulata, the Chairman of the Committee made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The invitation followed the committee’s earlier visit to UNIZIK in Awka, adding that the invitation was not to a witch-hunt on the VC.

    He said the committee would not fold their arms and allow certain things that would halt the expected progress in the nation’s universities persist.

    The committee observed that the data presented in the documents submitted by the VC did not align with the reality on ground in terms of projects execution.

    Fulata wondered how the management of the university would claim to have generated N1.5 billion in a preceding year but said it spent about N3 billion from the same internally generated revenue.

    Fulata said spending money without appropriation by the parliament was a gross violation of the constitution.

    He said that presentation of cooked figure undermines the integrity of the entire management team of the university.

    The committee said the oversight visit became necessary due to the calls and concerns raised by many Nigerians that several MDAs would do better if legislators carry out their roles as expected.

    The committee said there would be no justification to approve funds for any government organisation if what has been earlier approved was haphazardly utilized.

    The committee said it observed several discrepancies and infractions in the documents presented, urging the VC to appear before them in the National Assembly with relevant documents for further legislative actions.

    The committee noted that one of the areas of concern is 100 per cent payment for a project that was less than 40 per cent completion by the school management.

    This according to the committee is against financial regulations.

  • Reps withdraw bill prescribing jail term for refusal to sing reintroduced national anthem

    Reps withdraw bill prescribing jail term for refusal to sing reintroduced national anthem

    House of Representatives have withdrawn the controversial Counter Subversion and Other Related Bills which seeks to criminalise refusal to sing Nigeria’s reintroduced national anthem.

    The speaker house of representatives Abbas Tajudeen caved in to heated opposition and outrage that trailed the introduction of the controversial bill which prescribed 10-year jail term for those who refused to sing the newly reintroduced anthem.

    Abbas, alongside Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other federal lawmakers, passed the National Anthem Bill 2024 into law in May at the separate chambers.

    On May 29, 2024, on the one-year anniversary of the current government, President Bola Tinubu signed the National Anthem Bill 2024 reverting to the old national anthem, “Nigeria, we hail thee” from “Arise, O Compatriots”.

    Many Nigerians criticised the move, saying it was a misplacement of priority and not an antidote to the socio-economic and security challenges bedevilling the country. They even totally rejected ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’ and vowed to retain the anthem, ‘Arise, O Compatriots’.

    However, President said the latest national anthem, ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’

    In July, as a way to enforce the recitation of the reintroduced anthem, Abbas introduced the Counter Subversion and Other Related Bills in the green chamber but the bill which reportedly scaled second reading faced pushbacks from some respected voices like former Minister Oby Ezekwesili, activist Aisha Yesufu, amongst others.

    Following public uproar, in a statement by his spokesman Musa Krishi, on Wednesday, withdrew the controversial draft legislation criminalising hail term and fine for those who refuse to sing the reintroduced anthem after “careful consideration of the nation’s current circumstances.

    Krishi said Abbas’ decision “reflects his commitment to ensuring that the House remains truly the People’s House”.

    “He (Abbas) acknowledges the significance of the concerns raised and the attention the Bill has garnered, reaffirming that he will never support any action that might disrupt the peace and unity of our nation.

    “The public is hereby notified of the withdrawal of the Counter Subversion Bill and other related ones introduced on July 23, 2024.”

     

  • Reps quiz WAEC boss over N6bn deficit incurred in 2023

    Reps quiz WAEC boss over N6bn deficit incurred in 2023

    The House of Representatives has quizzed the Head of the National Office, West African Examination Council (WAEC) Nigeria, Mr Josiah Dangut, over a N6 billion deficit the agency incurred in 2023.

    The House Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, led by Rep. Oforji Oboku, grilled Dangut during an investigative hearing in Abuja on Tuesday.

    The committee queried WAEC over a loan of N5 billion it got in 2022 for the purchase of a customised calculator.

    Dangut, in a defence, provided the cashbook of the agency to the committee but the members declined, insisting that it must submit bank statements.

    The committee chairman said WAEC had to explain how it generated N34 billion in 2023, but spent N40 billion.

    He also wondered how the examination body could approve a loan of up to N5 billion when even the Ministerial Board could not approve such an amount.

    He asked the WAEC boss to tell the committee how many students participated in the 2022 examinations for which the calculators were obtained.

    Following the unsatisfactory response by the WAEC representatives, the committee resolved that WAEC must submit all its bank statements from 2018 to date “within a week”.

    A member of the committee, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, described WAEC as uncooperative, saying that it must be held accountable.

    “WAEC Nigeria was an uncooperative witness in this process, shielding and denying Nigerians the value of whatever investment the country has had in that office.

    “WAEC should submit all its bank account statements to the  committee in furtherance of the investigation,” he said.

    The committee said that out of eight submissions demanded from the examination body in a bid to probe its expenditure, only one – nominal role – was submitted.

    The committee demanded that WAEC should  provide the expenditures that led to the N6 billion deficit and all correspondences related to the purchase of customised calculators.

    The committee further said that evidence of approval for the N5 billion loan to purchase the customised calculators must be provided.

    The committee also demanded evidence of due process followed for the award of the contract as well as evidence of payment, including payment vouchers and bank records.

    It queried WAEC for breaching the public procurement and financial regulations act in the payment of 50 per cent of the contract for the construction of its Taraba office valued at N532 million.

    Dangut, however, pleaded with the lawmakers to give him another date to enable him present the statement of account and other documents demanded.

    He also explained that he had to pay 50 per cent of the Taraba office contract sum to avoid the astronomical rise in the inflationary trend in the country.

  • Reps deny rift between Speaker Abbas, Kalu, says no bribery for cttee placement-Spokesperson

    Reps deny rift between Speaker Abbas, Kalu, says no bribery for cttee placement-Spokesperson

    The Nigerian House of Representatives, has said the dissolution of the Joint Adhoc Committee on Midstream and Downstream Petroleum was done in line with the 1999 constitution of Nigeria and the standing rules of the House.

    This was, even as, the Green chamber debunked the insinuations in some quarters that there was love lost between the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas and his deputy, Benjamin Kalu; and that Members bribed their way to get some juicy Committee placements in the House.

    A statement signed on Wednesday by the Spokesperson of the House, Akin Rotimi Jnr, said the action by the leadership was to ensure efficacy, independence, and effectiveness of the investigation.

    He stressed that, the House has its internal working mechanisms, “which are enabled by Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provides that, ‘Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Senate or the House of Representatives shall have power to regulate its own procedure, including the procedure for summoning and recess of the House’”.

    The Spokesperson contended that, “the leadership of the House reserves the right to disband/dissolve an ad hoc committee whenever the need arises.

    “That the action taken by the House to dissolve the Ad Hoc Committee on Oil and Gas Investigation did not contravene any rule of the House or any law of the land;

    “That at no time did the House leadership or anybody for that matter received inducement for the appointment of any committee chairman. It was an assignment diligently executed by the Selection Committee of the House between June and July 2023, which has a member from each of the states of the federation;

    “That there is no rift whatsoever between the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker regarding this or any matter; the duo enjoys a robust and cordial relationship. The two Presiding Officers also have mutual respect for each other, and will not allow anything to come between them.

    “The public should therefore disregard the speculations making the round in some sections of the media”.

    The House therefore, implored Journalists to always verify their facts and crosscheck with the appropriate quarters before going to the press, “with information that are nothing but falsehoods dished out as stories”.

    The Green chamber, while reiterating cordial relationship between the two Presiding Officers and peace amongst Members; stressed that it operates open door policy and remains open to the Nigerian public and the media regarding its activities.

  • Reps spokesperson discloses members monthly salary

    Reps spokesperson discloses members monthly salary

    The House of Representatives’ monthly salary is N600,000 as against the N900,000 that is being speculated, says Rep. Akin Rotimi.

    Rotimi, who is the Spokesperson of House. made the clarification in a statement he issued on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He reaffirmed the commitment of the house to the 50 per cent deduction in their salary to reduce hardship.

    “The House of Representatives has been inundated by some media outlets reporting claims of discrepancies in the salaries of members, suggesting that we received 100 per cent of oir July salaries.

    “The report claimed that our salary amounted to N936,979

    “We wish to clarify that the actual monthly salary for members is N600,000, after deductions for advances such as housing, which are paid at the commencement of the tenure,” he said.

    He said that the member who displayed his salary on a TV programme was an exceptional case, because he assumed office through a court decision many months after the on-boarding process was concluded.

    He said that the house remained committed to the resolution passed on July 18, which mandated a 50 percent reduction in the salaries of members for six months.

    “We acknowledge and regret that this resolution was not implemented by the bureaucracy as intended for the month of July.

    “Resolutions of the House are ratified when the votes and proceedings of plenary are adopted on the next legislative day. Consequently, the bureaucracy was only formally instructed on July 23.”

    He said that the delay in the implementation was due to necessary administrative procedures and coordination with financial institutions.

    He added that instructions for adjusting salaries had since been issued and would be enforced moving forward to ensure its pledge is fully realised.

    “There is nothing to investigate, as some media houses reported, as the House’s position on this matter had been provided to some journalists who had reached out for clarification.”

    He called for patience and assured the House of its steadfast adherence to its pledge and sustained efforts to earn the trust and confidence of all Nigerians.

  • Reps to investigate Dangote refinery, NMDPRA, NNPC rift

    Reps to investigate Dangote refinery, NMDPRA, NNPC rift

    The House of Representatives has said that it would investigate the ongoing spat between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

    The investigation would also include the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL).

    Rep. Philip Agbese, the deputy spokesperson of the House, said this while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Saturday.

    Tthe investigation is coming amid the biting fuel crisis across the country and the allegations that Dangote’s fuel is of low in quality.

    Agbese said the investigation conformed to the House commitment to protect all national assets and critical economic infrastructure like the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

    He said: “We have been seeing a lot by way of demarketing campaigns to discredit the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and given the negative impact of this, which has caused panic in the country.

    This, according to him, has resulted to uncertainties that had led to fuel queue resurfacing, adding that is totally condemnable.

    “Unfortunately, what we have learnt is that the NNPC and NMDPRA play major role in these plots to discredit the refinery, which is unacceptable.

    “The bigger aspect of our concern is that there are concerns that false narratives are being peddled by certain interests that are bent on importing dirty fuels into the country’’, he said.

    “As a proactive institution, committed to the wellbeing of the nation and Nigerians, the position of the House is to investigate the allegations’’, he told newsmen

    Agbese said the House would bring closure to the matter so that there would be a direction towards economic stability.

    “It is on record that the House had directed the President to sack NMDPRA, so the House will also not hesitate to call for the sack of Mr Mele Kyari, the Group Chief executive officer of NNPCL if need be’’, he said.

    He added that the demand for Kyari ‘s sack would happen if there was evidence of an attempt to destroy Dangote refinery.

    He added that the leadership of NMDPRA must be sacked, adding that both agencies had confirmed they were interested in destroying the Dangote Refinery.

    According to him, many Nigerians have called off the proposed hardship protest, but they want to see Kyari’s sack if that will guarantee that the country will function smoothly.

    It would be recalled that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, had earlier led a delegation of the House on a visit to the Dangote refinery and Petrochemicals Company in Lagos

    This was part of the ongoing efforts to understand and support the nation’s key industries.

    Abbas said the visit provided valuable insights that would guide the House’s legislative measures and decisions.

    He said the House was working to create a more business-friendly environment to make Nigeria an attractive destination for local and international investors.

  • Universities should be removed from Band A electricity tariff – Reps

    Universities should be removed from Band A electricity tariff – Reps

    The House of Representatives said that it would ensure that Federal Universities were removed from the Band A electricity tariff plan to lessen the huge electricity bill.

    Rep. Abubakar Fulata, the Chairman, House Committee on University Education, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja after the committee’s oversight of Northeast Federal Universities.

    Some of the federal universities visited, according to him, include Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and Federal University Kashare, Gombe State.

    He said that efforts were being made to remove universities and other tertiary institutions from the Band A group of electricity users.

    Fulata said the lawmakers were determined to remove obstacles to the smooth running of the schools.

    He expressed optimism that the government would listen to them and removed universities from the Band A Plan of electricity users, like they did to IPPIS.

    The committee said that most universities were finding it difficult to pay electricity bills due to hike in the tariff.

    Fulata also tasked the management of the two universities with trying as much as possible to comply with relevant laws, particularly the Appropriation Act.

    Rep. Victor Ogene, a member of the committee, drew the attention of the management of ATBU to some irreconcilable figures in relation to the income and expenditure of the school between 2021 and 2023.

    He said that it was inappropriate for a government institution to spend more than its income on a revenue-generating facility like Guest House.

    “Will it be appropriate to get less than N800, 000 from the school guest house and spend over N5 million to maintain it? Ogene queried.

    Rep. Adamu Gamawa, another member, said extra-budgetary spending was not allowed as it is unconstitutional.

    “For instance, you cannot budget N10 million and spend N15 million. That is why there is room for a supplementary budget,” Adamu said.

    Prof. Sani Kunya, the Vice -Chancellor, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, commended the committee and sought the lawmakers’ support to address challenges facing the institution.

    In the same vein, The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Kashare, Gombe State, Prof. Usman Pate, hailed the lawmakers for visiting the school.

    Pate said that apart from infrastructure challenges, most of the lecturers were reluctant to work in the institute due to security challenges.

  • Reps give EFCC chairman 4-day ultimatum to appear before it

    Reps give EFCC chairman 4-day ultimatum to appear before it

    The House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes has given Mr Ola Olukoyede, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), till July 30 to appear before it over budgetary allocation issues.

    The committee said that Olukoyede, along with his management team, should appear to answer questions relating to the commission’s budget performance and its challenges.

    Rep. Obinna Onwusibe, the hairman of the committee, expressed the panel’s displeasure at  an oversight of the commission’s office in Abuja.

    The committee condemned what it described as the snobbish attitude of the chairman and the denial of the committee’s members access into the commission’s complex.

    Following the denial of access into the commission’s complex, the committee members returned headed back to their bus and returned to the National Assembly.

    The committee had visited the EFCC headquarters after communicating with the anti-graft agency and agreeing on a date for an oversight visit.

    The committee was, however, surprisingly told that the chairman was called for an unexplained emergency development at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Reacting, the committee chairman said: “In performing our constitutional functions we had written to the EFCC for this oversight visit.

    “The latest letter to EFCC was last week and we all agreed that the oversight is going to be today.

    “The essence of the oversight is for the committee to know the budget performance of the EFCC as appropriated by this national assembly.

    “That was exactly why we went and to also see other things, including the challenges being faced by the EFCC’’.

    He said the committee had had requested that the chairman, and all the zonal commanders of the EFCC be invited today for us to interface with them.

    “But, the committee also saw that they were not on  ground,” he said.

    The committee, however, resolved that it would not continue with the oversight and resolved further to summon the EFCC chairman and his team to appear before it.

    “As far as we’re concerned, the functions and integrity of this 10th National Nssembly cannot be taken for granted.

    “We’ve written severally to the commission, requesting information and documents and we are yet to get them”, he said.

  • Just in: Reps order NERC, DISCOs to reverse tariff hike now

    Just in: Reps order NERC, DISCOs to reverse tariff hike now

    The House of Representatives has asked the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and the distribution companies, DISCOs, to reverse the tariff hike for Band A customers.

    This directive was given on Tuesday after the adoption of a report presented by the House Committee on Power.

    It would be recalled that NERC announced a hike affecting Band A customers, who are to pay N225 per kilowatt

    The House also resolved to probe the tariff hike pending an investigation.

    Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Committee on Power, Victor Nwokolo, said Nigerians cannot afford the new tariff.

    The Committee recommended a return to status quo.

    The recommendations were adopted by the Committee of the Whole, after which it was passed.

  • Vocational School Initiative: Enugu Reps’ Caucus Leader hails Gov Mba

    Vocational School Initiative: Enugu Reps’ Caucus Leader hails Gov Mba

    The leader of the Enugu State Caucus of the House of Representatives, Hon Nnolim Nnaji has praised the Governor of Enugu State, Barrester Peter Ndubisi Mba for his emphasis on skill based education.

    He also commended the idea of reactivating all the moribund technical secondary schools which had hitherto incubated and raised skilled manpower in various skills in the past.

    Honourable Nnaji who represents Nkanu East/West Federal Constituency in the National Assembly stressed that the plan by the government of Enugu State to build eight science technical and vocational colleges would complement the smart schools already being constructed across all political wards of the state.

    He noted that the smarts schools which would be information technology, (ICT) equipped would provide a preparatory platforms for intakes of the science technical colleges.

    The parliamentarian who acknowledged that skilled based education was the way to go at moment also observed that the initiative would further advance the state government’s current investment supports to small and medium scale enterprises , (SMEs).

    “The science technical and vocational colleges will provide the needed labour force that will help drive the SMEs” Rep Nnaji stated adding that it was obvious Governor Mba was putting everything in place to improve the economy of Enugu State.

    Honourable Nnaji who is the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Ports and Harbors further observed that the state government’s investments on other infrastructures like water and roads were equally remarkable.

    He enjoined all indigenes and residents of Enugu State to give maximum supports to the government of Barrister Peter Mba in his efforts to deliver on his campaign promises.