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Tag: Reps

  • Reps pass N8.906tn 2019 Budget

    Reps pass N8.906tn 2019 Budget

    From Jonas Ike, Abuja

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the N8.906 trillion Budget of the Federal Government of Nigeria submitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari on 19th December 2019.
    This followed the consideration and approval of the Report of the House Committee on Appropriations on the budget bill which had earlier passed through second reading and was referred to the Committee for further inputs.
    The budget is entitled: “A Bill for an Act to authorize the issue from the consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation the total sum of N8,906,974,099,373 out of which N502,058,093,965,113,092 is for Statutory Transfers, N2,254,014,1130092 is for Debt Service, N4,055,940,383,684 is for Recurrent Expenditure while N2,094950,632 billion is for Contribution to the Revenue Fund for Capital Expenditure for the year ending on 31st December 2109”.
    With the passage, the Accountant-General of the Federation shall when authorized to do so by warrant signed by the Minister charged with the responsibility of paying out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation during the year ending on the 31st December 2019 the sum specified by the warrants, not exceeding the aggregate N8,906,964,099,373 for the fiscal year.
    The budget heads under the item statutory Transfers are as follows: (a) National Judicial Council N110,000,000,000, (Nigeria Delta Development Commission (NDDC) N100,188,921,129, (Universal Basic Education N112,471,421,836), National Assembly, N4,398,550,000), Public Complaints Commission N45,500,000,000), INEC N45,500,000,000, National Human Rights Commission N1,5000,000,000.
    Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations Hon. Mustapha Bala Dawaki who led the debate on the budget said the budget passed by the House is as presented by the Presidency.
    Some key components of the budget christened Federal Executive Bodies are as follows: Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation N37,636, 406,824, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development N107,318,344,102, Federal Ministry of Finance N1,729,708,700, Federal Ministry of Industry,Trade a d Investment N63,112,112,113,708, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment N10,180,953,829 and Federal Ministry of Transportation N1179,384,331,427.
    Others include Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing N39490,906,215,852, Ministry of Petroleum Resources N5,257,866,299, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development N9,891,135,562, Ministry of budget and National Planning N2,990103,008, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission N201,037,348, Fiscal Responsibilities Commission N111,306,657, Federal Ministry of Water Resources N92,1178,020,778 and Federal Ministry of Justice N2116,262,589.
    There is a component of of N3 billion for Legislative Aides personnel emoluments N100 billion for the construction of houses under social intervention, payment of local contractors,, Debt/Other Liabilities N15,000,000,000, North-East Intervention Fund N45,000,000,000 and other components which sum is a total of N8.864 trillion that was passed by the House as the budget.
    Other Federal Executive Bodies that got a chunk of the budget include the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Health and National Population Commission among others.
  • Revenue Allocation: Reps threaten to arrest RMAFC Chair

    Revenue Allocation: Reps threaten to arrest RMAFC Chair

    By Jonas Ike, Abuja

    An Ad-hoc Committee of the House of Representatives probing alleged fraud in data collection used for revenue allocation by the Chairman Revenue, Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission RMAFC has threatened to issue warrant of arrest on the agency helsman Mr. Suleiman Abba Gana.
    Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee Hon. Mark Gbillah (Benue, APC) issued the threat on Tuesday at the House of Representatives wing, National Assembly where the Committee held an investigative hearing on the matter.
    The lawmaker had frowned that the Chairman and members of the Commission did not turn up for the investigation saying that the House will commence the process of issuance of bench warrant of arrest on the top government officials.
    He hinted that the RMAFC Chair and other members of the Commission didnt deem it necessary to honour the Committee’s invitation to the hearing describing it as recalcitrant behavior from the top government functionaries.
    He further regretted that 33 state chief executives did not appear or send representatives at the hearing adding that they would continue to hold them accountable to all funds entrusted to them for public use
    The APC lawmaker also noted that the present revenue sharing formula is skewed in favour of some states and local councils of the federation and described the development as unfortunate.
    Similarly Speaker of the House Hon. Yakubu Dogara who declared the hearing open said that the essence of the investigative hearing is to ascertain the veracity of allegations against the agency.
    Dogara who was represented by the Deputy Minority Whip Hon Binta Bello said that the House investigation is to offer the opportunity of fair hearing to the invited public officials.
    Other members of the Committee notably Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas (Adamawa, APC), Hon.Mohammed Sumaila (Kaduna,PDP) and Hon. Dorathy Mato (Benue, APC) also regretted that the invited officials were not present and called for a reschedule of the investigation.
    The investigation according to the lawmakers is in line with the provisions of Sections 62, 89 and Section 11 of the Legislative Houses Powers and Privileges Act which empowers the House to investigate public officials with a view to ensure accountability, transparency and probity in the use of public funds by government officials.
  • Fani-Kayode to Gbajabiamila: Don’t sell your soul to Fulani to become Speaker

    Fani-Kayode to Gbajabiamila: Don’t sell your soul to Fulani to become Speaker

    Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has told speakership hopeful, Femi Gbajabiamila that he does not have to sell his soul to the Fulanis because he wants to become a speaker.

    Fani-Kayode was reacting to a photo in which Gbajabiamila was pictured sitting at the feet and clinging to the thighs of a Fulani Islamic scholar by the name of Sheik Dahiru Bauchi.

    The former minister, who was displeased with the what he saw said: “Has it really come to this? Do we have to sink to this level? Must we bow before them? Is it not better to die a free man than live a slave? Some have argued that Femi did this because he is a Muslim and that he was merely displaying his deep respect for a northern Muslim cleric.

    “I find this contention, at best, intellectually dishonest and, at worst, specious and disingenuous. It is also a pernicious lie that seeks to mask the bitter truth. The question is whether a any leading Fulani politician would ever crawl before, kneel at the feet of and grab the thighs of any Yoruba Muslim cleric or Sheik simply to win his support for any position?”

    According to Fani-Kayode, “I doubt it very much given the fact that Fulani Muslims do not even allow Yoruba clerics to lead prayers in mosques in the north. The Yoruba Muslims in the north are compelled to open their own “Yoruba Mosques” where they can lead in prayer but they cannot lead in any mosque that the Hausa Fulani attend.

    This is the case despite the fact that Islam came to the Yorubaland, through the Turkish traders, a good 400 years before it arrived in the northern region of what later became Nigeria through Usman Dan Fodio. I have known Femi for over 40 years and I have always loved and respected him. I still do. And as far as I am concerned politics can never come between us. But the Femi in this picture is not the Femi I knew, loved and grew up with in old Lagos.

    “That Femi would never bow or kneel before any man for any reason. That Femi was a man of honour, self-respect and dignity who put his family and tribe before anything or anyone else. That Femi was one of the most brilliant minds of the new generation of young political leaders that emerged in the late ’90’s and that went on to do great things and achieve so much for their people and country.

    “Nothing could intimidate him and no-one could buy him. And neither would he ever beg or crawl before anyone or grab their thighs and knees in desperation. Sadly things appear to have changed. May God deliver us! I still believe that he would make a great Speaker of the House of Reps and that he deserves the position.”

     

  • Reps to investigate CBN, banks, others over stamp duties non-remittance

    The House of Representatives is to constitute an ad hoc investigative panel over the non-remittance of stamp duty by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), money deposit banks and other collection agents.

    The lawmakers alleged the banks and other collection agencies are shortchanging the nation by refusing to remit the duties into the Federation Account of Nigeria.

    The ad hoc panel has four weeks to carry out the assignment and report back for further legislative action.

    This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Goni Lawan (APC, Yobe), who noted that independent efforts by both local and international civil society organisations (CSOs) to get details of the collections have so far failed.

    According to him, the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) in 2014 initiated the stamp duty collection scheme, following which a firm, the School Banking Honours (SBH) obtained authorization of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to engage the banks and other qualified collection agents.

    He said: “But the complicit irregularity by which public institutions including the CBN, Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), NIPOST among others, have over time failed to remit stamp duty taxes into the Federation Account running into trillions.

    “While the deductible amount per bank account may seem small, it cumulatively adds up to money in billions and trillions of Naira, and must be subjected to the full condition of disclosure and transparency.

    “If such funds were made available, they could have been used to pay salaries, provide infrastructure and financing economic development in the country, or at least should have generated some interests in the private accounts where the fund is domiciled”.

    In addition, the lawmakers regretted that due to concerns mounting over the non-remittance, it is clearly an obvious disobedience to the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy for the stamp duties fund to be hidden in commercial banks instead of being remitted to the TSA.

    Speaker Dogara, in his remarks noted that at N50 for bank transaction of over N1000, the duties must have built into a huge fund capable of solving the challenges of paucity of fund associated with many of the nation’s abandoned and uncompleted projects.

  • Reps call for adequate security presence in Taraba over communal clash

    By Gabriel Okoro Abuja
    The House of Representatives has urged Security Agencies in particular, the Nigerian Army, to increase its presence and intervene in the crisis being experienced in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.
    The call emanated from a motion Co-sponsored by Mr Danjuma Shiddi from Taraba State and Mr Udende Emmanuel from Benue State during plenary on Tuesday.
    Raising the motion, Mr Emmanuel informed the House that, Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State has become unstable because of communal clashes between the Tiv and the Jukuns.
    The lawmaker stated that, the clashes started from a disagreement between two persons from the two Ethnic Groups, noting that, not less that ten thousand persons have fled their homes due to the crisis and their belongings destroyed, thereby making them Internally Displaced Persons.
    Contributing to debate on the motion, Mr Simon Arabor from Kaduna State, condemned the killings saying its senseless and called for speedy apprehension of perpetrators of the heinous crime.
    Adding his voice, Mr Istifanus Gyang called for peaceful resolution mechanism to solving the crisis adding that violence is not an option.
    The House thereby urged the National Emergency Management Agency and the Presidential Committee on North East to, as a matter of urgency, provide relief materials to the victims.
    In a unanimous voice vote, the House adopted the motion and urged Security Agencies to apprehend perpetrators of the crime and bring them to book, as well as, determine the underlying causes of the crisis with a view to proffering lasting solution.
  • Court nullifies election of Buhari’s ex-aide, orders INEC to recognise Dambazau’s son

    Court nullifies election of Buhari’s ex-aide, orders INEC to recognise Dambazau’s son

    A Federal High Court in Kano on Thursday nullified the candidature of former presidential aide, Kawu Sumaila, as the elected representative of Sumaila/Takai federal constituency of Kano in the House of Representatives.

    Sumaila, a former Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly matters, won the election last February on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The court, however, ordered the electoral commission, INEC, to recognise Shamsuddeen Dambazau as the APC candidate for the position.

    Dambazau, a son of the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, had sued INEC, APC and Sumaila challenging the nomination of the latter as the candidate of APC.

    He told the court through his counsel, Nuraini Jimoh, that Sumaila contested for Kano South senatorial seat and lost to Kabiru Gaya.

    Sumaila, who was represented by his counsel, Auwal Tofa, declined to comment on the judgment.

    Sumaila had indeed contested the Kano south senatorial ticket of the APC. He lost to a serving senator, Kabiru Gaya.

    Later, the state chapter of APC compensated him with House of Representatives ticket of the Sumaila/Takai federal constituency which is also within the Kano South senatorial district.

    The judge, however, ruled that the action of the APC was illegal as the ex-presidential aide did not participate in the APC primary for the House of Representatives.

    The judge, Lewis Allagoa, ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Sumaila.

  • Reps, Women Group Want Domestication of Violence Against Persons Act at States, LGAs

    Reps, Women Group Want Domestication of Violence Against Persons Act at States, LGAs

    From Jonas Ike, Abuja.

    Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development Hon. Stella Ngwu, members of the Committee, women groups among other stakeholders on Tuesday, called for the Domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, 2015 at state and local councils of the Nigerian federation.

    They made the call at a one-day summit on the topic: “Domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, 2015” in Abuja where women groups and other stakeholders converged to brainstorm on the issue.

    Speaking on the event, the lawmakers, invited stakeholders and other groups harped on the imperatives of domestication of the Act as a tool for the protection of women and other vulnerable persons in the society.

    In an opening remark, the Committee chairman said that the passage of the Act by the parliament and its endorsement the Presidency signaled the birth of legislative activism that would ended all forms of violence against women and vulnerable persons.

    She therefore called for the speedy domestication of the newly enacted legislation which has become operational at federal level in all the states and local councils areas of the federation.

    Similarly, the Speaker of the House Hon. Yakubu Dogara said that the Violence Against Persons Act if well implemented, will make the right of persons to be respected by all no matter the circumstances.

    Dogara who was represented by the House Deputy Minority Leader Hon. Chukwuka Onyema said that government has a responsibility to protect the lives and properties of citizens.

    He therefore assured that the National Assembly will ensure that the lives and properties of the citizenry is protected by the government and its agencies.

    Other women right groups notably Prof.Joy Ezeilo of Women Aid Collectives (WACU) and Hajia Saidatu Mahadi a gender activist also spoke in the same vein saying that state and local government councils have a responsibility to ensure full implementation of the Act in their enclaves and localities.

     

  • Reps to probe ministry over fish importation

    By Gabriel Okoro, Abuja

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday has resolved to constitute an ad-hoc committee to investigate the incessant issuance of fish importation licence by Ministry of agriculture.

    It also urged the federal ministry of agriculture and the bank of Agriculture to provide incentives to local fish farmers that would boost up production.

    The decision is sequel to a motion of Urgent Public importance moved by Jonathan Gaza (PDP, Nasarawa) during plenary.

    Leading the debate on the motion, Mr Gaza stated that “in the last few years, Nigeria has gone through a recession and has resurfaced and this recovery can be largely attributed to the diversification at our economy especially in the field of agriculture:

    He noted “that Fisheries which is on important subsector of Nigerian agriculture with the country being rich in perennial rivers (Benue. Niger, Ogun, Osun etc) and takes like kanji and other dams and ponds, and has also attracted a large influx of fish farmers using latest technology has led to an increase in fish production and employment;

    “in the past, the minister of state for agriculture during a meeting with the Ijebu initiative on poverty reduction (IDIPR) in Abuja sometime in August 2017, stated that the Federal Government wit stop issuing fish importation quota to importers saying the venture was no longer sustainable.

    “Frantic calls have been made by various quotas including this hallowed chambers to ban the importation of fish into the country as it has a negative effect on our economy and also on our health as we cannot ascertain the total health status of all the fish imported into this country all the time. “

    The lawmaker also noted that the situation is turning Nigeria into a dumping ground for Fish products, at the detriment of local fish Farmers.

    Contributing to the debate on the floor, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Lasun Yusuf (APC, Osun) noted that the importation is meant to fill the gap as a result of inability of Nigerian farmers to meet the demand of consumers.

    “we have production capacity of 1.2million tonnes, but our need is about 4million tonnes.” adding, “That is the gap those given licences are supposed to fill. As legislative, all we can do is to talk, in the area where bills are being returned with speed of light. The executive must show the commitment.

    Lasun therefore called on the federal government to subsidize the Agricultural sector by minimum of 50%.

    For Nicholas Osas (PDP, Delta), the motion requires investigation to understand the situation.

    “Is there a shortage of fish in this country? Do we have a national plan to fill this gap? This is an investigative matter. If demand is greater than supply, there is a shortfall, and we need to investigate. When you suggest ban, it’s for local industry to thrive. This motion will unravel a lot. Policy formulation should start from the House.”

    Muhammed Monguno (APC, Borno), the Chairman of the House committee on Agriculture while explaining the situation said that there is plan by federal government to end importation of fish.

    “It is true that there is deficit in our production, hence importation. Over the years the fishery sector have been neglected by successive governments. It is true that licences has been given by Ministry of Agriculture, steps are being taken, as steps are taken to fill in the gap and stop importation in the next few years.” He noted.

    To this end, an adoption on the motion was made by the House when put up for vote by the presiding officer, Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

    The committee is expected to report its findings within two weeks to the house for further legislative action.

  • Appeal Court nullifies election of APC Rep member

    Appeal Court nullifies election of APC Rep member

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin on Monday nullified the election of Mr Peter Akpatason of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a member of the House of Representatives for the Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency.

    The Speaker, Edo House of Assembly, Mr Kabiru Adjoto, had filed an appeal against the judgment of a lower court that held and declared Akpatason as the party’s candidate in the March 9, National Assembly election.

    Adjoto claimed that he won the party’s primary election held in October 018, but was denied the ticket by the party leadership which he alleged was also affirmed by the lower court.

    The Justice Moore Abraham-Adumein-led three-member tribunal, in its Judgment, held that Akpatason was not the right candidate who emerged from the party primary, hence was not qualified to have contested for the March 9 national assembly election.

    The tribunal subsequently declared Adjoto, being the candidate who emerged from the party primaries, as the right candidate for the Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency.

    The Court also nullified the decision of the APC’s National Assembly Primaries Election Appeals Committee headed by former Governor of Edo, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor.

    Abraham-Adumein held that the trial court ought to have heard the case brought before it “since it is its duty to do so’’.

    “The trial court, for reasons best known to it, failed or neglected to make any pronouncement on the live issue before it,” he said.

    Abraham-Adumein said the Osunbor committee was not properly constituted because the committee contravened Article 21B of the APC guidelines, part of which said, “no member of the five member appeals committee shall be from the state of assignment” and so the committee ab initio ought not to hear the case.

    He, however, said that referring the case back to the trial court would have been statute bared but that having considered the evidences before the lower court which it did not consider.”Adjoto won the primary election, as the returning officer, Sufiyanu Igbafe, declared that Adjoto scored 7,034 votes, as against his opponent, Peter Akpatason’s 5,606 votes.

    “This appeal is hereby unanimously allowed and the prayers sought by the appellant in the trial court are hereby granted and the sum of N300, 000 is hereby awarded as costs against the 1st and 2nd respondents.”

    He said his two colleagues: Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, who is the presiding justice and Justice Tunde Efotoye, agreed with the judgment.

    However, Counsel to Akpatason, Omoh-Ige Adebayo said they would contest the judgment in the Supreme Court, while an elated Adjoto said, “The judiciary is not only the last hope of the common man but also of the big man.”

    Adjoto promised to give more representation to his people, more than he has given to them at the state house of assembly.

  • 9th Assembly: North Central, South East may clinch speakership race

    9th Assembly: North Central, South East may clinch speakership race

    …as Bago, Dyegh, Onyejeocha vow to cross the finishing line
    The battle of who emerges speaker of the ninth House is gradually taking shape as political alignments across party lines mounts centre stage.
    Gradually the boys are caving way for the real men to face the battle- just last week one of the strongest contenders from the North East, Hon Tahir Monguno, APC, Borno threw in the towel by declaring support for the leader of the House, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila.
    Also, last week Tuesday, Hon. John Dyegh, APC, Benue declared an intention to run the race after resigning as Director General of Idris Wase’s Campaign Organization.
    Dyegh a very strong voice in the North Central region dumped Wase “because he jettisoned the North Central agenda to produce the next speaker.
    Sources close to the North Central movement towards actualising their dream of producing the next speaker told TNG there’s no going back until North Central produces the next speaker.
    Dyegh in a chat with TNG said”the party as far as we are concerned has not zoned Speakership to any particular part of Nigeria.
    “So as it’s any zone can run for the position of speaker and people from my region are saying after taking the Senate presidency from us, at least give us the position of speaker.
    “As for me I must get to the finishing line which is on the floor of the House.
    Hon Mohammed Umar Bago, APC, Niger is the rave of the moment as he presently enjoys the position of the most accessible contestant.
    Among the 14 contestants, the most visible is Bago who runs the most active campaign Secretariat with the longest list of former and newly elected members working towards his Speakership ambition.
    Bago in a chat recently said that “the APC Chairman is not more Buhari than myself because I have been part of Buhari since our CPC days.
    He explained that” my quarrel with the issue of zoning it to the South West which is not official is that why must it be South West.
    “They already occupy number two position why must South West also produce number four.
    “If they had zoned it to South East I would have stepped down but for now I must cross the finishing line.
    Bago a third timer, is the current Chairman House Committee on Maritime.
    He looks good and from all indications, he is definitely not going to be a passenger in this nineth House Speakership race.
    Idris Wase must have shot his foot by accepting to run as deputy to one of the strongest contenders.
    It’s alleged that the Plateau lawmaker had visited Aso Villa where he agreed to step down and run as deputy.
    When the allegation filtered out his North Central colleagues vowed to rubbish his ambition as he allegedly betrayed their trust.
    This development made his campaign DG, Hon John Dyegh to declare his intention to run.
    For sometime now, the Wase’s camp seems to be in a deep slumber.
    The Gbajabiamila camp is very active they have toured almost the entire country soliciting support for his candidature.
    Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha,APC, Abia is also active. She is the only female contestant and the only visible contender from the South East region.
    A fourth timer with plenty of legislative experience. She is a two time Chairman of the Aviation committee which she professionally managed for two terms.
    She looks good to grab it if finally, the party decides to zone it to South East.
    The PDP and Dogara factor:
    By June 9, whoever the opposition supports with their 150 bulk votes may clinch the coveted position.
    For now, the PDP is unusually silent as if an oath was taken to keep sealed lips.
    This is a dangerous signal that may further crack the wall of APC leading to a situation that could catapult an opposition lawmaker mounting the saddle of the nineth House.
    Yakubu Dogara, Aminu Tambuwal and Emeka Ihedioha all have a role to play.
    These former arrow heads of the House last week met at the burial of a fallen colleague, Hon Bethel Amadi’s burial where the next speaker must have been selected.
    June 9 may just be a mere formality as another meeting to crown the new speaker too will be held during the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia to put finishing touches to who to crown.
    Many of the other contestants by first week of May will start withdrawing from the race.