TheNewsGuru

Tag: Reps

  • We’ll send passed 2018 budget to Buhari this week – Reps

    The House of Representatives has said President Muhammadu Buhari will receive a passed copy of the 2018 budget for final assent this week.

    Recall that the National Assembly passed the N9.12tn budget on Wednesday last week after the Appropriation Bill had spent more than six months at the legislature.

    The final figure was raised by over N508bn from the initial estimates of N8.612tn that the President laid before lawmakers on November 7, 2017.

    The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, told our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday that by Wednesday this week, the budget would have been sent to the President.

    He explained that there was not much work left to be done on the budget other than for the Senate and House Conference Committees to meet and harmonise the differences in the document.

    Namdas explained, “The areas of differences are just three, including the provision that the Executive should not spend any funds outside this budget without appropriation by the National Assembly.

    “This was inserted to take care of extra-budgetary spending like fuel subsidy or what they call ‘under recovery.’ The Senate is not likely to oppose the provision. On all other areas like the total budget size of N9.12tn, we are on the same page. There is really nothing much to cause further delays.”

    When contacted, the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Chris Azubuogu, stated that the Senate and the House would meet in conference today (Monday).

    Azubuogu said, “After the conference, the harmonised report will be adopted on Tuesday by both chambers and that will be all.

    “The rest of the work, which is to clean up the budget, will be done by the Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly, who will thereafter transmit the budget to Mr. President.”

  • Reps receive 2018 Budget report, to be passed Wednesday

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday said the 2018 Appropriation Bill of N9.12 trillion would be passed on Wednesday.

    Deputy Speaker of the House, Yussuff Lasun, who presided at plenary, made this known after the budget report was presented by the Chairman, Committee on Appropriation, Rep. Mustapha Dawaki.

    The N9.12 trillion-Budget is N410 billion higher than N8.61 trillion appropriated in 2017.

    Lasun advised members to pick copies of the budget from the appropriation committee as the House was likely to pass the budget on Wednesday.

    Controversy had trailed the delay in the passage of the bill, with the National Assembly, accusing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of failing to defend their budget proposals.

    The delay had prompted President Muhammadu Buhari to issue a deadline to heads of all MDAs to defend their budgets unfailingly.

    A breakdown of the budget indicates that N530.4 billion is for statutory transfer, N2.20 trillion for debt service and N199 billion for sinking fund for maturing loans.

    Also, N3.51 trillion is allocated to recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, while N2.87 trillion is earmarked for development fund for capital expenditure.

  • Reps demand CBN’s audited accounts, place hold on FG’s proposed sale of NLNG

    Reps demand CBN’s audited accounts, place hold on FG’s proposed sale of NLNG

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday asked the Federal Government to suspend its planned sale of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG).

    It described the NLNG as one of the most successful and lucrative investments of the government, which should be left to run as a major public asset.

    Nigeria has 45 per cent stake in the NLNG, which the government is proposing to divest.

    The session, which was presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, also resolved to investigate the government’s move.

    A motion moved by a member, Mr. Randolph Oruene-Brown, drew lawmakers’ attention to the report of the 2016 ministerial retreat, where the government proposed to generate between $10bn and $15bn (about N4.7tn) to inject into the country’s economy.

    He recalled that to achieve the objective, the government had announced that it would put up key assets for sale, including its stake in the NLNG.

    He stated that the government was about to execute the recommendations of the retreat.

    Oruene-Brown said, “(The House is) aware that the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, stated that one of the ways to fund the plan would be through the sale of some national assets and the proceeds reinvested in the economy to raise the needed capital for infrastructural development.

    “(The House is) also aware that the NLNG is one of the most successful ventures that Nigeria has embarked upon when it started from train one through to the sixth train, and now the seventh train in the offing.

    “The House is worried that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the Nigeria Labour Congress, among other organisations, have seriously frowned on this move and warned the Federal Government against the proposed sale of national assets, especially the NLNG.

    “(The House is) cognisant that resuscitating the Nigerian economy from recession is the actual reason for the proposed sale of the NLNG even though there are other options the government may adopt to resuscitate the economy.”

    He added that one of the options was for the government to borrow on “long-term against the dividends in the NLNG, and convert its Joint Venture holdings in some multinational oil corporations into incorporated Joint Venture companies.”

    The lawmaker also suggested that the government could encourage wealthy Nigerians, who could afford to buy the NLNG, to invest directly in the economy.”

    In the alternative, the House noted that such wealthy Nigerians could take advantage of the huge reserves of natural gas in the country to set up their own private LNG.

    The House endorsed the motion in a unanimous voice vote to halt the planned sale, pending the outcome of its investigation.

    A separate resolution of the House directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to comply with the provisions of Section 50(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2004.

    The section reads, “The bank shall, within two months after the close of each financial year, transmit to the National Assembly and the President a copy of its annual accounts certified by the auditor.”

  • Reps accuse NNPC of hiring corrupt firms for refineries’ TAM

    The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the fresh Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) being planned for the country’s four refineries on Tuesday queried the criteria used in selecting the consortium of firms listed for the contracts.

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had set aside over $1.8bn for the repairs, which it preferred to call comprehensive rehabilitation, as against the traditional TAM.

    The House is investigating the desirability of another TAM on the refineries after a series of TAM in the past reportedly gulped over $20bn and still left the plants operating at below 20 per cent installed capacities.

    The panel, which is headed by a member of the All Progressives Congress from Kaduna State, Mr. Garba Datti-Muhammad, had summoned the NNPC to produce documents on the status of the refineries and the financial implications of running them at the expense of taxpayers.

    But, on Tuesday, after examining the documents, lawmakers observed that some of the firms engaged to carry out the fresh $1.8bn TAM were facing corruption charges across the globe, including the celebrated $1.2bn Malabu Oil deal linked to former top officials of the Nigerian government.

    Among the consortia of firms on the NNPC’s list are names like Trafigura, Eni, MIRS and Sahara.

    The lawmakers particularly cited the case of Eni, whose directors are being prosecuted in some countries, including Italy.

    Aside from the allegations of fraudulent transactions hanging against some of the firms, the committee also pointed out that they were oil marketers and did not appear to have the technical background to repair refineries.

    The lawmakers grilled the Chief Operating Officer, Refineries and Petrochemicals, NNPC, Mr. Anibor Kragha, at the resumed sitting of the committee in Abuja on Tuesday.

    A member of the committee and Chairman, House Committee on Justice, Mr. Razak Atunwa, leading the questioning, asked how the NNPC would still engage firms “facing corruption and fraud allegations around the world.”

    Atunwa stated, “These firms, and I can see Eni on your list; are you saying that they are going to handle this work for you in spite of all the issues they have?

    “You are saying that firms with fraud cases over their necks in Italy and elsewhere around the globe will be the ones to work for Nigeria? What was your reason for selecting them?”

    Incidentally, it was Atunwa who chaired another panel of the House that investigated the $1.2bn Malabu deal.

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan and his ministers, including Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and Mr. Mohammed Adoke, were named in the Malabu deal.

    Another member of the committee and former oil industry unionist, Mr. Peter Akpatason, told the session that he was aware that some of the firms were mainly oil marketers.

    However, Kragha claimed that the idea was not to use the firms to handle the rehabilitation of the refineries directly, but to act as funding facilitators.

    He also told the committee that the firms had been deeply involved in the oil sector in Nigeria, providing technical support and training at several levels to the oil corporation.

    Kragha explained that the real work on the refineries would be executed by the original builders.

    “We are contacting the original builders of the refineries. There are a whole lot of discussions involved this process,” he added.

    Kragha told the committee that the NNPC was sourcing the funds required for the repairs, as the refineries were behind schedule for the usual two-yearly TAM by over 10 years.

    Amid the barrage of questions from the lawmakers, Kragha lost his temper, resulting in the exchange of hot words between him and the House members.

    Atunwa, in particular, took exception to Kragha’s conduct as he raised his voice.

    He shouted, “I will ask you questions and you will answer me; don’t be tricky about it! You don’t talk back to me. This is the parliament of Nigeria. I am elected to ask you questions and you are to answer me.

    “You sit down there in your office, spending billions of naira and you are not doing the work you are paid to do. Who are you?”

    Kragha too replied angrily, “I am not being tricky; I have been answering your questions. Don’t shout me down; stop shouting at me that way!”

  • Reps commence probe of capital market operations

    Reps commence probe of capital market operations

    The House of Representatives sub-committee on Capital Market, Regulation and Compliance has started a probe in the capital market operations.

    Recall that over 100 public liability companies have been invited by the committee to defend their operations on several petitions submitted to the committee from all nooks and crannies of the country.

    Findings revealed that in the last two weeks the committee had unearthed a lot of underhand and sharp practices perpetuated by some companies while some of the companies refused to make submissions as directed by the Tony Nwulu led committee.

    A source close to the committee revealed that they have requested for corporate governance status, assets valuation and other vital documents from invited companies.

    He explained that it is to ensure that they are in compliance with the extant laws.

    “Before this exercise, we got clearance from the apex regulatory body the Securities and Exchange Commission, (SEC) as the sole aim is to restore investors confidence in the Nigerian Capital Market,” he said.

    Another prominent member of the committee said sanitisation is key in the whole exercise because those who fail to comply, backed with proof of unwholesome practices, will be severely sanctioned.

    “And those with proof of poor valuation mostly the insurance companies will be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for prosecution,” he said.

    Chairman of the sub committee, Tony Nwulu (PDP, Lagos) confirmed that the committee has commenced investigation which is primarily designed to sanitise the capital market and restore investors confidence.

    “The truth of the matter is that those hiding for now may have every cause to regret because there’s is no hiding place for them as we want to sanitise the place for Nigerians.

    “Those given a clean bill of health will be highly recommended because actually, some of the companies live above board but those making false valuation do have a case to answer.”

  • Why Reps turned down bill seeking maternity leave for men

    Why Reps turned down bill seeking maternity leave for men

    Members of the House of Representatives on Thursday turned down a bill that sought providence of maternity leave for all married male employees in private and public service.

    TheNewsGuru reports the Bill for an Act to make provisions for optional paternity leave to Nigerian men by Edward Pwajok (APC, Plateau) failed to scale reading after it was roundly defeated in a voice vote.

    The bill was roundly defeated with a unanimous voice vote on the floor, as the lawmakers were of the opinion that since some men are having many wives, it could mean several maternity leaves in a year.

    The bill by Pwajok, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), proposes a two or more week (depending on the decision of the House) paternity leave for married men to ensure that mother and child get adequate assistance and care from the father.

    The APC lawmaker said the leave became important if the mother or the child has health challenges which will make the presence of the father very significant.

    He also said that the presence of the father will afford the child the care he or she deserved during that early period.

    “No better person can support a newly born baby than the father which will make the child more emotionally stable if the father stayed close. This will not be peculiar to Nigeria alone, it’s done globally,” he said.

    While Saheed Fijabi (APC, Oyo), Nasir Ali (APC, Nassarawa) and Yusuf Tajudeen (PDP, Kogi) supported the proposal saying that it is a joint responsibility of both a mother and a father to take care of a child.

    On the other hand, Betty Apiafi (PDP, Rivers) raised a technical challenge against the bill saying since maternity leave issue was discussed in the Labour Act, it would have been better it came as an amendment to the Act and not as a bill.

    Uzoma Nkem-Abonta (PDP, Abia), Rita Orji (PDP, Lagos), Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta) and Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) aligned with Apiafi that the ammendment of the Labour Act would be more appropriate.

    According to the lawmakers, the men should be out trying to provide for the upkeep of the family rather than staying back at home. They said the leave may have a strain on the family if money is not attached to the leave. They also wondered how many times a man with six or seven wives would go on leave if the bill becomes law.

    The motion was roundly defeated in a voice vote.

     

  • We’ll pass 2018 Budget next week – Reps

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday assured Nigerians that the 2018 Budget will be passed next week.

    While briefing reporters at the National Assembly on Thursday, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, Abdulrasak Namdas said that barring all unforeseen circumstances, the 2018 Appropriation bill will be passed into law.

    He said: “By the Grace of God, we will lay the budget on Tuesday and then try to pass it that same week.

    “But where laying it on Tuesday and I can assure you that within that same week, we’re going to pass it.

    “We tried to do that, but you know, the budget is a voluminous document. Actually, we’ve been working hard so that we can beat the deadline, and hopefully this time around, I can assure you that by next week, everything about the budget will be concluded and passed..”

    Namdas, while responding to a question on the proposed three- day suspension of legislative activities to protest the killings across the country, said it will take effect after the passage of the Appropriation bill and follow no definite pattern.

    If you recall, there had be conflicting dates given by the House on when Nigerians should expect the passage of the Appropriation Bill.

    While the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara had earlier announced that the budget would be ready by late April, the Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Mustapha Dawaki said the budget would be ready in May.

    After President Muhammadu Buhari presented the N8.612 trillion budget for 2018 to National Assembly early November last year, there had been hope for an early passage this time.

    But from all indications the appropriation bill which the President called ” a budget of consolidation ” is going to follow the late passage pattern of previous money bills.

  • BREAKING: Reps in rowdy session over $496m Tucano aircraft purchase

    The House of Representatives is in a rowdy session over the presidential request to include the $496million fund for the purchase of Tucano aircraft in the 2018 Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly.

    During Thursday’s plenary at the Lower Chamber in Abuja, some members were of the opinion that the request should be presented as a bill and not in form of a motion as presented by the Acting Deputy Leader Mohammed Monguno.

    However, others noted that the spending process had already been declared illegal and the motion shouldn’t be considered by the House.

    Details soon…

  • BREAKING: Reps summon Buhari over incessant killings in Benue

    …suspends plenary for three days to commiserate with victims

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to summon President Muhammadu Buhari over the incessant killings by suspected herdsmen in Benue state and other parts of the country.

    The unprecedented decision was unanimously welcomed by an overwhelming majority of members after a Kano lawmaker, Baballe Bashir (APC, Kano) moved for the amendment of a motion moved by Mark Gbilah (APC, Benue).

    The House also resolved to suspend its plenary for three days (one week) in solidarity with victims of attacks across the country.

    At least 15 people were killed early Tuesday at a Church in Benue.

    Details later…

  • Reps suspend 2019 election sequence re-ordering Bill

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday suspended action on the Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act 2010 to make provision for sequence of elections.

    This followed a request by the sponsor of the Bill, Edward Pwajok, to withdraw it.

    The bill, which was listed for second reading in the Order Paper of the day, included seven other lawmakers as co-sponsors.

    Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal of assent to the controversial bill, the House vowed to reintroduce it.

    The president had said that the amendment to the sequence of the elections in section 25 of the Principal Act may infringe on the constitutionally-guaranteed discretion of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise and supervise all elections.

    While Pwajok moved for the withdrawal of the bill, some lawmakers opposed the move.

    However, the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker of the House, Yussuf Lasun, intervened and said that the sponsor of the bill had the right to withdraw it.

    “Let us remind ourselves that the mover of the motion has the right to ask the presiding officer to step down his bill and this is what Pwajok has exercised,’’ Lasun said.

    He ruled for the withdrawal of the bill as applied by its sponsor.