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Tag: Senate

  • Senate summons Kachikwu, Baru over lingering fuel scarcity

    Sequel to Senate President’s directive on Wednesday that the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) join in efforts to end the current fuel scarcity that has lingered for close to four weeks now, has committee has summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Maikanti Baru.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Kabiru Marafa, on Thursday announced that the two and other stakeholders in the petroleum sector have been invited to a crucial meeting on January 4, 2018.

    The announcement was made available through a press statement from the media office of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

    The statement noted that the meeting will be held on January 4, 2018 and will be aired live on the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA.

    The Senate, which is presently on Christmas and New Year break is billed to resume committee work for budget defence on January 9, and commence plenary on January 16.

     

  • Senate closes activities for 2017; to resume plenary Jan 16

    The Nigerian Senate on Thursday closed its activities for 2017 for members to enjoy the Christmas and New Year breaks.

    The motion to adjourn for 2017 was moved by the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan.

    “Mr. President, I move that this plenary be adjourned till Tuesday, 9th January, 2018”, he said.

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, however, clarified that though committee works resume on January 9, plenary will only resume on January 16.

    “Let me clarify. What leader is saying that we are adjourning till 9th of January to come back for committee work but plenary is suspended till 16th. We will come and resume on the 9th of January so we can finish this budget”, he said.

  • Senate postpones debates on $1bn Boko Haram fund until 2018

    The Nigerian Senate on Thursday deferred the planned debate on the proposed withdrawal of $1bn from the Excess Crude Account by the Federal Government to fund war against Boko Haram.

    The upper chamber of the National Assembly had, on Wednesday, resolved to debate the controversial plan on Thursday.

    Raising a point of order at the plenary on Thursday, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, reminded the chamber that they resolved to entertain a motion by Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo-East) on Thursday.

    Ekweremadu said, “Under our rule, the matter was supposed to come up today for our consideration, but I have gone through the Order Paper and it is not there. I just want to make this explanation.”

    Responding, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, admitted that the issue should have been raised on Thursday (today) but that Anyanwu did not present the motion and that he sought for more time.

    “I agreed with him that we will take it at the next legislative day,” he said.

    Saraki’s comment, however, generated noise in the chamber.

    In response, he said, “As you can see, he is not here and, unfortunately, we have to put it down (suspend the motion).

    “The next legislative day will be when we resume (in January 2018) and it will be the first item on the Order Paper.”

    The noise persisted, however.

    Explaining the reason for the postponement, Saraki said, “We cannot take it; the person (sponsor) is not here and it is a very important motion that should be delivered very well. It cannot be delegated. We are pushing for the next legislative day.”

    Some senators chorused “no!”

    The Senate President further said, “We will take it. I can assure you that we will take it. I give you the assurance that we will take it.”

    The noise continued until Saraki assured the lawmakers that the money would not be spent from the account without legislative approval.

  • Buhari writes Senate, seeks confirmation of nine new INEC RECs

    President Muhammadu Buhari has officially written the leadership of the National Assembly for the confirmation of nine nominees as state Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

    The president’s letter was read by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday.

    The letter reads, “In accordance of the Provisions of section 154 (1) of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. I write to forward here with the names of 9 of resident electoral commissioners appointed for the INEC for the consideration of the Senate of the federal republic of Nigeria.

    “The curriculum vitae of the nominees are attached herewith while thanking you immensely in anticipation of the early consideration and confirmation of the above appointment by the Senate.”

    The nominees are; Monday Tom, Akwa-Ibom; Baba Yusuf, Borno; Eric Olawale, Osun; Lukman Ajidaba, Kwara; and Segun Agbaje, Ekiti.

    Others are; Cyril Omoruyi, Edo; Yahaya Bello, Nasarawa; Emmanuel Alex, Rivers; and Mohammed Ibrahim, Gombe.

    The Senate had on November 23 rejected the nominee of Zamfara State, Ahmad Mahmud, as a Resident Electoral Commissioner.

  • Senate, Adeosun war over FG’s plan to pass 2018 budget in January

    Senate, Adeosun war over FG’s plan to pass 2018 budget in January

    The Senate on Tuesday challenged the Minister of Finance kemi Adeosun, on Federal Government’s insistence on passing the 2018 Budget in January when less than 50 per cent of the 2017 budget was only implemented.

    The upper chamber also queried why the 2017 Budget had no correlation to the 2018 Budget, insisting the implementation, if passed by January, would be poor because of the size of Nigeria.

    Chairman Senate Committee on Finance, Sen. John Eno, made the position known during the budget defence of the ministry.

    Eno asked to know how the ministry achieved 64 per cent budget performance in 2017 when other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were nearly scratching below 40 per cent.

    Responding, Adeosun said the ministry was working to raise all the MDAs to 50 per cent performance before the end of the year.

    On leakages in Federal Government earnings, she said the ministry would look into other agencies, outside the Federal Inland Revenue Service, that could augment earnings as pointed out.

    “We have taken on board some of key reform initiatives. A total of N306 billion is expected from privatisation and N5 billion from sale of other government’s property to finance the deficit.“

    She said oil revenue would contribute 37 per cent of the total revenue of N6.6 trillion.

    Others, according to her, are recovered looted funds, 7.8 per cent; tax amnesty, 1.3 per cent; signature bonus, 1.7 per cent; joint venture equity restructuring, 10.7 per cent; grants and donors funding, three per cent and others, 5.5 per cent.

    The minister said the revenue targeted for 2017 was largely achieved, with a record of 64 per cent performance.

  • News Hour: Senate condemns Buhari’s 2018 budget; says ‘it was poorly prepared’ I TNGtv

    News Hour: Senate condemns Buhari’s 2018 budget; says ‘it was poorly prepared’ I TNGtv

  • JUST IN: Senate condemns Buhari’s 2018 budget; says ‘It was poorly prepared’

    Senators on Tuesday at plenary took turns to condemn the 2018 Appropriation Bill presented to a joint session of the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari last month.

    The lawmakers accused the Executive of not showing the seriousness the budget proposal deserves before presenting it to them for vetting and approval.

    Most of them raised issues with the alleged lackadaisical attitude of heads of ministries, departments, and agencies of the Federal Government to budget defence sessions organised by the National Assembly.

    They also pointed out that the December target for passing the budget was feasible, blaming it on poor implementation of the 2017 budget.

     

    Details later…

  • Drama as Senate uncovers padding, duplication of items in Fashola’s 2018 ministry budget

    Drama as Senate uncovers padding, duplication of items in Fashola’s 2018 ministry budget

    There was mild drama on Monday as the Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy uncovered padding of proposed expenditures and duplication of items in the in the 2018 budget estimates of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

    In the budget proposals, the Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, PDP, Abia South-led Senate Committee discovered that N120 million, N480 million and N288 million respectively, were budgeted for the purchase of utility vehicles by the ministry headed by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

    In the case of NEPZA, it emerged that the agency had raised its 2018 personnel budget by N205 million. That was besides the claim that the same agency in 2017 succeeded in padding its budget by N122 million.

    According to the lawmakers, duplication of items has remained a recurring episode, where the Ministry present the same items repeatedly in the budget and ask for more funds to execute them.

    During the 2018 budget defence, the Committee members queried the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Mustapha Baba Shahuru and the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Frank Edozie for duplicating items in the budget. In the 2018 budget, the Ministry earmarked N100 million for transfer and management of office files with the senators expressing anger over what they described as repetition of projects by the ministry.

    The duplications were discovered when Senator Clifford Ordia, PDP, Edo Central raised the alarm over the duplication of purchase of utility vehicles, captured in three separate pages of the budget document, just as he asked the Minister and the Permanent Secretary to explain how the Ministry would spend N100 million to transfer files, despite another huge provision for ICT.

    Senator Ordia said: “I need to understand this thing. Look at the different pages. You earmarked N120 million, N288 million and N480 million for the purchase of vehicles. I do not understand. Are these vehicles different? If you add up this figure, it gives you about N888 million. “You also said that you want to spend N100 million on transfer of office files. How do you intend to do that? The people in your office, what have they been doing? I can also see from your estimates here that you captured another item for ICT, different from the N100 million for transfer of files. You need to explain these things.”

    Corroborating Ordia, Senator Hassan Mohammed, APC, Yobe South, who took a swipe at the ministry officials, said that as lawmakers, they were tired of being bombarded every year with the same items, adding that the Ministry must put its house in order.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who revealed that the 2017 budget (capital) of the Ministry only recorded 18 per cent performance, said: “We will take it that the 2017 budget was abysmally low at only 18 per cent performance. This is unacceptable and I need to put it on record.” Senators were surprised when the Minister of State, Shahuru, could not respond to questions posed to him and appealed to the committee to allow the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Edozie to provide answers on his behalf.

    There was, however, a mild drama when the Senators vehemently rejected his proposal that the Permanent Secretary should answer all the questions because he had already introduced himself as the representative of Fashola.

    Turning down Shahuru’s request, Senator Abaribe said: “You were sent here to represent the Minister. It means you are here to respond to our questions. Last week, we invited the permanent secretary to respond. Today, it is your turn. “My colleagues asked me how come you are the person here and not Fashola. But I told them since you were also a Minister, you could be here to on behalf of your Minister.”

    Defending Fashola, the Minister of State told the lawmakers that Fashola was attending to other state matters. Last week, the committee walked out Fashola over his alleged “unpreparedness to face the committee for his 2018 budget defence” because he did not come with necessary documentations.

    Speaking on Fashola’s refusal to face the Committee, Senator Abaribe said: “Maybe Fashola decided to snub us because of some media reports, last week. But he ought not to have been angry by that. I am sure that was why he sent you because he did not want to come here. “I said it that it was deliberate that Fashola did not show up. What we need to scrutinise the budget was not provided. We needed some things to make the process easy. Nobody is satisfied with these vague items. We are going to have to adjourn this meeting, pending when we will get these submissions from you.”

    Abaribe asked the Minister of State and the Permanent Secretary to inform Fashola that he must present himself at the next yet -to-be date for the budget defence session. The Minister of State and other officials of the Ministry were asked to go back and return prepared next time.

    Abaribe said: “We are asking you to inform the Minister to be here to properly respond to all the questions we need to ask. We will do a comprehensive letter asking for explanation on items where we have raised questions. That will guide you in giving your submissions. We need you to be prepared when next you come.”

  • Senate moves to tackle drug, substance abuse

    Following the Senate’s resolution in October on the state of drug and substance abuse around the nation, the Upper Chamber has moved to address the widespread use of drugs and other illegal substances through a stakeholder roundtable with state governments, local governments, traditional rulers, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria and NGOs.

    The objective of the Roundtable which will hold in Kano on Monday and Tuesday, is to bring together relevant stakeholders to discuss the drivers of drug abuse in Nigeria, identify the psycho-social and medical impact of the phenomenon, assess current responses, legislative gaps and opportunities for action.

    The expected outcomes of the Roundtable include: gaining a better understanding of drug use, prevalence, trends and patterns in Nigeria; understanding the current government and Civil Society capacity and efforts towards addressing drug abuse and related issues; gain insight into legislative, policy gaps and develop an Action Plan for interventions by the National Assembly and other stakeholders.

    Recall that earlier this year, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, expressed his concern about the widespread abuse of drugs by youths in the country.

    In a series of tweets on his Twitter account (@bukolasaraki) on Friday, September 29, the Senate President posted, “I am particularly worried about the drug menace in the country. It is time that we recognize this problem and address it in a sensible manner.

    “I will be pushing for the National Assembly to review all relevant laws on drug abuse. This will help to curb the widespread misuse of illegal and unsanitary substances. The Senate will engage with all relevant stakeholders as we initiate this process,” the President of the Senate said.

    Until recently, the Government of Nigeria (GoN) has pursued a law enforcement approach in response to the challenge of drug trafficking, production and use.

    Nigeria has ratified all United Nation’s drug and crime conventions and is supporting and participating in all major international and regional anti-drug initiatives, strategies and programmes.

    The country has also enacted comprehensive anti-drug legislation and established several specialised national agencies to enhance the effectiveness and coordination of drug control policies.

    The Roundtable will allow the Senate to effectively analyze Nigeria’s response to the menace and come up with appropriate strategies on the way forward.

     

     

  • Senate turns back Fashola over unpreparedness to defend power sector budget

    The Senate yesterday, walked out the Minister of Power, works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola over what they described as his “unpreparedness to face the committee for his 2018 budget defence.”

    Abaribe said that the minister told the committee that he was not ready to face members, just as he said that the minister did not come with necessary documentation to present to members, adding that the committee should have been furnished with necessary documentations to enable members peruse over them.

    The senate also took a swipe at the Rural Electrification Agency, REA , a parastatal in the Ministry of Power for planning to spend a total sum of N10 billion on solar power projects in nine universities in the six geo- political zone of the country.

    This was raised yesterday, when the Managing Director of REA, Mrs Damilola Ogunbiyi appeared before the Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe(PDP, Abia South) led Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy to defend the 2018 budget proposals of the agency.

    On the solar power project, Vice Chairman of the committee, Senator Buka Mustapher insisted that the details of the power solution projects in universities must be disclosed as well as details of “who is paying for the installations when the power sector had been privatized.”

    Meanwhile, REA boss, Mrs Ogunbiyi, who responded, noted that it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to provide power in the rural areas, adding that most of the universities were located in rural areas. She however did not define “rural areas” as demanded by the committee.

    Another member of the committee, Senator Mohammed Hassan said that the committee could not understand why the agency was spending huge amount of money to provide solar power in universities when rural communities for which the agency was created are left in darkness.