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Tag: Abubakar Bukola Saraki

  • Saraki seeks global action against terrorism, illegal migration

    Saraki seeks global action against terrorism, illegal migration

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Wednesday asked for a concerted international effort to tackle terrorism, poverty and illegal migration.

    He described the menace of terrorism, poverty and illegal migration as a global challenge.

    Saraki spoke when a delegation of students of the Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom, led by Major General Lawrence Craig visited him at the National Assembly in Abuja.

    A statement by the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, quoted Saraki as saying that the rising incidence of terrorism, poverty and illegal migration across the world, constitute a threat to the peace, stability and wellbeing of humanity irrespective of their countries of residence.

    It said that Saraki spoke in response to the address of the leader of the delegation.

    The Senate President also called for international support to enable Nigeria overcome its present economic challenges, and noted that if Africa has to grow, then Nigeria has to grow as the most populous in the continent.

    Saraki said, “When we talk about terrorism, poverty and migration, these are issues of great importance to us,” he said, asking “how do we address them? How do we secure our people from the ravages of terrorism, illegal migration and biting poverty?”

    He noted that the manner terrorism, poverty and migration are tackled will go a long way in deterring the fate of  Africa even though it is the obvious destination where tremendous economic growth is expected to take place in the next 30 years.

    “Whether you talk about economic growth, security challenges, humanitarian issues, health and education, all these are in Africa. I think for every other part of the world, we have to come together to make Africa work. And for Africa to work, Nigeria must work as well,” he said.

    He added: “I still believe that a lot can be done in the fight against terrorism. I think more can be done to support what we have achieved.

    “Illegal migration is another challenge we have. This is closer to your doorsteps. Many are looking for greener pastures, and that is the reason why we need to work together more closely,” he said.

    Leader of the delegation, Major General Craig, said that they were in Nigeria as part of their study tour of West Africa, to learn at first hand the efforts being made by the various governments to ensure stability, security and prosperity in their countries.

     

  • Senate stops 38 agencies from expenditure of capital votes

    Senate stops 38 agencies from expenditure of capital votes

    …Gives Buhari two week ultimatum to submit budget

     

    The Senate Tuesday barred 38 corporations, agencies and parastatals from further expenditure of their capital budget 2017.

    The upper chamber also gave President Muhammadu Buhari two week ultimatum to submit the 2017 budget of corporations, agencies and parastatals of the Federal Government for consideration and approval of the National Assembly.

    It said that the submission of the budget proposals should be done within two weeks in compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Constitution.

    It resolved that affected corporations, agencies and parastatals should stop forthwith further expenditure from their capital vote pending the submission of their 2017 budget to the National Assembly in line with Section 21 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

    The lawmakers further resolved that to urgently amend the Fiscal Responsibility Act to penalize infractions of non-submission of budget for appropriation.

    Only on Tuesday, the Senate said that 38 agencies are in breach of the Fiscal Responsibility Act for failure to submit their 2017 budget for approval by the National Assembly.

    The resolutions followed the unanimous adoption of a motion entitled: “Non-submission of 2017 budget by public corporations in violation of the Fiscal Responsibility Act” sponsored by Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South).

    Na’Allah in his lead debate said that the Senate should be worried about the non-submission of the 2017 budget proposal by statutory corporations to the National Assembly.

    He noted that Section 21(1)(2) and (3) of the FRA stipulates that “The government Corporations and agencies and government owned companies listed in the Schedule to this Act (in this Act referred to as the Corporation) shall, not latter that six months from the commencement of this Act and for every three financial years thereafter and not later than the end of the second quarter of every year, cause to be prepared and submitted to the Minister their Schedule estimates of revenue and expenditure for the next three financial year.

    The Act also said that “Each of the bodies referred to in Section (1) of this Section shall submit to the Minister not later the end of August in each financial year: a, An annual budget derived from the estimates submitted in pursuance of subsection (1) of this section; and b, projected operating surplus which shall be prepared in line with acceptable accounting practices”…….

    Na’ Allah observed that non-compliance to the provisions of the FRA constitutes abuse of power and economic sabotage aimed at frustrating the current economic measures being taken by the present administration to address the economic recession.

    He noted that the absence of penalties in the provisions of FRA have emboldened and encouraged the perpetration of the Act.

    Na’Allah said that Senate should be concerned that the FRA is failing in its responsibility through complacence in the execution of its mandate.

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who seconded the motion noted that the Constitution is supreme while its provisions shall be a binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the country.

    Ekweremadu said, “This constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have a binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It goes further in section 80(2) to say that “No money shall be withdrawn from the consolidated revenue fund of the federation except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly.”

    “We are here talking about responsibility of governance. There cannot be any hard responsibility than Fiscal Responsibility because that is the beginning of all evils, we must begin to ensure that we live by the laws we make for ourselves. If we say that ministers are supposed to send the estimates of various agencies under them with the appropriation act of each year that has to be done.

    “I recall Mr. President in 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari sends to this National Assembly the appropriation bill for that year together with those estimates. While in 2017, the ministers find it impossible to accompany the same appropriation act 2017 with those estimates of the agencies under them.

    “We cannot be going forth and back. I believe that this is time for us to insist under section 88 that gives us power of oversight that this has to be done. We make laws here for the good governance of this country and that is actually what we have to insist. I believe that time has come when we are going to insist that all agencies should stop the expenditure of public funds unless it is appropriated in accordance with section 80 of the constitution which we have sworn to uphold.

    “It is our responsibility today to ensure that ultimatum is given to agencies under this government to bring this estimates for us to duly appropriate that is why the constitution provided for a full time legislature because there are enormous work to be done.”

    Senator George Thompson Sekibo (River East) asked “if a man who is to give the law fails the law but happens to him because if a man puts a law and another man fails.”

    He described the non-submission of the budget estimates of the agencies as a gross misconduct that should not be glozed over “because they are spending public funds.

    Senator Solomon Adeola said that the non-submission of the estimates is deliberate.

    He suggested that committees should meet with affected agencies.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, thank Na’Allah “for this important motion.”

    Saraki said that the motion is at the heart of the fight against corruption in the country.

    He said,”Truly this motion is at the heart of this fight against corruption and it is very important as we have seen that independent revenue, the amount of money from independent revenue even exceeds how much we get on oil revenue.

    “So, it is a huge amount to our revenue line even when we are talking about looking for money to fund projects, hospitals, education. This is where the source of the revenue are and I cannot see how we can continue in a society where we are fighting corruption where people will be spending money without approval, without appropriations, it must stop, it will stop and it is going to stop from now.

    “Clearly we have made our position that based on this amendment this agencies they must get their budget to us in two weeks and committee chairmen I want to appeal that once we get the budget on our own part as well let’s ensure that we do it publicly, very diligently and try and turn it around as quickly as possible.”

    Saraki also said that agencies that did not pass through the right channel to submit their budget to the National Assembly should do the right thing.

    Affected agencies included Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC,) Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASEI), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

    Others are the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Maritime Authority (NMA), Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Nigerian Postal Service (NPS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    The list also includes the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), National Communications Commission (NCC), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

    Others are National Insurance Commission (NIC), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC), Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Radio Nigeria, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), Federal Mortgage Bank, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), as well as Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGZFA).

     

  • Buhari’s $5.815bn Chinese loan faces hurdles in Senate

    …Summons Amaechi for explanation

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for the National Assembly’s endorsement of $5,815 billion loan suffered setback Tuesday in the Senate.

    The Federal Government planned to raise the loan from China Exim Bank to execute the modernization of Lagos-Kano, Kano-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan and Lagos-Calabar rail lines.

    Following a motion by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), the Senate resolved to invite Minister of Transportation to explain why South East corridor rail line was omitted in the areas covered by the proposed loan.

    The upper chamber however rejected a prayer that urged the Senate to suspend consideration of the loan request pending until correction of the apparent oversight of the eastern parts of the country is made.

    The motion entitled “Outright Omission of Eastern Corridor Rail Line in the request for approval of Federal Government 2016-2015 External Borrowing (Rolling Plan)” was hotly debated on the floor of the Senate.

    Abaribe in his lead debate recalled that on 26th of April, 2017 the Federal Government laid before the National Assembly a request seeking an approval for a loan of $5,851 billion from China Exim Bank to execute the modernization of Lagos-Kano, Kano-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan and Lagos-Calabar rail segment;

    He observed with dismay, that the above sections of the rail line that the loan was being sought for covers only a section of the country, the western corridor or sections;

    The Abia South lawmaker noted that the Eastern section of the rail segment, which has a link between the South Eastern to North Eastern parts of the rail line is completely excluded from the request;

    He further noted that the loan being a Federal Government borrowing would be paid for by all SECTIONS of the country; therefore every section of the country should be taken into consideration;

    He said that he is aware that there is a Railway Master Plan developed by the Ministry of Transport and of which such plan has not being referred to in the current borrowing plan;

    Abaribe also said that he is aware that for the railway projects to have a meaningful impact on the development of the country; it should cover all parts of Nigeria.

    He expressed concern that the complete exclusion of the Eastern section that links the four zones of South-South, South-East, North-Central and North East and the key cities such as Port Harcourt, Aba, Enugu, Makurdi, Lafia, Gudi, Jos, Bauchi and Maiduguri is inexplicable,

    He prayed that Senate to suspend consideration of the loan request of any guise until the correction of this apparent oversight of the eastern parts of the country.

    He also urged that Senate to invite the Minister of Transport to appear and explain the reasons for the exclusion of the Eastern Corridor of Nigeria’s Rail Lines from the proposed loan from China Exim bank.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who seconded the motion said that the Senate should see injustice done to any section of the country as injustice to all.

    Ekweremadu said that it is on record that the Federal Government had been rehabilitating rail lines in the country with the exception of the rail lines in the South East.

    He noted that the promise of the government that the rail line in the South East would be accommodated in future is doubtful.

    Ekweremadu said that no section of the country should be excluded in development projects.

    But Senator Gbenga Ashafa, (Lagos East) described the information in the motion as “inadequate and inaccurate.”

    Ashafa who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, said that the Lagos-Kano and Lagos-Calabar rail lines covered the areas listed in the motion.

    He said that Onitsha and Aba areas are also covered in the plan of the rail line.

    He urged the Senate to look at the issue dispassionately insisting that the loan should be secured for the development of the country.

    Ashafa added that government is a continuum.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki said that leadership of the National Assembly took up the issue with President Buhari.

    Saraki said that the meeting of the National Assembly leadership with the executive informed the second letter of the President on the issue.

    He said that the second letter of President Buhari specified that every section of the country would be covered by the loan.

    Saraki said that if the report of the Senate committee on Local and Foreign Debts failed to cover the South East, the Senate would resolve how to deal with the loan.

     

  • Saraki asks ECOWAS leaders to resist trade policy manipulation 

    Saraki asks ECOWAS leaders to resist trade policy manipulation 

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Wednesday asked Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders to resist ongoing manipulation of its trade polices by other countries to the detriment of the sub-region.

    Saraki gave the advice in his speech at the opening session of the 2017 First Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja.

    He also urged the ECOWAS Parliament to rise up to its billing by using its powers to ensure greater democratization and inclusiveness in the region.

    Saraki in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, said that the challenge of insecurity in the sub-region could only be surmounted if there was a collective approach by the Community in dealing with the menace.

    He said, “Nothing threatens our development today and our match towards a more sustainable democratic sub region like the issue of insecurity. The inability of the region to fashion out a clear path for collective sub regional intervention and collaboration scheme militates against and impacts negatively on our region’s ability to feed itself, attract investment and promote tourism. Mitigating this ugly trend must form a vital part of your deliberation in plenary.”

    While noting that trade remains the surest way to fight poverty in the region, he urged ECOWAS leaders to remain vigilant to ensure that its regional framework for liberal trade engagement is not misused or usurped to the detriment of the sub region’s internal industrialization and development policy direction.

    “What do I mean? A situation where the ECOWAS trade liberalization policy, is manipulated by other countries to channel goods into the sub-region in a predatory manner to kill local industries is not the intendment of the policy.

    “This is today going on in the area of our agricultural development and we must resist this and ensure that where there is leakage in the trade engagement that enable this practice, it is nipped in the buds.”

    According to the Senate President, another issue that requires the urgent attention of the ECOWAS Parliamentarians is illegal migration, saying, “We need to proactively work on remedying the image of the sub region in this regard and join hands with countries like Italy, Germany and Europe as a whole to find solutions to the migration challenge that we have. Continuous dialogue and engagement is important in this regards.”

    In the same vein, Saraki while receiving members of the Advocacy Mission of the Task Force on the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, led by the former President of Niger Republic, Djibou Salou, urged the committee to work assiduously to ensure that all human and systemic obstacles militating against free trade in the subregion are redressed.

    He pledged that the National Assembly will work closely with the task force to achieve the ratification of all pending trade protocols to facilitate the free movement of persons, goods and increased trade in the region.

    He urged them to ensure that the liberal trade policies that have been adopted by the governments of the ECOWAS sub region are not exploited by unscrupulous firms to subvert the objectives for which they were put in place.

     

  • FG has no funds to pay salary, promotion arrears, says Ngige

    FG has no funds to pay salary, promotion arrears, says Ngige

    The negotiation for new minimum wage may have been kept in the cooler until salary and promotion arrears owed civil servant are cleared, it was learnt Monday.

    This is coming as Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Director General, Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, met Monday with the leadership of the National Assembly to find ways to clear salary and promotion arrears of civil servant.

    Also on table for discussion at the closed door meeting chaired by Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, was the issue of payment of transfer allowances of workers and death benefits.

    Ngige told reporters that they were at the National Assembly on the invitation of ledership of the National Assembly.

    He added that though some progress were made at the meeting, all sides were to go back and come back tomorrow with possible solution to the identified issues which is that “government does not have enough fund for now to tackle the issues.”

    Ngige said, “We are here on the invitation of the National Assembly, the joint committee on labour and employment and the meeting is chaired by the Senate President.

    “We are here to discuss issues relating to things that are meant for industrial disharmony in the public sector.

    “As you are aware the labour federations have said the governors have not been treating them well.

    “One of the cardinal issues of International Labour Organisation (ILO) is to give our workers decent jobs and we decided to discuss with them.

    Wabba on his own said, “We are here as usual to dialogue over a range of issues particularly the welfare and well-being of our members – the Nigerian workers. In particular, we have discussed issues bothering on arrears of allowances which have accumulated for some time and running into billions, which they have not paid.

    “Also, alongside is the issue of pension particularly the issue of bonds and the fact that some of the contributions by workers have not been remitted for time.

    “Those are some of the issues that we thought the National Assembly has led the process to bring all stakeholders on board and look at how these issues can be resolved in a win-win situation without allowing the industrial relation process to break up.

    “I think this is very healthy and commendable, and all of us are committed to a very peaceful process of resolving these issues.

    “As the minister said, we have adjourned to allow thorough reflection over some of those issues and to be able to come up with workable solutions that will address these issues.

    “Those are the totality of issues we are actually working on and it is a holistic process which you know that the processes require laws; they also require some budgetary provisions.

    “So, that is why we are here and the process is holistic, to look at how best those issues can be resolved amicably.”

    Asked why the issue of new minimum wage was not top on the agenda of the meeting, Wabba who was almost walking away said the process is holistic.

     

    On what labour is demanding, he said “Labour has spoken with one voice. We have made a formal demand which you are aware. It is N56, 000 there is no need repeating it.”

    Wabba categorized new laws and budgetary provision to clear the back log of the arrears.

    “It’s a tripartite negotiation. What we are doing here is tripartite plus because we have involved the National Assembly and when you do any such negotiations is plus.

    “We looked at the issues of salaries arrears, promotion arrears, death benefits, location expenses and transfer allowances, hotel allowance which overtime have accumulated and had ran into billions and this is what are owed to federal public servant and we started the meeting today to find a solution.

    “The labour leaders engage ourselves and we try to work out something that would help them and help us restore the confidence we have with them that is the employers and employees.

    “If we don’t have that confidence we may have break down of industrial harmony. So we made progress today and we have adjourned to reconvene tomorrow at 4pm, all sides are to go back and come back tomorrow with possible solution to the identified issues which is government doesn’t have enough fund for now to tackle the issues. So tomorrow we convey here and sort it”

     

  • Assassination attempts: Saraki seeks special protection for Senators, others ‎

    Assassination attempts: Saraki seeks special protection for Senators, others ‎

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Thursday said that the Senate will work out special protection strategy to protect its members against rising cases of assassination attempts and harassment.

    Saraki, who spoke against the backdrop of the reported assassination attempt against Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) and the raid of the home of Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje, noted that the upper chamber would take steps to ensure the protection its members.

    The Senate President spoke at the inauguration of an ad-hoc committee investigating the alleged attempted assassination on Melaye.

    Represented by the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, Saraki said that investigation into the assassination attempt on Melaye should be fully investigated by the committee.

    He noted that the probe would also articulate ways and means to protect members of the National Assembly against infringement and threats to their lives.

    He said: “The 1999 Constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to life. Like every Nigerian, a Senator or member of the National Assembly deserves to be protected against infringement, threat and harassment.

    “The reported incidence in Kogi State where armed assassins invaded the house of a sitting Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Dino Melaye with the intention of taking his life is frightening and must be fully investigated.”

    Saraki added that effort must be made to “ensure that no Senator or member of the legislature is put in a position where he or she will feel his life is threatened in such a manner as to affect his judgment and thereby weaken hiss moral compass and ability to act without fear or favour.

    “The investigation will seek to unearth the remote and immediate issues connected with, and leading to the ugly incident.”

    Saraki asked members of the committee to discharge their task with great sense of responsibility, diligence and care.

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Jibrin Barau, noted that though “the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incidents are still unclear”, the panel would dig deep into the matter to establish the truth of the issue.

    Barau assured that the committee in carrying out its mandate would do so with the utmost sense of duty, bearing in mind the seriousness of the assignments.

     

  • Buhari seeks Senate nod for $12.921b World Bank, Chinese loan

    Buhari seeks Senate nod for $12.921b World Bank, Chinese loan

    President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday asked the Senate to approve a loan of $12.921 billion as part the 2016-2018 external borrowing (rolling) plan of the Federal Government.

    The loan approval request was read by Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki in the chamber Wednesday.

    Entitled “Request for approval for Federal Government 2016-2018 external borrowing rolling plan” President Buhari in the a memo dated 21st April, 2017 referred to his earlier letter on the same subject matter.

    It is however speculated that the request for the approval of the loan was part of the $29.96 billion loan request rejected by the Senate.

    The memo read in part, “I wish to refer to my earlier letter in respect of the above subject and to inform the distinguished Senate that the China-Exim Bank has approved our request for a loan to execute the Lagos-Kano Railway modernisation project (Kano-Kaduna segment) for a sum of $1.231billion.

    “The Chinese have also informed us that approval of the Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project (Kano-Kaduna segment) and coastal Railway project, Lagos-Calabar segment, are imminent.”

    The letter listed China-Exim supported project to include 1. Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project, the Lagos-Ibadan segment, $1.231billion; 2. Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project, Kano-Kaduna segment, $1.146billion; 3. Coastal Railway project, Lagos-Calabar segment $3.474billion; making a total of $5.851billion.

    It added, “As you are aware, the funds available under the China/Africa fund are limited and loan applications from all African countries are funded based on first come first serve. And therefore there is an urgent need for us to sign these loans as soon as they are approved or we will lose out in the event that we delay in signing the loan agreement. These loans form part of our overall rail funding strategy.

    “We are already in the process of completing the concession of the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri line to immediately link the eastern part of the nation. We fully intend to source further consessioning funding to ultimately upgrade this critical line to high speed standard guage line. These projects form part of our overall plans to resuscitate the rail transport across the nation and thereby drive inclusive growth.

    “You may also recall my earlier request for the speedy clearance of some emergency projects earmarked for the North East in the 2016-2018 borrowing plan. You will also recall that my request was based on the need to consolidate the relative peace at that time. Since then the situation as you are aware, has changed dramatically and introduced even more urgency to the situation in the zone than ever before.

    “While the capture and destruction of the stronghold of Boko Haram in Sambisa forest was welcome news, the recent and unfortunate incident of the bombing of an IDP camp by mistake with loss of civilian lives, brings to fore the need to resettle the people back to their homes quickly in other to avoid such incidence in the future.

    “However, for us to be able to do this, there is need for urgent consideration of the identified projects, which will enable us to start reconstruction and rehabilitation of the region in other to create jobs for the people and rehabilitate the schools to get the children of the streets into schools.”

    The letter said that the World Bank has approved a sum of $575million to assist the Federal Government in these reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts as well as for the procurement of vaccines and other ancillary facilities for national routine immunisation to eradicate polio after the outbreak in the North East in 2016.

    It said that the projects earmarked for the emergency rehabilitation and reconstruction in the North East are as follows: Previously requested emergency World Bank supported projects.

    1. Polio eradication support and routine immunisation project, $125million
    2. Community and social development project, $75million
    3. Nigeria’s states health programme investment project $125million.
    4. State education programme investment programme investment project $100million
    5. Nigeria youth employment and social support project $100million
    6. Fadama 3 Project $50million; making a total of $575million

    President Buhari also informed the Senate that “our national Social Safety Net programme, which is intended to assist the poor and most vulnerable people in our society nationwide started this January 2017 with the first cash transfer payments in eight states.

    The President noted that “for us to expand the programme to all the states, we need additional resources in addition to our 2017 budgetary allocation.”

    “It is for this reason that I am requesting your early consideration of a proposed World Bank-assisted $500million loan to help expand the assistance and support to the poor, our most vulnerable especially in these difficult times,” he said.

    He listed additional emergency World Bank supported projects to include, “Social inclusion and welfare advancement project $500million”

    President Buhari noted that giving the current state of the country’s economy and the need to urgently address some of the country’s infrastructural deficiencies in other to quickly improve the livelihood of Nigerians, “it has become imperative that we work together in an expeditious way to get our economy out of recession and back to growth.”

    He appealed to the Senate, for an expeditious consideration and approval of the requests, which he said will go a long way in bringing stability to the North East and improvement on the infrastructure and by extension a great improvement in the economy and livelihood of our people.

    “In view of the above, the Distinguished Senate is invited to urgently consider and approve all the above projects totaling a sum of $6.926billion to enable us commence the construction and rehabilitation of the North East, provide for the poor and most vulnerable people and commence rail projects in ernest,” he said.

  • Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki since 2015

    Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki since 2015

    Olubukola Abubakar “Bukola” Saraki (born December 19, 1962) is a Nigerian politician who has been President of the Senate of Nigeria since 2015 and Chairman of the 8th National Assembly, Federal Republic of Nigeria. He disclosed commitment to Transparency and Accountability.

    In 2003, he ran for the office of governor of Kwara State on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and won. He was sworn into office in May 2003. He ran again for re-election in 2007 and won his second term.

    As governor of Kwara, he led reforms in agriculture, health, education, power, finance and environment policy. One of his major achievements was inviting displaced white farmers from Zimbabwe to Kwara State and offering them an opportunity to farm. This led to the establishment of Shonga Farms programme, which is now being replicated across Nigeria. His charisma among his fellow governors got him appointed the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum.

    Under Saraki, Kwara became the first state to complete the Nigeria Independent Power Project. In collaboration with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Saraki re-energised the Ganmo Power Station at Ilorin and connected over 375 rural communities to the national grid through the development and installation of 725 transformers and 7 substations. Kwara also completed 4 electrification projects which meant power became stable 18–22 hours a day. 90% of people living in Kwara have access to electricity, compared to a national average in Nigeria of 30%.

    He was first elected to the Senate in April 2011, representing the Kwara Central senatorial district, and re-elected in the March 2015 elections. He is a current member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and previous member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    In 2012, Saraki was appointed onto the leadership council of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, an initiative led by the United Nations Foundation supporting public-private partnerships to create a market for clean cookstoves and fuels. In 2013, Saraki established GLOBE Nigeria as an affiliate of the Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE International), establishing a platform for legislators to advance environmental and sustainable development laws in Nigeria. He currently serves as GLOBE Nigeria’s President. Saraki has also spoken and campaigned internationally on issues such as better governance, deforestation and economic development.

    The Code of Conduct Bureau cited a 13-count charge of corruption against Mr. Saraki. In charge number ABT/01/15, dated September 11, 2015, and filed before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Saraki is accused of offences ranging from the anticipatory declaration of assets to making false declaration of assets in forms Saraki had filed with the Code of Conduct Bureau while he was governor of Kwara state. He was also accused of failing to declare some assets he acquired while in office as governor, acquiring assets beyond his legitimate earnings, and accused of operating foreign accounts while being a public officer.

    An official of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Peter Danladi, stated in a court affidavit that the investigation of the various petitions of corruption, theft, money laundering, among others, against Saraki in 2010, was conducted jointly by the officials of the EFCC, CCB and the DSS. “The EFCC conducted its investigation on the various petitions and made findings which showed that the defendant/applicant abused his office, while he was the governor of Kwara State and was involved in various acts of corruption as the governor of the state. The defendant/applicant borrowed huge sums of money running into billions from commercial banks, particularly Guaranty Trust Bank, and used the proceeds of the loan to acquire several landed properties in Lagos, Abuja and London, while he was the governor of Kwara State.

    Saraki is very active on Social Media through his Official Twitter Handle: @bukolasaraki

  • Lawyers group decries Senate’s failure to swear-in senator elect

    Lawyers group decries Senate’s failure to swear-in senator elect

    • Threatens to drag Saraki to court for contempt

    Human Right Lawyers and civil society groups on Monday asked Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to respect court order directing him to swear-in senator-elect, Bassey Etim, in the interest of rule of law.

    The group threatened to drag Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to court for allegedly refusing to inaugurate Etim despite a court order for him to do so.

    The Human right lawyers who spoke in Abuja at a press briefing described as an unacceptable alleged refusal of Saraki to swear-in Etim even with a duly issued certificate of return for Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District.

    Coordinator of Human Right Lawyers, Frank Tietie told reporters that Saraki was trampling on rule of law for allegedly refusing to swear-in Etim.

    He recalled that on 27th, February 2017, the Federal High Court, Uyo Division in a well-considered judgement ordered among others that a certificate of return be issued to Senator-elect Bassey Etim by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    He said that the same court nullified the certificate of return issued to Senator Bassey Albert.

    Tietie noted that INEC in obedience to the court order issued Basset Etim a fresh certificate of return on March 6th, 2017.

    He said that the Senate President has however delayed the swearing-in of Senator-elect Bassey Etim without any justifiable reason or excuse under the law.

    He said that on 31st March 2017, the Federal High Court in Uyo dismissed the application for stay of execution filed by Bassey Akpan to stop swearing-in Senator-elect Bassey Etim as the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North East.

    He said: “It has come to our knowledge that series of letters have been written and advice given to the Senate President to swear-in senator-elect Bassey Etim but the Senate President has refused to do the needful.

    “It is worthy to mention that all relevant documents have been put before the Senate President. These include enrolled court order from Federal High Court, Uyo order for striking out of the application for stay of execution, order for the refusal of the injunction by the Federal High Court Judge in Abuja, Certificate of return from INEC.”

    Tietie noted that it is obvious that precedent has been set in the swearing-in of senators who have won pre-election matters and issued with a certificate of return.

    He said, “Just to mention but a few is the case of Kogi East in a case between Senator Isaac Alfa vs Senator Atai Aidoko. In this situation, stay of execution was pending in court and appeals were also pending in both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. We believe that their swearing-in was right because appeal does not in law operate as the order for stay of execution.”

    Tietie insisted that in view of the precedent already set by the Senate similar to the instant case of Etim, Senate ought to be consistent and swear-in Senator-elect Etim immediately.

    He said that they have been duly informed that the delay to swear-in Etim is predicated upon giving Senator Akpan opportunity to procure an order of injunction to restrain the swearing-in Etim.

    According to him, “since Albert Akpan has failed to produce injunctive order to restrain the swearing-in of Senator-elect Etim, we hereby call on the Senate President to swear-in Senator-elect Etim forthwith in accordance with the rule of law for the sustenance of our nascent democracy.”

  • Saraki Tasks GLOBE Nigeria on Climate Change Bill

    Saraki Tasks GLOBE Nigeria on Climate Change Bill

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Monday tasked the Global Legislators Organisation (GLOBE) Nigeria, to tackle the challenges of climate change, gas flaring and others affecting sustainable development goals in Nigeria.

    The Global Legislators Organization (GLOBE) is an international organization comprising national parliamentarians from over 80 countries committed to developing and overseeing the implementation of laws in pursuit of sustainable development.

    According to a statement by the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, Saraki urged the members of the organisation not to relent in their effort to address the challenges posed by climate change, gas flaring and sustainable development in Nigeria through the provisions of purposeful legislations.

    Saraki urged the group to fashion out legislations that would address issues of climate change as is the situation all over the world.

    He said: “A lot of pronouncements have been made by the government, and by the last National Assembly without legislative backing and we will just continue to see this as mere pronouncements. Am aware that as legislators that meet and discuss issues on Climate, we are the first country in West Africa and am happy with the kind of report the network is receiving.

    “We want Nigeria to become the major hub of Globe Worldwide, to provide leadership in Africa.  Some of the things we see here, even in the sub-Sahara Africa, countries have gone so far in some of these legislations on the Climate  Change and sustainable developments.

    “Am very happy of what I heard today on the close work between the Senate and the House of Representatives to see that Climate Change is addressed through  legislative processes.

    “In Nigeria, we need to know that we have lots of work to do and I think that it can only be done with an organisation like this which is non-political or seeking the interest of one party, so that we can do what is best for our country”, Saraki said.

    President of the Globe Nigeria, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, appealed to the Senate President  to support the Climate Change Bill which will be introduced concurrently soon at both chambers of the National Assembly.

    Ibrahim said:  “You may recall our unique and desperate situation regarding the effect of Climate Change on our people. Very recently, Nigeria recorded more than 300 deaths as a result of meningitis outbreak; this epidemic cannot be unconnected to our worsening climate and heat waves.

    “As a purpose-driven caucus of the Nigerian parliament, we have a responsibility to protect our people through effective legislation and oversight on climate-induced diseases, migration, conflicts and food insecurity.

    “Climate Change is one of the flagship issues the GLOBE Organization has been advocating support for since its establishment and we will be happy to pull some political support from you for the upcoming Climate Change Bill”, he stated.

    Other bills lined up for the Senate President’s support, he said,  includes the Gas Flaring Prohibition Bill, Access to Clean Energy Services and Technology Bill as well as an intervention on natural capital and sustainable development.

    Senator Ibrahim assured the Senate President that the vision with which he established GLOBE Nigeria would be pursued with utmost dedication and commitment.

    He said that the GLOBE Nigeria would  ensure that funds approved and released to the group  is judiciously used and in the spirit of engaging with only the things that will uphold the Nigerian legislature and associated social impact on the lives of the people.