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Tag: Abubakar Bukola Saraki

  • Senate to begin 2018 budget consideration next week

    Senate to begin 2018 budget consideration next week

    The Senate will commence the consideration of the general principles of the 2018 Appropriation Bill next week, Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said Thursday.

    Saraki who made the announcement in plenary said the consideration of the budget would begin on Wednesday, 22nd November 2017 and end on Thursday, 23 November, 2017.

    He asked senators wishing to contribute to the debate on the general principle of the money Bill to indicate by writing their names in the register.

    Throwing more light on the announcement, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi said that copies of the budget as presented by President Muhammadu Buhari, are being produced for distribution to senators.

    Abdullahi said that all senators should have been given copies of the fiscal document but for the voluminous nature of the budget.

    He said that the president presented two copies of the budget one for the Senate and the other for the House of Representatives.

    He assured that copies of the budget are already being mass produced and by next week debate would commence.

    On the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF) which is yet to be approved by the, Abdullahi said it would be considered alongside the budget.

    President Buhari on November 7 presented a budget of N8.612 trillion to a joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives for the 2018 fiscal year.

    The National Assembly is expected to pass the budget before the end of 2017 to enable the Executive to begin its implementation on January 1st, 2018.

  • 2019: Saraki’s aide resigns to chair political party

    2019: Saraki’s aide resigns to chair political party

    Ahead of the 2019 election, Special Assistant to the Senate President on Youth and students matters Ikenga Ugochinyere has resigned his appointment.

    Ugochinyere in a one page letter to the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said that his resignation was to enable him serve as the national chairman of his newly formed political party.

    He did not however give the identity of his new political party, but said he decided to quit his job “because the legal and political implication of his new status, national chairman of a new party does not allow him to continue to serve as an aide to the Senate President.

    The letter dated October 3, 2017letter read “Sequel to the recent issuance of certificate of registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to my newly formed political party and my emergence as the national chairman, I wish to tender my resignation as your Special Assistant on Youths and students matters .

    “This is because of the legal and political implication new status as a result of which I cannot be able to discharge my function to you Sir ” The Imo state born youth leader however expressed gratitude to the Senate president for given the opportunity serve in that capacity .

    “Our over two years official relationship I count as the most amazing moment in my public service life. His Excellency confidence and believe in the innovative spirit of the young people is indeed legendary.

    “He built a bridge between the old and the young and have been working hard to help return the country to the part of national unity.”

  • No more war with Executive, says Senate

    No more war with Executive, says Senate

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Wednesday declared that the era of Executive, Legislature face off is over.

    Saraki who made the declaration when he ruled on the a motion alleging irregularity in the renewal of the tenure of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board further insisted that “the days of balderdash was over”

    Following the intervention of Saraki and Senate leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, the Senate resolved to mandate its committee on NDDC to take up the matter with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, to articulate amicable resolution of the board tenure extension.

    Senator Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa Central)  had in his motion entitled “The illegal extension of the tenure of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)”  observed that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established to tackle developmental issues affecting the Niger Delta.

    He further noted that noted that it was in response to the age-long agitation of the people of the Niger Delta that had snowballed into militancy which disrupted oil production and affected our national economic interest that the Commission was established.

    The Beyelsa central lawmaker said that the Commission consists of a Board made up of members drawn from the States of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers.

    He observed that Section 4 of the act states that the office of the Chairman shall rotate amongst member States of the Commission in alphabetical order.

    He noted that the Chairmanship of the NDDC started with Abia State and has rotated in accordance with the Act up to Cross-River state now.

    Paulker observed that the NDDC Act also states that “where a vacancy occurs in the membership board it shall be filled by the appointment of a successor to hold office for the remainder of the term of his predecessor, so however, that the successor shall represent the same interest and shall be appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces subject to the confirmation of the Senate in consultation with the House of Representatives.”

    He noted that that the Board headed by Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, SAN was appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to replace the one headed by Senator Bassey Henshaw.

    He observed further that Section 5 (2) of the Act dictates that the Board headed by Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, SAN serves out the remainder of the term of the board chaired by Senator Bassey Henshaw will terminate in December 2017.

    He noted that contrary to the clear provisions of Section 5 (2) of the N DPC Act, the tenure of the present board of the Commission has been illegally extended to 4 years by the immediate past Acting secretary to Government of the Federation, Dr. Habiba Muda Lawal.

    He added that contravention of the NDDC Act portends grave danger to the relative peace we enjoy in the Niger Delta and prayed the Senate accordingly resolve to mandate the Committee on Niger Delta to investigate the illegal renewal of the tenure of the present Board of the Commission.

    Hardly had Paulker concluded his submission than the Senate Leader, Lawan called for caution.

    The Yobe North lawmaker said that he engaged the SGF to find out what happened.

    Lawan said that since the new SGF had shown sufficient inclination to work with the National Assembly, he should be given the benefit of the doubt to resolve the issue.

    Saraki on his part said that the matter should be referred to the NDDC Committee to take up the matter with the SGF for resolution.

    The Senate President who said that “the days of balderdash are over” noted that “in the spirit of new relations between the Executiive and the Legislature; the matter should be taken up with the SGF.

    Former SGF, Babachir David Lawal had described the Senate as “talking balderdash” for indicting over grass cutting contract in the North East.

    Findings showed that the resolution to take up the issue with the SGF following the intervention of the Saraki was informed by the need to promote the new found rapport between the Executive and the Legislature.

    A source close to the Senate President recalled that the recent appointment of a new SGF occasioned the visit of the new SGF to the leadership of the National Assembly to improve and strengthen Executive-Legislature relationship.

    The Senate leadership, he said, “may also have been moved to support the reform minded initiative of the present NDDC leadership. “

    He noted that the matured handling of the motion by the Senate leadership had gone further to “underscore and demonstrate the determination of the Senate to support the core mandate of the NDDC as an interventionist agency.”

    According to him, “on this the NDDC leadership on its part is required to focus in its present commitment to develop the region and make the agency responsible.”

    A document made available to reporters marked “Re: Clarification on the tenure of the governing Board of the of NDDC” indicated various conditions a vacancy can occur in the NDDC governing board.

    The document specifically said that “the previous Board of the NDDC was dissolved and its tenure extinguished.”

    It added that “Dissolution of the Board cannot be categorized as a vacancy under the Act. Dissolution signifies total extinguishment of the Board, it simply ceases to exist, and therefore there cannot be any reminder of any term which a successor is expected to complete. There has to be a fresh composition of the Board for a fresh term of four years.”

     

  • Senate endorse Health Sciences varsity, Otukpo

    Senate endorse Health Sciences varsity, Otukpo

    A bill which sought the establishment of the Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo ( FUHSO ), Benue state, has received the endorsement of the Senate and stakeholders in the education and health sectors of the country.

    The Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission ( NUC ), Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria ( MDCAN ), Nigeria Medical Association ( NMA ), National Association of Resident Doctors ( NARD ) and League of Idoma Professors ( LIP ) were unanimous in their submissions at the Senate Public hearing that the university is desirable.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki who described t the bill as timely noted that the establishment of the university would help mitigate the crisis in the health sector.

    Saraki stressed that the university would open the window for admission and training of medical  doctors, nurses , pharmacists and  medical  laboratory scientists in Nigeria adding “the university when established would address the issues  of medical tourism and its associated capital flights”.

    Saraki who was represented the Chief Whip, Senator Sola Adeyeye lamented that Nigeria loses humongous sum of money about N3billion annually on account of citizens seeking medical attentions abroad.

    Sponsor of the bill and former Senate President, Senator David Mark, listed the educational, economic and social importance of establishing the Health University to include medical education, access to health care facilities and employment opportunities.

    Senator Mark urged his colleagues to support and pass the bill for the benefit of humanity .

    Education Minister Mallam Adamu Adamu added that the establishment of the Health University would help address the imbalance in health education just as it will solve the medical needs of citizens.

    Speaking through the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Sunday Echono, the minister assured that the  executive arm of government will do the needful as soon as the legislative processes are completed .

    The NUC executive Secretary  Professor Adamu Rasheed who spoke through Prof Ibrahim Yakassai said the university would be  an added value to the pursuit of medical Education in Nigeria .

    All the Speakers including Professor Innocent Ujah of Nigeria Institute for Medical Research ( NIMR ) , Professor Francis Uba of College of Medical Sciences, Professor Owoicho Akpa, of League of IDOMA Professors, former Interior minister Comrade  Abah Moro,  and Dr. Umar Adamu  of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA)  among others were of the consensus that the university be established forthwith to address medical challenges in Nigeria.

  • SGF to Saraki: I’ve come to extend hand of friendship to Senate

    SGF to Saraki: I’ve come to extend hand of friendship to Senate

    The newly appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation ( SGF ) Boss Mustapha, on sunday assured Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, of the full cooperation of the Presidency with the National Assembly.

    Mustapha who paid a courtesy visit to Saraki in his office at the National Assembly, told the Senate President that he was in his office to extend hand of friendship and to solicit the support and cooperation of the National Assembly to ensure the smooth running of government.

    The SGF noted that the Presidency is not in competition with the National Assembly especially when it was realized that the duties of the two arms of government are specified by the constitution.

    He said that the two arms are joint partners in governmental enterprise and should work to complement each other.

    Mustapha said, “Let me start by thanking the President of the Senate and the Principal Officers of the Senate for graciously receiving me and the team of Permanent Secretaries that have accompanied me on this trip this very afternoon.

    He assured that he would work to ensure that “the National Assembly receives that cooperation because jointly if we work together, whatever has been lost in the past we can quickly redeem and recover and make progress so that by the time the first four-year mandate that we received comes to an end we can show on our scorecard that these were the promises we made.”

    Read:  Saraki, Dogara angered by Aso Rock security checks

    “We are here sir, on a courtesy call to truly thank you personally for taking out time to attend my swearing-in ceremony as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and to also convey the gratitude of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari and the entirety of the government on the able leadership that you have given the National Assembly as a whole.

    “Let me put it on record that your leadership has helped tremendously in stabilizing the polity and also given the purposeful direction that we require at the Presidency to ensure that we deliver on the promises that we made to the Nigeria people when we sought for their mandate in 2015.

    “You ran for the Senate in your constituency in Kwara State, but I remember vividly serving as the Director, Contact and Mobilization of the Campaign, that you were all over the place campaigning to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari won the election and we did win decisively.

    “So, sir, thank you so much for what you have done to ensure the APC’s victory. After your emergence as the Chairman of the National Assembly and also the President of the Senate, you have provided the kind of leadership that is required, as I said, to stabilize the polity.

    “Nigeria as a nation has been going through some storms that we inherited but because of your able leadership and your colleagues in the Senate and House of Representatives, we have stabilized this process to a large extent.

    “Going forward sir, I bring, like I said, the greetings of the Presidency because as the Secretary to the Government, my responsibility is to coordinate the implementation of government policies and to ensure that these policies are synergized in such a manner that we would be able to deliver to the people of Nigeria the good things of life which they rightly deserve.

    “In doing that, I will not be able to succeed in that task if I do not get the cooperation of the National Assembly and that is why I am here today to extend the hand of friendship and to solicit for the cooperation of the National Assembly because our constitution is very explicit when it comes to the principle of Separation of Powers.

    “The role of the National Assembly is quite distinct. You (National Assembly) legislate for the good governance of the Federation; you provide oversight and you also ensure that funds that are appropriated are used judiciously for the purposes they are meant and for the benefit of the people of Nigeria.

    “So your responsibility is so enormous in this enterprise. I will say this and I will say it quite frankly sir, we are not in competition with the National Assembly. We are not rivals with the National Assembly. We are joint partners in this enterprise.

    “If the National Assembly does not cooperate with the Presidency, I am not very sure we will be able to achieve the desired result that we want to see given the mandate that we have freely received from the people of Nigeria.

    “So, this is basically to come and assure you that in every area that you are soliciting for the cooperation of the Presidency, being the Secretary to the Government, I would ensure that the National Assembly receives that cooperation because jointly if we work together, whatever has been lost in the past we can quickly redeem and recover and make progress so that by the time the first four-year mandate that we received comes to an end we can show on our scorecard that these were the promises we made.

    “Mr. President is passionate about the three-pronged approach that he has brought to government. One, to fight for the security of the country and defeat insurgency in every part of this country. Two, to diversify the economy and thirdly, to fight corruption and ensure, in his very common parlance, if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.

    “ So, it is on these three-pronged approach that he has said that I can tell you that none of these three-pronged approach can be achieved if we do not receive the support of the National Assembly particularly now the Senate.

    “We can’t diversify the economy because that would mean that Bills will have to come to the National Assembly which will be debated and eventually returned to him for assent.

    Read:Meet new SGF Boss Mustapha

    “We can’t fight corruption if we do not have an institutional framework which is strengthened in every ramification to ensure that corruption is dealt with because it is a big menace that has constituted a source of embarrassment to the people of this country and we can’t fight insurgency unless we put apparatuses on ground that in all ramification requires the support of the National Assembly and for that reason sir, we will continue to solicit for your support.

    “We will continue to knock on your door and I believe that with your able leadership, you will be able to convince your colleagues that at every given time, whenever we require to see your hand intervening in certain areas that will assist the government move forward we will receive that. Thank you so much sir, in spite of your very tight schedule, you have received me and the Committee of my Permanent Secretaries that have come. I wish you a successful tenure, like you have always wished me and I believe at the end of the day, we will have every cause to rejoice because Nigerians would have received, like I always say, the good things of life which they rightly deserve.”

    Saraki described the visit of the SGF as a new phase of cooperation between the Executive and the Legislature.

    He said, “Let me on behalf of my colleagues welcome you to the Senate and let me thank you for your visit..

    ‘I think your visit is very symbolic. It is truly a new phase of cooperation between the Executive and the Legislature and a good omen for our democracy and for our government.

    ‘I got the notice rather short but it was important that we meet. Your visit truly shows your intention of ensuring that you use your period as SGF to ensure that we truly work together to make Nigeria great.

    ‘You are very right and I think people like us are not surprised because we know your antecedents. You know that in the presidential system that we are running in this democracy, it is not possible for us to be able to achieve all our goals if the Executive and Legislature do not have – not just an okay relationship – a fantastic and very close relationship.

    “And what you have done this afternoon has really brought that closer and I am sure that all my colleagues are going to appreciate that on the floor tomorrow when I communicate this to them.

    “Truly, you have started on a very good note and I congratulate you. Thank you for all your kind words when you talked about some of the work we have done in the past together in bringing the government together and we will continue to work together to ensure that we deliver on our promises.

    “As you said, the constitution is very clear on what our responsibilities are. You did not write it and I did not write it, neither did any of us in the National Assembly today but we have all sworn to it and we must continue to ensure that we work with it and we work for the interest of Nigeria..

    “Let me assure you that being the first SGF that we have received here, you will definitely get our cooperation and this will definitely be a new page and we will do all our best to ensure that whatever the issues are before you, we will act to see how best we can to resolve them and work together. I thank you for coming.”

    Read Also: EFCC raises panel to grill ex-SGF Lawal, seven others

  • Saraki to IG: Appear before Senate panel if you have nothing to hide

    Saraki to IG: Appear before Senate panel if you have nothing to hide

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, yesterday asked the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to honour invitation of the Senate ad-hoc committee investigating allegations of abuse of office levied against him if he has nothing to hide.

    The Senator Francis Alimikhena led ad-hoc committee had on Wednesday threatened to invoke necessary constitutional provisions to compel the police boss to appear before his committee.

    Idris wrote the committee to inform members that he could not appear before it because the matter under investigation was already before the court.

    Saraki who was reacting to a point of order raised by Alimikhena that the IGP failed to honour the invitation of his committee, re-echoed the panel’s position that no court can stop the Senate from performing its constitutional duties.

    The Senate President noted that several judicial pronouncements had made it clear that no court can stop the Senate from carrying out its duties.

    Saraki said: “As the chief law enforcement officer, he should know what the law is and he should know that he cannot stop the Senate from doing its job. There are several judicial pronouncements on this issue and I expect him to know these things.

    “He should be advised to do the right thing and appear before the Senate. If you have nothing to hide, you should appear before the committee like any other Nigerian.”

    Alimikhena briefed the Senate on the position taken by his committee.

    The Edo North lawmaker told the Senate that his committee was asked to jettison the investigation of the police boss.

    He said that the Idris, through his lawyer, Mr. Alex Izinyon told the committee that the matter the IGP was invited for was already in court.

    He said that the committee was going ahead with the investigation.

    “I want to inform the Senate that IGP failed to appear before the committee. The committee received a letter from his lawyer. We were told to suspend it or keep it in abeyance. The letter from the lawyer cannot stop us from performing our roles,” he said.

    He added, “Most of the allegations leveled against him (IGP) and virement was not part of what they went to court. This committee was constituted before the IGP went to court. The court case will not deter our committee because following the principle of separation of powers no court can stop our committee.

    “We will invite him again next Tuesday. There are issues about virement in the 2017 budget which Misau also raised. We need him to respond to these allegations. We will invite him again and he will appear before us. If he fails to appear, we will invoke Section 89 of the 1999 constitution, as amended to compel him to appear,”Alimikhena said on Wednesday.

  • Senate queries misuse of $1.35b power sector funds

    Senate queries misuse of $1.35b power sector funds

    The Senate on Thursday resolved to consider alleged misuse of $1.35 billion power sector funds by the Ministry of Power.

    The resolution followed “save power sector” alarm raised by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West).

    Relying on Order 42 “matter of urgent public importance, “Melaye sought permission of the chamber to furnish it with details of how $1billion Euro bond raised in 2013 was allegedly “installmently stolen.”

    The Kogi West senator also asked for approval to detail how another $35 million set aside for “Fast Power project” was allegedly siphoned by the Ministry of Power without appropriation and feasibility study.

    Melaye noted that he was seeking permission to expose mismanagement of funds in line with the anti-graft posture of the Federal Government and the Senate.

    He said: “In line with the anti-corruption posture of this chamber especially now that our cries and observations are yielding evidence as expressly manifested in the case of Babachir Lawal, today I bring to the attention of this Senate, a monumental fraud in the power sector.

    “In July 2013, the FG raised $1 billion from a Euro bond issue. From the proceeds, the sum $350 million was given to IBEX in 2014. This money is installmentally stolen.

    “As I speak to you, Mr. President, sometime last year again, the Ministry of Power came up with the project they termed “Fast Power”.

    “This indigested project is supposed to build new generating plants to add power to our grid.

    “There are few questions I need to ask to bring a substantive motion another legislative day.

    “Up till date, there is no detail to build this new generating plant or feasibility study. There is no appropriation by National Assembly for this project.

    “The Ministry of Power has spent $35 million on the affirmed Fast Power project that has no appropriation or no detailed feasibility study.

    “How and when was this money appropriated? Out of this money, $29 million was purportedly paid to General Electric for turbine while $6 million was paid to others. This amount amongst others is a monumental fraud.

    “We need the Senate to investigate this after moving a substantive motion to continue the anti-corruption fight.”

    When Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki put the question to vote, the affirmation for Melaye to present a motion on the issue at the next legislative date was unanimous.

  • Senate commiserates with Tinubu over son’s death

    Senate commiserates with Tinubu over son’s death

    The Senate on Thursday expressed sadness over the death of Mr. Jide Tinubu, son of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, after a brief illness on Wednesday.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who earlier paid a condolence visit to commiserate with Tinubu in Abuja, in a statement he personally signed on behalf of his colleagues, described the death as an “unfortunate incident”.

    “All of us in the Senate are deeply saddened by the untimely passage of Mr. Jide Tinubu, the son of former Senator and top political leader,  Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Jide was not only a promising young man but had what it takes to contribute to the overall wellbeing of his family in particular and the nation in general.

    “It is highly unfortunate that we lost him so early and we are still pained by his demise,” Saraki stated.

    While praying God to guard, guide and grant Tinubu, his wife, Senator Oluremi and the entire Tinubu family the grace and fortitude to  bear the irreparable loss, he also asked God to grant the deceased eternal rest.

  • Senate blocks future inclusion of Kano, Plateau in NEDC

    Senate blocks future inclusion of Kano, Plateau in NEDC

    Spirited efforts to pave the way for the future inclusion of Kano and Plateau States as part of beneficiaries of the newly created North East Development Commission (NEDC) failed on Wednesday in the Senate.

    This is coming as the upper chamber sought adequate financial provision for NEDC in 2018 budget

    A Bill seeking the establishment of a commission to spearhead the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of peoples and infrastructure affected by Boko Haram insurgency in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba States were assented to last week by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Although the Senate had included Kano and Plateau States as part of States to be covered by the commission when set up the inclusion of the two states was later expunged at the conference level between the Senate committee and that of House of Representatives.

    Senator Jibrin Barau (Kano North) in an attempt for the inclusion of the two states during future amendment of the NEDC Act, sought the approval of the Senate to pave the way for inclusion of the two States in any future amendments of the Act.

    Barau’s prayer seconded by Senator Jeremiah Useni (Plateau South) read: ” Whenever in future the NEDC Act is amended, Kano and Plateau states should be included “

    When Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu put the prayer to a voice vote, the senators overwhelmingly voted against it.

    Ekweremadu repeated the voice vote. The result was a resounding nay as the lawmakers stood their ground against any future inclusion of the two states as part of NEDC states.

    A motion on assent to the bill sponsored by Senator Danjuma Goje ( Gombe Central) and 15 others some senators asked for a similar commission for the development of their zones.

    Senator James Manager (Delta South) who commended President Buhari and the National Assembly for the NEDC Act urged the Senate to do likewise for the South East Development Commission Bill which according to him, has passed second reading.

    The manager noted that all the federal roads in the South East have collapsed aside disasters already inflicted in a substantial part of the area by gully erosion.

    He said that the situation needed urgent intervention from the centre in the mode of a development commission.

    He said: “We all supported the now signed NEDC Act when presented to us as a bill because of the need for it and in that light, I appealed to this Senate to give similar support to the South Development Commission Bill that is already before us and even passed second reading.

    “Am making this appeal because it’s been long when the said bill was passed for second reading without us hearing anything about it again. Please where ever the bill may be and whatever may be happening to it, let in the interest of fairness to all Nigerians bring it forward for the needed consideration and support.”

    Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central) in his contribution said a bill for similar commission for the same purpose covering Niger, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina may soon be tabled before the Senate for consideration

    He lamented that not less than 5,000 people have lost their lives to violence being inflicted on the states by groups similar to Boko Haram like cattle rustlers and others within the last two years aside property and farms worth billions of Naira destroyed.

    Marafa said, “The blood thirty groups killed people in these States on daily basis and even recently attacked a military formation in Zamfara killing four soldiers. I support this motion commending Mr President for assenting to the NEDC Act and congratulates my colleagues from the North East zone on the commission but the Senate should not be surprised if a similar bill seeking for such development commission to cover the mentioned States is brought for consideration.

    “Those of us from the affected States have been keeping quiet but the rate at which violent attacks from the groups are causing severe destruction in  the states, a bill for a commission like this   may be brought for consideration and support of all.”

    Meanwhile, the Senate has asked the Federal Government to make adequate financial provision in the 2018 budget for the take-off of the North East Development Commission (NEDC).

     The upper chamber also affirmed its commitment to the implementation of the NEDC Act following the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari on 26th October 2017, to the NEDC Bill as passed by the National Assembly.

    The lawmakers noted that signing of the Bill into law marks the establishment and take-off of the North-East Development Commission.

    Commenting on a motion raised at the plenary in the Senate, Wednesday, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said the signing into law of the NEDC Bill “marks a significant development in our country’s humanitarian and development response to the crisis in the North-East region.”

    Through the establishment of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), resources from the Federal Government and international donors will be coordinated and disbursed to meet the relief, recovery and developmental needs for a region in desperate need of stability.

    The President of the Senate decried the devastating impact of the conflict on the public infrastructure and on the lives of millions of Nigerians in the North-East. “According to the Borno State Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, in Borno State alone, over 950,000 houses, approximately 660 municipal buildings, and around 700 power distribution stations were destroyed during the insurgency.” Another “over 5,000 schools, 200 health facilities and 1,600 water supply sources were also razed.

    “With such dire statistics, it is vital for the NEDC to coordinate the planning of federal and state authorities to begin the work of transitioning from humanitarian response to recovery activities. These programmes must also include support to revive the livelihoods of the local populations.”

    The President of the Senate expressed confidence that standing up for the NEDC will go a long way towards augmenting civilian-military relations. “The military has greatly improved the security situation in the region and has created an enabling environment for stability and growing rehabilitation,” he said.

    “We must all keep in mind that the creation of funding of the NEDC alone will not resolve all of the issues in the North-East. However, it must build and represent a better level of governance than what existed before.”

    He thanked the Senators from the North-East states who sponsored the motion, saying: “They honourably represent the thousands of communities and millions of people whose properties have been destroyed and whose lives have been disrupted” as a result of the crisis. “We can never forget the terrible price these Nigerians have paid just to live in their homeland.”

    Affirming commitment to defend, protect and rehabilitate all territory and people within Nigeria’s national borders, the Senate also called on Donor Agencies’ to continue their support for the North-East through the newly established Commission.

  • Saraki commends Buhari for signing NEDC Bill into law

    Saraki commends Buhari for signing NEDC Bill into law

    Senate President,  Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Wednesday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing into law the North East Development Commission (NEDC) Bill.

    Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu described the Presidential Assent as a “major development in the efforts by the present administration to restore peace and normalcy in the North East and making the harrowing experience of the people as a result of the insurgency a thing of the past”.

    He said, “I applaud President Buhari for signing the North East DevelopmentCommission Bill into law. Now, that the NEDC Act has the full force and effect of the law, it is my hope that we can collectively work towards the rehabilitation, reconstruction and rebuilding of the North East.

    “I believe the NEDC Act will help alleviate the suffering of the millions of Nigerians whose lives have been affected by the insurgency in the zone”, the Senate President stated.

    “You will recall that when I visited Maiduguri, I promised that the National Assembly will work and pass law to alleviate the suffering of the people. I thank God, Mr. President, my colleagues and members of the House of Representatives for making the promise a reality.”