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Tag: Adamu Aliero

  • Aliero declares to re-contest for 3rd time in Senate

    Alhaji Adamu Aliero, a former governor and senator representing Kebbi Central constituency, on Sunday declared his intention to represent his constituency for the third time in the Senate.

    Aliero, a two-term governor of the state, submitted his nomination form to seek re-election at the State APC Secretariat in Birnin Kebb in company with hundreds of his supporters.

    On the occasion, the former FCT minister pledged to continue to provide dividends of democracy to his constituents, the state and Nigeria.

    “I thank you for the confidence reposed in me, I promise to offer selfless service to humanity, ” he said.

    He urged the people to collect their Permanent Voter Cards to re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari and the state governor in the 2019 elections.

    At the APC Secretariat, two other aspirants Abu Najakku and Shehu Koko also submitted their forms respectively for Birnin Kebbi / Kalgo and Koko Besse / Maiyama federal constituencies. (NAN)

  • Senate decries killing of 40 people in Sokoto

    The Senate on Thursday decried the gruesome killing of over 40 people by bandits in Sokoto State on Monday.

    The condemnation of the killing followed the adoption of a motion on “Gruesome killing of 40 people in Sokoto State by armed bandits.”

    The upper chamber resolved to urge the Federal Government to mandate the Air Force and the Police helicopter division to embark on surveillance of Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi State with the view of identifying locations and hideouts of the bandits and deal with them decisively;

    It also urged the Inspector General of Police (lGP) through the commissioner of Police in the three states to set up a special squad to mop up the zone in order to get rid of the armed bandits.

    It called for synergy between the Department of State Service, the Police and the armed forces with the view of sharing intelligence and strategies to embark upon in getting rid of the armed bandits;;

    The motion was sponsored by Senators Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) and Senator Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto North)

    Aliero in his lead debate noted with sadness the gruesome and unprecedented killing of innocent and defenseless people in Sokoto by armed bandits on Monday morning at Dogonyero in Candi District in Raba Local government Area of Sokoto State.

    He expressed concerned that “these armed bandits are operating in Zamfara forest where they carry nefarious and barbaric killing of innocent people over a period of two years.”

    Read Also: Buhari condemns bandit attack in Sokoto

    He said that the bandits moved with motorcycles that carry up to three people numbering about thirty motorcycles in all, meaning that the armed bandits were up to 90;

    Aliero expressed worry that “the armed bandits sent two people to the village to buy food for them and the villagers observed that the emissaries were armed and they were interrogated by the villagers and found to be armed bandits similar to the ones operating in Zamfara. The villagers apprehended and executed the two emissaries.”

    He further noted that “the armed bandits sent advance notice to the villagers that they were coming to retaliate the killing of their people.”

    He said “The Chairman of the local government and the village head alerted the law enforcement agencies on this notice of the bandits. Security was provided for a period of 5days after which they were withdrawn, immediately the security agencies were withdrawn, the armed bandits moved in and started killing indiscriminately using A1017 riffles. The situation now is that most of the villagers have left their homes out of fear and so many are still stranded in the bush, not to mention the injured ones still at the hospital and others rendered homeless.”

    Most of the senators who contributed to the motion asked the Federal Government to take steps to protect lives and property in the country.

  • Senate poised to tackle alleged corruption in Hajj Commission

    Senate poised to tackle alleged corruption in Hajj Commission

    The Senate says it is poised to unraveling alleged extortion and imposition of charges, among other hardships inflicted on pilgrims by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON ).

    The upper legislative chamber, made the vow at the beginning of a two-day public hearing by the its Adhoc Committee on Accommodation, Logistics, Feeding Offshore and Onshore of Nigeria Pilgrims held in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Adamu Aliero lamented that “there are tales of woes and sorrows by Nigerian pilgrims as it relates their accommodations, feedings, hajj fare and movements while in Saudi Arabia.

    “There were allegations of fraudulent extortion and imposition of charges by the National Hajj Commission through shoddy deals in accommodations, transport fare and feeding.

    “It is alleged that the Nigerian hajj fare is highest in Africa and one of the highest in the world.

    “While Nigerian pilgrims were normally accommodated in dilapidated, overcrowded and very far away hostels from the Haram, their counterparts from other countries enjoy better and more conducive accommodations throughout the hajj exercise”, he said.

    Aliero said it was unfortunate that some government agencies and individuals responsible for regulating, controlling and monitoring of religious activities engaged in corrupt practices and self-enrichment at the expense helpless pilgrims.

    He, however, maintained that “as a responsible arm of government, this Senate cannot fold its arms and look the other way while our fellow citizens are being shortchanged by greedy, corrupt and inconsiderate fellow country men.”

    He assured that the committee would unravel the allegations and come up with far reaching recommendations that would guarantee transparent hajj operations free from all sorts of abuse.

    While declaring open the session, the President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki said the senate viewed the allegations as serious, hence the need to set up the ad hoc committee to look into them so as to make hajj exercise much easier for Nigerian pilgrims.

    Saraki, represented by Sen. Ahmed Sani, described hajj as one the most important pillars of Islam which every Muslim is aspiring to perform at least once in lifetime.

    “As Nigerians, we like to put God first in all that we do. We are very strong in faith and we take religion very seriously indeed.

    “Not only because we believe that God orders our steps and the course of the nation – but because we also know that this way, we can be better people, and a better country under God.

    “It is perfectly understandable, therefore, that many of our people strive to go on pilgrimage to the holy land.

    “No fewer than 81,000 Nigerians performed the Hajj (pilgrimage) in 2017, and I understand that we have about 95,000 slots for this year. Little wonder our country contributes the fifth highest number of pilgrims to Mecca each year”.

    Saraki therefore stressed the need to address all matters affecting pilgrims including the apparent discrepancy between fares charged by NAHCON and independent tour operators.

    It would be recalled that the Senate had on July 20, 2017 debated on the astronomical hajj fare announced by NAHCON last year under a matter of urgent public importance brought before it by Sen. Ibrahim Danbaba (APC-Sokoto).

    NAN

  • Senate: Bill for 75% payment of retirees’ contributions scales second reading

    Senate: Bill for 75% payment of retirees’ contributions scales second reading

    The Bill for an Act to amend the Pension Reform Act to provide for definite percentage a retiree can withdraw from his Retirement Savings Account passed second reading at the Senate on Wednesday.

    The Bill is sponsored by Sen. Aliyu Wamakko (APC-Sokoto)

    Leading debate on the bill, Wamakko said that the bill was meant to ameliorate the sufferings of retirees who found it difficult to withdraw their benefits after retirement.

    He said it would enable retirees to withdraw 75 per cent of their benefits as lump sum after retirement rather than the current provision which allowed for withdrawal of only 25 per cent.

    He added that the amendment would also hasten the period of payment as against present practice where retirees waited endlessly to access their benefits.

    “Rather than enjoy retirement after selflessly serving their father land, they continue to remain in misery, pain, sickness and even death.

    “The relevance of the amendment cannot be overemphasized.

    “It seeks to provide succour to retirees in the delay and other difficulties encountered in withdrawing from their retirement savings account.

    “It equally provides for definite and reasonable percentage that the pensioner can withdraw from such account,’’ he said.

    Supporting the bill, Sen. Adamu Aliero (APC-Kebbi) said the bill came at a time when so many retirees went through much hurdle to access their retirement benefit.

    He said it was for a similar reason that the old pension scheme was abolished for a new one in 2004.

    Aliero said, “this is one of the most important bills that seek to radically address the present problem that retirees are facing.

    “When we moved to contributory pension, even after retirement, you have to wait for a given period before you have access to this fund.

    “The issue is, nobody questions how you eat and how you pay your children’s fees. I think that is what this bill seeks to address.’’

    Aliero commended Wamakko for intervening to ensure that retirees received their benefits as at when due.

    Lawmakers present unanimously voted for the passage of the bill to the next level.

    In his remarks, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the day’s session, assured that the Senate would continue to pass laws that would contribute positively to the wellbeing of all Nigerians.

    While commending Wamakko for coming up with the bill, Ekweremadu said “I am sure the retirees will be happy with you and indeed the Senate’’.

    He referred the bill to the Committee on Establishment and Public Service Matters and directed that it should be returned to plenary in four weeks.

  • National Conference wants limited borrowing powers for States

    National Conference wants limited borrowing powers for States

    National Conference Committee on Public Finance and Revenue has expressed concern of over the country’s N10.1 trillion debt profile.

    It said it would explore means of how to discourage States from unwarranted borrowing.

    The Committee’s decision followed the disclosure of the country’s debt profile put at N10.1 trillion by the Director General of the Debt Management Office (DMO), Bright Okogwu yesterday.

    Chairman of the Committee, former governor Adamu Aliero said States must be discouraged from borrowing that they would not be able to service as it has the potentials of impacting negatively on the people.

    He said the Director General of the Budget Office would be  invited to brief the Committee today to further throw light on the nation’s debt profile and its management in relation to the implementation of the budget

    Earlier, DMO DG, Okogwu had disclosed that as at March, 2014, the country’s total external and domestic debt for the Federal and State government including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is N10.1 trillion.

    He gave the breakdown as  $9.16b external debt with the States, including the FCT responsible for 32 percent or $2.8b while Federal government borrowed $6.3b or 68 percent of the total debt.

    Domestic debt was out at N8.7 trillion with the States and the the FCT responsible for 17 percent.

     

    According to him, the debt profile of about 12 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a low debt-GDP ratio and healthy for the country.

     

    He however warned that it is not a reason for the country to go on borrowing spree because public revenue has not increased. “Nobody should be under any illusion that the country should go on borrowing more. The country will continue  to maintain a conservative borrowing stance,” he added.

     

    He also told the committee that the fear of politicizing debt profile of States was responsible for not releasing full details of debt profile of States to the public.

     

    He said: “It is not appropriate to bring details of States’ debt profile because we don’t need to politicize debts of States, it doesn’t make sense to politicize the debts of States because it is counter productive.

     

    “That was why I said we are not going to say or do anything to politicize the debts of States because the States are very cooperative with the Federal government to make sure how much they owe to the last kobo.

     

    “In that constructive process, it doesn’t make sense to talk in such a way to be throwing figures which many people will misunderstand instead of asking for clarification before arriving at conclusions”.

     

    He however said the aggregate debt information on State basis can be found on the agency’s website.