The Nation Newspaper

Tag: assembly

  • Saraki seeks review of Assembly’s security

    Saraki seeks review of Assembly’s security

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has directed a review of security arrangements in the National Assembly complex.

    Saraki said the review of the  became necessary, especially now that Boko Haram insurgency has receded.

    This was contained in a statement by Special Assistant to the Senate President on Print Media Chuks Okocha.

    Okocha, quoting Special Adviser to the Senate President on Security, Major General Saleh Maina (rtd), said the review was part of the periodic plan to ensure better protection of life and property.

    Maina also said heads of security agencies in the complex and other officials, responsible for security, have met to devise a water-tight plan.

    Following the meetings, it was decided that legislators, staff and visitors to the National Assembly shouldwear identity tags, Mania said.

  • Assembly orders Ahmed to lift suspension on council chairs

    Assembly orders Ahmed to lift suspension on council chairs

    The Kwara State House of Assembly yesterday directed Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed to lift the suspension on five council chairmen.

    The House two weeks ago confirmed the suspension of eight local government chairmen by Governor Ahmed over alleged recruitment of workers without due process.

    It, however, absolved Lukman Omelewa, Alhaji M.B. Omar and Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Ajibola, the chairmen of Irepodun, Baruteen and Moro councils, of any wrongdoing.

    The Assembly said the affected chairmen were not given a fair hearing in the report of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, which indicted them.

    This is part of the resolutions of the House, following the adoption of the recommendations of the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on the suspension of eight council chairmen.

    Reading the resolutions, the Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad, said the lifting of suspension became necessary since the chairmen, Alhaji Usman Adisa Ebedi, Ilorin South; Akintoba Fatigun, Ekiti; Saka Obalana, Asa; Hajia Folake Yusuf, Oke-Ero and Mohammed Usman Kpada, Patigi had reversed the controversial and illegal replacement of workers in their councils.

    The legislature directed each council to embark on biometric payment of their workers within the next two months, to ascertain genuine officials on their payroll.

    It warned the Service Commission to be alive to its responsibility, to justify the confidence reposed in it and ensure optimum service delivery at the third tier of government.

     

     

  • Oshiomhole presents N111.5b to Assembly

    Oshiomhole presents N111.5b to Assembly

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has presented the 2016 budget proposal of N111.5 billion to the House of Assembly.

    Tagged: Budget of Finishing Well, the 2016 budget proposal is 12.6 per cent lower than this year’s budget, which was revised downward to N127.01 billion.

    Oshiomhole said the “reduction is in line with the economic realities, especially developments in the international oil market and dwindling inflows from the Federation Account”.

    The governor said the policy focus of next year’s budget proposal is the completion or near completion of roads and rehabilitation projects.

    He said roads would be given priority next year.

    Oshiomhole said Capital Expenditure would take N58.9 billion, representing 52.84 per cent, while the proposed Recurrent Expenditure is N52.6 billion, representing 47.16 per cent.

    A breakdown of the budget shows that Education and Health take the lion’s share of N14 billion each, followed by Road Infrastructure, N9.24 billion and Flood and Erosion Control, N8 billion.

    Oshiomhole said: “This administration is working on the designs for the following seven gully erosion sites: Ibore, Ewu, Emu, Ogiso/Osunde, Ambrose Alli University (AAU) and Auchi Agenebode Road gully erosion sites.

    “The designs of flood and erosion control structures for Gapiona/Adesuwa Grammar School Road to de-flood the Western part of the Benin GRA, covering about nine square kilometres, is at advanced stage. Also, designs for Urora community in Benin and Igbe Quarters in Auchi are being carried out.”

     

     

     

  • Yuletide: Assembly asks police to intensify surveillance

    Yuletide: Assembly asks police to intensify surveillance

    Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday urged the  Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni to intensify community policing during Yuletide.

    Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, however, said that everything cannot be left for the police.

    He promised that the Assembly would come up with relevant laws to checkmate incessant cases of murder, robbery and others.

    Obasa was responding to a motion by Majority Leader Sanai Agunbiade on the need to curtail the activities of hoodlums during Christmas and New Year celebration.

    Agunbiade also called for the review of the Neighbourhood Watch Law to give the officers more power on surveillance and intelligence gathering.

    Mrs Adefunmilayo Tejuosho (Mushin I), expressed concern at the rising wave of crimes in the society.

    She called for arms restriction.

    Tobun Abiodun said ritual killing is now rampant, saying that bodies of four ladies were found somewhere in Alimosho few months back.

    Rotimi Olowo also said four men were slaughtered in Shomolu recently.

    “We should use what we have to get what we want. We should strengthen our Neighbourhood Watch so that they could assist the police in combating crimes in the state,” he said.

    This was supported by Bisi Yusuf, who said that an officer of the Neighbourhood Watch in Alimosho once assisted in the arrest of 15 suspected armed robbers, but that the man was eventually killed.

  • El-Rufai presents N171.7b budget to Assembly

    El-Rufai presents N171.7b budget to Assembly

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai yesterday presented a proposed budget of N171.7 billion to the House of Assembly.

    The governor said the budget proposal comprised N109.3 billion capital and N62.4 billion recurrent expenditure.

    He said the budget, titled: Budget of Sacrifice, Restoration and Change, would make Kaduna great again.

    The breakdown shows that the Economic sector, Agriculture and Forestry have N5,577,475,527.60; Commerce, Industry and Tourism, N1,336,000,000 and Works, Housing and Transport, N31,352,898,071.95.

    Others are: Education, N27,548,679,874.23; Health,   N6,661,683,063.73 and Social Development, N461,551,200.

    El-Rufai said: “The budget proposal restores the minimum of 60:40 ratio in favour of capital expenditure. This is in keeping with our agenda to expand access to Education, Health care, Jobs and Security.

    “Our investments in infrastructure and interventions in school feeding, planting of economic trees and waste collection are expected to create 200,000 direct and indirect jobs among youths, women and other vulnerable groups.”

    He added: “Following the town hall meeting and other public consultations, we have revised upwards the capital estimates to accommodate projects, such as the reconstruction of the collapsed dam at Birnin-Gwari, the clearance of inherited arrears on Zaria water project and construction of access roads that will bring the Kagoro Hills tourism project closer to realisation.’’

     

  • Assembly summons attorney-general

    Assembly summons attorney-general

    LAGOS State House of Assembly has summoned the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem, for a letter suspending action on some inherited bills.

    The commissioner wrote the lawmakers to stay action on outstanding bills inherited from the Seventh Assembly.

    In the letter, read by the Clerk, Ganiyu Abiru, the commissioner listed 15 bills, which he said the House should suspend.

    Lawmakers, however, faulted the letter. The Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade (Ikorodu 1), said he earlier received a letter from the commissioner through the Clerk, calling on the Assembly to revive pending bills from the executive.

    He said the new letter was contradictory and that it was wrong for the commissioner to have called for suspension of the bills.

    The bills are: State Public Private Partnership Amendment Bill 2013; State Sunset Agency Bill 2013; State Police Regulatory Authority Bill 2014; State Public Works Corporation 2014; State Examination Board Bill 2014; Seal of Lagos State Government Amendment Bill 2014; State Public Procurement Agency repeal and re-enactment Bill 2014; State Environmental Management and Protection bill 2014; State Tourism Promotion Agency Bill 2014; Ibile Holding Corporation Bill 2014; State Safety Commission swimming Pool Regulations 2014 ; State Water Infrastructure Development Fishery Regulation Bill 2014 and State Waterways Authority Boat Safety Regulation 2014.

  • Majidun: Assembly reaches understanding with military

    Majidun: Assembly reaches understanding with military

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has  reached an understanding with the military to help restore economic activities to Majidun area in Ikorodu which has been in coma due to the activities of pipe line vandals.

    The Ad-Hoc Committee set up by the Assembly to investigate the activities of military officers currently occupying  Majidun community as a result of the activities of the vandals struck the agreement with the military on behalf of the Assembly.

    Members of the committee led by ýts Chairman, Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Rotýmý Abýru, yesterday embarked on assessment and fact finding visit to the community having earlier invited the commander of the Joint Military Task Force to the Assembly following the petition sent to the Assembly by residents of the community,  alleging that the  military officers  sacked some of the residents from their homes, harass them constantly, rape and block the of only entrance to the community, thereby paralysing economic activities ýn the community, thereby subjecting residents to hardship.

    However, the lawmakers were able to get the military and the community leaders to agree to a round table to work out the best ways to relax security in some parts of the community with a view to helping restore economic life in the community which is being currently distrupted since the military moved in to stop those using the community as a transit point for illegal oil bunkering.

    Speaking with the community leaders at the palace of the baale, Chief Jethro Abejoye with other leaders including Chairman of the Community, Prince Oloyole Megbedofo, Community Secretary, Chief Segun Omoyele and former Councilor representing the community, Hon Dairo Bolarinwa, Abiru assured the community that it would do all within its powers to make life easy for them.

    Abýru promised to do everything possible to bring reprieve to them pending when the House of Assembly will take a decision on the report of the committee.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Resident’s safety not negotiable, says Assembly

    Resident’s safety not negotiable, says Assembly

    •Lawmakers visit mudslide victims’ home

    A Lagos State House of Assembly Ad hoc committee had stressed the need for residents’ safety.

    The ad hoc panel on the mudslide which hit a house in Isheri-Magodo, Lagos on November 7, killing four siblings, promised to find lasting solution to the problem.

    The Lanre Ogunyemi-led panel, which was at the site yesterday, said it would unveil the immediate and remote causes of the incident.

    Ogunyemi said: “We want to look at the way of solving what we see as imminent danger here. From what we have seen here, government needs to do something to make sure that we avert needless loss of innocent lives.

    “We will do everything to make sure that we give people a new lease of life. We all must sit down at the table with all the stakeholders and members of the community to look at the technical and general causes of the issue and come up with what will be a lasting solution to avert a recurrence.”

    According to him, the assembly will invite the Ministries of mining, land and physical planning because of the ongoing land excavation in the area. The Lagos State Safety Commission will also be invited.

    A member of the committee, Bisi Yusuff, decried the way some houses were built without consideration for safety.

    Reacting, Mr Idowu Anjorin,  Chairman of the Landlords and Residents Association of Onisha Otun Araromi Community, where the incident happened, said all constructions were approved by the government.

    Anjorin attributed the cause of the incident to illegal extension of some buildings on highland without any attempt to control erosion.

     

  • Assembly declares emergency on Southeast roads

    The Enugu State House of Assembly has declared a state of emergency on federal roads in the Southeast. This followed a motion by Chinedu Nwamba (Nsukka East), condemning the deplorable state of the roads.

    Nwamba said: “Residents of Enugu and its environs, for over a decade now, are faced with myriads of problems because of the deplorable condition of federal roads.

    “It seems the state is forgotten in the construction of new roads, rehabilitation and maintenance of federal roads. Incidentally, this trend has persisted despite promises by successive governments.

    “Of the roads in question, the Port-Harcourt/Enugu and Onitsha/Enugu highways are the most pitiable. Whereas, the Enugu/Onitsha road, which usually takes about 40 minutes when the road was good, now takes three hours. The road is so bad that almost every vehicle that plies it breaks down before completing a full journey. The story is the same for the Enugu/Port-Harcourt highway as a journey of two hours now lasts five hours.”

    After deliberations, the House declared a state of emergency on federal roads and urged the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works/Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), to begin work immediately to avoid more mishaps.

  • Assembly to probe illegal signpost

    Assembly to probe illegal signpost

    THE Abia State House of Assembly has set up an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the purported ‘Fulani Republic’ signpost near the military barracks in Ohafia.

    This followed a petition by the member representing Ohafia South, Chief Uchendu Ifeanyi, alleging that Fulani herdsmen erected the signpost.

    Uchendu said the signpost posed a threat to the peace of his constituents, noting that the herdsmen had taken over the portion of land where their cattle grazed, which might be part of the land allotted to the Army barracks.

    The committee, headed by Chief Chikwendu Kanu is to establish, among others, whether the signpost was on barracks land and submit its report next Wednesday.

    The House accepted the apology of ex-Minority leader Abraham Oba , who was suspended for distancing himself and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) members from the approval given to the executive to raise a N30 billion loan.