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Tag: bills

  • Buhari signs eight bills into law

    Buhari signs eight bills into law

    resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday signed eight bills into law.

    Addressing State House correspondents after the signing ceremony, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, listed the new Acts as the Prevention of Crime Amendment Act? 2016, the National Crop Varieties and Livestock Breeds (Registration) Amendment Act? 2016, Telecommunications and Postal Offences Amendment Act? 2016, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority Amendment Act? 2016.

    Others are the Produce Enforcement of Export Standards Amendment Act? 2016, the Agricultural and Rural Management ?Training Institute Amendment Act? 2016, Bee Import Control and Management Amendment Act? 2016, and Water Resources Amendment Act? 2016?.

    He said: “Mr. President assented to eight bills passed by the National Assembly. The different bills are on different sectors of the economy and development.

    “These bills were passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to Mr. President for assent, and Mr. President today assented to it and they have automatically become law.

    “Mr. President expresses his appreciation to the leadership and membership of National Assembly for the great work they did in considering the bills and the details that have gone in to consider the bills?.

    “Mr. President considers the Act as very vital to the present administration and in consonants with ?All Progressive Congress agenda, and thanks the National Assembly very much.

    “He also directs ministries, departments and agencies and all government functionaries that whenever there is a bill pending before the National Assembly and there is a call for public hearing, they must attend and make inputs into those bills, so that those inputs will be taken into accounts by the legislature when considering the bill. So that when the bills are eventually passed, it would be easier to implement.”

    According to him, the assent to the eight bills is unprecedented.

    He said: “This is the very first time in this administration that eight bills are forwarded to him at a go for assent.

    “In all my years in the National Assembly, except for the 46 bills which were passed a day to the end of that administration, no such number of bills have been passed and forwarded at once ?to the President for assent, and no such number of bills has been assented in a record time.

    “I also consider it a record that bills have been passed on various sectors,? and in giving assent to the bill, it did not lead to rancour or disputation as to what should be in and what should not be in.

    “This shows that the executive and the legislature are working together because the ministers attended every hearing that were called in respect of the bill.

    “And all the ministers involved, the directors general all monitored the processes and procedures on the floor. And myself and my colleague, Hon. Akau Ismaila, monitored and worked with the committees while work on the bills were going on, and so it did not lead to any rancour in the course of considering the bills on the floor. And after passage, it became easier for consultations and it has been assented to by Mr. President.”

    According to him, all the eight bills are bills sponsored by members of the National Assembly.

    He disclosed that there was presently no bill awaiting President Buhari’s assent, as all the bills sent to him had been assented to.

  • Updated: Buhari signs eight bills into law

    Updated: Buhari signs eight bills into law

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday signed eight bills into law.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang told State House correspondents after the signing ceremony.

    According to him, the new Acts are the Prevention of Crime Amendment Act‎ 2016, the National Crop Varieties and Livestock Breeds (Registration) Amendment Act‎ 2016, Telecommunications and Postal Offences Amendment Act‎ 2016, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority Amendment Act‎ 2016.

    Others are the Produce Enforcement of Export Standards  Amendment Act‎ 2016, the Agricultural and Rural Management ‎Training Institute Amendment Act‎ 2016, Bee Import Control and Management Amendment Act‎ 2016, and Water Resources Amendment Act‎ 2016‎.

    He said: “Mr. President assented to eight bills passed by the National Assembly. The different bills are on different sectors of the economy and development.

    “These bills were passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to Mr. President for assent and Mr. President today assented to it today and have automatically become law.

    “Mr. President expresses his appreciation to leadership and membership of National Assembly, for the great work they did in considering the bills and the details that have gone in to consider the bills‎.

    “Mr. President considers the Act as very vital to the present administration and in consonants with ‎All Progressive Congress agenda and thanks the National Assembly very much.

    “He also directs that ministries, departments and agencies and all government functionaries, that whenever there is a bill pending before the National Assembly and there is a call for public hearing, they must attend and make inputs into those bills, so that those inputs will be taken into accounts by the legislature when considering the bill. So that when the bills are eventually passed it would be easier to implement,” he added.

    According to him, the assent to the eight bills is unprecedented.
    He said: “This is the very first time in this administration that eight bills are forwarded to him at a go for assent.

    “In all my years in the National Assembly except for the 46 bills which were passed a day to the end of that administration, no such number bills have been passed and forwarded at once ‎to the President for assent and no such number of bills has been assented to at a record time.

    “I also consider it a record that bills have been passed on various sector‎ and in giving assent to the bill it did not lead to rancour or disputation as to what should be in and what should not be in. This shows that the executive and the legislature are working together because the ministers attended every hearing that were called in respect of the bill.

    “And all the ministers involved, the director generals all monitored the processes and procedures on the floor. And myself and my colleague Hon. Akau Ismaila monitored and worked with the committees while work on the bills were going on, and so it did not lead to any rancour in the course considering the bills on the floor and after passage it became easier for consultations and it has been assented to by Mr. President,” he said.

    According to him, all the eight bills are member bills sponsored by members of the National Assembly.

    He disclosed that there is presently no bill pending assent ‎before President Buhari as all bills sent to him have been assented to.

  • Discos’ corrupt and fraudulent bills

    SIR: Recently, it was in the news that Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), Minister for Power, Works and Housing has approved increases in tariff charges on electricity unit by the respective distribution companies (Discos) ranging from 45% to over 65% without considering its impact on inflation bedeviling the economy and fairness and equity on the consumers. There is no gainsaying the fact that the discos have been abusing and exploiting Nigerians and the system to milk Nigerians dry with shameless impunity. Nigerians have the capacity to vehemently demand that this over-estimation stop now and should so demand. When the Nigerian exploiters with their foreign collaborators acquired our collective assets in the power sector at prices that were ridiculously less than 10 percent of their value, little did patriotic Nigerians know that the greed of the very few would be a dirty source of pain to fellow Nigerians and responsible organizations.

    It is trite that building power infrastructure is long term and capital intensive and usually yields long term return. It takes above an average of five years to begin to earn revenue. But in the case of these discos, they started earning revenue right from the first day of acquisition of our collective power assets. Even the disputed estimated bills of PHCN were carried over and debited to consumers even when the discos claimed they did not acquire PHCN liabilities but only infrastructural assets.

    There are three categories of the discos’ customers. The first are those with pre-paid meters. The second are those with analogue meters and the third category are those the discos refused to meter and are corruptly, fraudulently and criminally served monthly with over estimated bills usually over 12 times in most cases their actual electricity consumption. Take my case for example: I consume less than 40 units of electricity per month but Ikeja Electric serves me with a fraudulently over-estimated bill of average 480 units as monthly bill. So I am compelled to pay for what I consume for 13 months as my one month bill. For one year, I have paid for 13 years in advance! The same is true for almost every customer of the discos on what they call estimated customers.  All of these unfortunate electricity consumers have paid in advance for between five to 13 years every year since the discos were sold out in November 2013. This of course is the dirty height of corruption and corporate stealing.

    From the above, you will discover that the argument by the Minister that the discos are not making profit is a lie and grand conspiracy to continue to defraud the category of unmetered electricity consumers. The discos have not invested on any visible infrastructure in my area within Mowo Kekere/ Ijede Road axis of Ikorodu in Lagos State and as a result only one transformer still serves over 600 houses that have resulted in very erratic power supply and very  low voltage that have damaged our domestic equipment. I know the same scenario is true in most areas too.

    To justly resolve this issue of fraudulently over-estimated billing system that is very corrupt by any assessment, the Minister and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) will be doing the right thing to immediately direct the discos to stop the estimated billing of electricity consumers that the discos refused to allocate meters and also to cancel the bloated amount on their respective bills effective February 1, 2016 by not further issuing bills to this category of consumers until they are metered since they have all paid bills in advance of between five and 13 years every other year. This is the only solution to the terrible corporate stealing that is being forced down the throat of the average electricity consumer in this country by the discos.

     

    • John Egiaruoyi,

    Ikorodu-Lagos.

  • Reps sponsored 327 bills in six months – Gbajabiamila

    Reps sponsored 327 bills in six months – Gbajabiamila

    Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, House Leader of the House of Representatives, on Wednesday said that the 8th Assembly in its six months of existence had sponsored a total of 327 bills as against 132 presented within the first six months of the 7th Assembly.

    Gbajabiamila said this in Lagos, at an end of the year media briefing on activities of the 8th House of Representatives from June 9 to December 22.

    He said that 264 Bills out of the 327 had passed through first reading and awaiting second reading while a total of 40 Bills had been referred to committees.

    According to him, inspite of a bumpy start in June when the house was inaugurated, the House has been able to step up to the plate and has busied itself in working for the progress of Nigeria.

    “In keeping with the resolve of the President to address the issues of insecurity, unemployment and corruption amongst others, we developed a legislative agenda that will guide the House in achieving its set objectives.

    “The Bills and Motions sponsored and passed so far are clear demonstrations of the House’s resolve to make laws and embark on legislative activities for the good governance of Nigeria.

    “Bills have been presented and resolutions passed to address the issues of insecurity, unemployment, economic reform, reform in the oil and gas sector of the economy etc.

    “We are not there yet but we intend as a House to vigorously align with the hopes and aspirations of the Nigerian masses,” he said.

    Gbajabiamila said that the 8th Assembly, in its six months of existence, investigated many issues that affect the development of the health, education, power and energy sectors.

    He said that they also investigated and deliberated on welfare of IDPs and victims of terrorism, good governance and anti corruption, transportation, security and came up with resolutions.

    Gbajabiamila said that the house intended to pursue the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill in the coming year and present further amendment to the constitution.

    He said the amendment was to provide a more perfect document that would guide the nation.

    “As a House, we have, through the instrumentality of the law, extended the 2015 capital budget to March 2016 in conformity with our constitution which prescribes a 12- month budget span, thereby ensuring the continuation of the infrastructural development envisaged in the 2015 budget.

    “On the 2016 budget, we will look at the proposals and the document with a fine tooth comb, dot the ‘Is’ and cross the ‘Ts’ where and if necessary,” he said.

    Gbajabiamila said the 8th Assembly would appreciate continued support and understanding of Nigerians.

  • Enugu to ban indiscriminate pasting of bills

    As soon as the Enugu State government approves the Bill passed by its House of Assembly, it will be an offence for anybody or organisation to paste posters or handbills at its bus stops without approval.

    The member representing Nkanu East Constituency, Hon. Paul Nnajifor, supported by 13 others moved a motion urging the state government through the Ministry of Environment to ban members of the public from defacing the bus stops with posters of any kind.

    The motion also sought to mandate the Ministry of Environment through the Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA), Ministries of Gender Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, to clear the bus stops and all the roads in the metropolis of the destitute and hawkers that constitute a nuisance in the state’s urban areas.

    In the same vein, the motion sought the state government to direct the Ministry of Environment and agencies to monitor bus stops with a view to prosecuting offenders.

    All the members spoke in favour of the motion before passing it but not before the member representing Udi North, Hon. Johnbull Nwagu raised objection that the House would be ridiculed should the order be flouted as it was in the past when a similar motion was raised during the 5th Assembly.

    The Speaker Hon. Edward Ubosi overruled Nwagu’s objection saying that the import of the motion was to ensure the environmental cleanliness of the state that this time around, the law would be obeyed and thanked members for deliberating on the all important motion.

    “I thank in a special way the mover of the motion and the co-sponsors and my colleagues for their contributions to the motion,” Ubosi appraised his colleagues.

    Meanwhile, the House has cleared a member of the Civil Service Commission nominee, Mr. Egbogu Eugene Ejike from Eha Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area to replace Mr. Nwanze Agu who died recently.

    Ejike would be sworn in to fill the vacant position.

     

  • Residents protest ‘crazy electricity bills’

    Residents protest ‘crazy electricity bills’

    Some Lagos residents have protested what they called the epileptic power supply in their area and “loath-some” billings by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).

    The residents of Igbehin-Adun in Ilasamaja, Mushin, alleged that they are being billed for what they did not consume by the Iyana-Isolo and Idi-Araba districts of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).

    A banner at the entrance of the community reads: The real change we want in Ilasamaja from Eko Distribution Company. Their demands as inscribed on the banner  include; No more crazy bills; No more extortion in estimated billing; No more service charges; No more billing not in commensurate with energy consumption; Prepaid metres should be free among others.

    Their representatives made their grievances known at the EKEDC head office on the Marina in Lagos last Thursday.

    They were denied access to the EKEDC General Manager, who was said to be in a meeting.

    An official of EKEDC, however, assured them that their complaints would be looked into.

    A former councillor in Mushin Local Government, Lateef Olayinka Aro told The Nation that the residents’ efforts to lodge a complaints at the Iyana-Isolo and Idi-Araba districts of EKEDC failed.

    He said: “The situation of power supply in this area has been precarious. We want to see the authority in charge but to some extent, we have been finding it difficult. We went to Isolo district but we got flimsy excuses. The Idi-Araba district told us to lodge our complaints at the head office in Marina. For a year now, our bills have been high.  We are being billed as an industrial area while our area is actually a residential area. The bills are high compared to the level of income of the people in this area. We want the government to understand our plight and look into the matter as quick as possible.”

    Aro said their investigations showed that they have been disconnected from the former feeder where they enjoyed “little power supply”, adding: “we have been given that of Itire while ours was given to Itire.”

    The residents said they met with an official of the Idi-Araba district who pleaded with them to exercise patience.

    According to Aro, the official said: “All these are happening as a result of the privatisation of the power sector, but we are assuring you that there will be positive changes”.

    A resident, Taiwo Hamzat, representing Akanro and Ogunbowale axis, decried the outrageous bills, saying they are nowhere equal to the level of power supplied.

    Hamzat said: “We are making our grievances known to EKEDC; we do not deserve outrageous bills, estimated billings, illegal disconnection and frequent power outage. Imagine, an individual being given between N20,000 and N60,000 bill monthly yet the power supply is not constant.

    Another resident, Folorunsho Olorunosebi said they could deal with EKEDC officials, “but we decided to express our complaints at the head office to avoid violence.”

    Mrs Folashade Ajani said her faulty metre which was taken away by EKEDC officials has not been returned, “but I have been receiving bills for power not supplied”.

    An EKEDC official in Idi-Araba appealed for calm, promising to hold a meeting with some selected members of the community.

  • Reps to probe BEDC over Ondo community’s blackout, bills

    The House of Representatives has asked   the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to explain the disconnection of three Federal constituencies – Ilaje/Esa Odo, Okitipupa/Irele and Odigbo/Ileoluji/Okeibo in Ondo State – for 15 months without explanations.

    The lawmakers were also surprised at BEDC’s continued demand for bills.

    Kolade Akinjo (PDP, Ondo) and four others, in a motion yesterday, noted that despite being disconnected by BEDC for 15 months, the monthly bills had been consistently presented to the consumers.

    The House mandated its Committee on Power, when constituted, to interface with BEDC and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) over the prolonged disconnection and the bills.

    The committee was given four weeks to report back for further legislative action.

    Akinjo regretted that despite the huge investments by the Federal Government to boost power supply, majority of households in the country still grappled with blackout almost daily.

    He said: “It is worrisome that the continued blackout in the affected areas for that length of time has brought untold hardship to the inhabitants; it has paralysed business activities.

    “This has left the people with no other choice but to resort to buying fuel to power their generators.

    “The prevailing situation has adversely affected the social well-being of the people, created security challenges, which have led to an increase in crime rate.

    “It is, however, regrettable and absurd that despite the blackout, the people are still being asked to pay regular monthly bills for electricity that was not supplied.”

    The lawmakers unanimously supported the motion when it was put to voice vote by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

  • Insurance premium tax rise’ll add £35 a year extra to bills

    The United Kingdom (UK) insurance sector has reacted with disappointment to the rise in insurance premium tax (IPT) announced by Chancellor George Osborne in the budget

    Motorists can anticipate a rise in their annual insurance premiums of between £12 and £13.

    The industry estimated the increase in the basic rate of IPT from six per cent to 9.5 per cent from November, this year would add between £10 and £12 to the average buildings and contents policy, and £12 to £13 to a yearly motor insurance bill.

    Price comparison website moneysupermarket.com said an average two-car household could expect to pay around £35 extra a year for home and car insurance.

    AA Insurance said the “outrageous hike” could backfire “by leading to an increase in uninsured drivers”.

    Huw Evans, Director-General of the Association of British Insurers, said: “It’s very disappointing to see a more than 50 per cent tax increase being imposed on consumers, especially when the insurance industry and government has worked so hard in recent years to bring down the cost of essential insurance.”

    Steve White, chief executive officer, British Insurance Brokers’ Association, said his organisation was extremely disappointed.

    “The government has been working with the industry to reduce the cost of insurance for consumers including a summit chaired by the prime minister. It therefore seems counterintuitive to be taking measures which will add to the cost effectively taxing protection. We hope the government will review this rise and correct it in further budgets,” he said.

    Alexis Roberts, partner in the insurance team at law firm Pinsent Masons, said insurers would be concerned on how the change could have a negative effect on sales.

    Naomi Saragoussi, health and protection lead at PwC, warned private medical insurance would be the cover worst affected. “This will result in private medical premiums increasing by between 7.5 per cent and 15.5 per cent a year. It will also impact employees’ taxable benefit, as IPT is included in an employee’s overall P11D liability,” she said.

    “An increase in premiums due to an increase in IPT may result in some individuals and companies unable to afford private medical cover, increasing pressure on the NHS.”

    Her colleague Ben Flockton, insurance tax partner, added: “Insurers will also be concerned about whether this represents part of a gradual move towards aligning the IPT rate with the VAT rate, something we have already seen in other EU member states.

    “On a more positive note, the announcement of transitional provisions around the rate rise should allow insurers to manage the change with less difficulty than in 2011. Insurers’ concerns around the way that change was implemented have been recognised.”

    But Pinsent Masons’ Roberts added that greater regulation of claims management companies, which are perceived to drive up insurers’ costs, would be welcomed by the sector.

  • CBN to raise N120.5b treasury bills next week

    CBN to raise N120.5b treasury bills next week

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it plans to sell N120.52 billion of three-month, six-month and one-year Treasury bills on June 24, the bank said.

    The bank said in a statement it would sell N31.19 billion worth of the three-month paper, N39.33 billion of the six-month bill and N50 billion in the one-year debt next week, using the Dutch auction System.

    At an auction later, the bank is offering N143.64 billion worth of Treasury bills of tenors ranging between three-month and one-year.

    In addition, a total of N80 billion worth of Treasury bonds with maturities between five-year and 20-year are also on offer at the same auction. The results of both auctions will be published today.

  • Ahmed signs four bills into law

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has signed four bills into law.

    He pledged to redouble his efforts to improve the people’s welfare.

    The new laws are: A Law to Amend the Environmental Sanitation Law, A Law to Repeal the Kwara State Transport Corporation, A Law to Amend the Cooperative Societies Law and A Law to Amend the Kwara State Debt Securities Issuance Law.

    Ahmed said he would initiate and implement initiatives to ensure good governance.

    A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Dr. Muideen Akorede, said the governor acknowledged the challenges confronting the state, following dwindling allocation from the Federal Government.

    The statement said the governor assured that he would work hard to cushion the effect of the poor national economy on the populace.

    Ahmed urged the people to support his administration to develop the state, stressing that all hands must be on deck to create a prosperous Kwara for the benefit of all.

    The governor said although his administration had no intention to impose fresh taxes, efforts would be made towards efficient revenue collection to raise funds for his people-oriented projects.

    These projects, according to him, include 100 megawatt Independent Power Project, 2,000 classrooms, remodelling of five general hospitals and the implementation of new water projects.