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Tag: Deputy Speaker

  • Reps to FG: Fund Lagos-Ibadan Express Road, Second Niger Bridge projects

    Reps to FG: Fund Lagos-Ibadan Express Road, Second Niger Bridge projects

    The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to urgently decide on how to fund and execute the Lagos-Ibadan Road and the second Niger Bridge projects.

    The Lawmakers expressed concern on the confusion surrounding if the projects are to be fully funded by government or to be executed under a concession agreement with private firms.

    The House Committee on Works has therefore been mandated to investigate the nature of the contracts and concession arrangement and report back in four weeks for further parliamentary action.

    The resolution of the House was sequel to the passage of a motion by a member Solomon Maren with the title: “Need to Investigate Nature of the Contract or Concession Arrangement on Second Niger Bridge and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway”,

    Maren while moving the motion said both projects has not followed the established pattern of project execution, adding that that the minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, recently warned on the possibility of both the Lagos-Ibadan Road and Second Niger Bridge ending up as white elephant projects.

    Allocation for the projects in the 2017 budget were not adequate and they not not under concession agreement.

    His words: “Contracts for the construction of the second Niger-Bridge and reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Express Road have continued to feature in the annual budgets without any seeming signal of their completion or the amount required to do so.”

    Maren in response to a remark by the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun said that though two contractors were handling the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway presently, the Federal Government is yet to make up its mind on the funding arrangement for,the two projects.

    The Deputy Speaker Lasun in a deprive from the tradition of not debating infrastructure motions tgave the floor to the chairman  Committee on Works, Tobey Okechukwu, to speak on the issue.

    Okechuwku who supported the motion said it has become imperative for government to come up with a framework for the completion the projects adding that this stemmed from the observation of his committee that while the Lagos-Ibadan Road is “supposed to have alternative funding”, the Federal Government has not made a clear-cut decision on the funding plan for the second Niger-Bridge.

    The lawmaker said the “piece-meal procurement” funding method hitherto employed by the government should be dropped.

    Mohammed Sani-Abdul who also supported the motion, said despite litigation on the Lagos-Ibadan Road, work was still going. This he said makes the situation in the second Niger-Bridge project of concern.

    The non utilisation of the N14 billion 2016 budget allocation and the N10 billion allocated in 2017 for the second Niger Bridge was worrisome based on the fact that the concession agreement for the project was between Federal Government and an international investment company which later sub-contracted the project to Julius Berger Plc.

    With no contract between the Federal Government and Julius Berger, the construction firm cannot be directly funded through budgetary allocations for the project, Sani-Abdul’s said.

    When it was put to vote by the Deputy Speaker who presided, it was passed by a majority of members.

  • Kwara assembly wades into Air Force, community land dispute

    Kwara assembly wades into Air Force, community land dispute

    The Kwara House of  Assembly on  Thursday urged the state government to pay compensation to Alagbado community in Eiyenkorin, a suburb of llorin, for the 20 hectares of land it sold to the Nigerian Airforce in  1985.

    The House made the plea after considering the report of a  petition submitted to its Committee on Public Petition.

    In the petition, the Alagbado community had alleged encroachment into its land by the Nigerian Airforce.

    But the Chairman of the committee, Muhammed Adebayo, said that the Nigerian Air Force had acquired the land since 1985 and compensation had been paid to the state government.

    The committee said the state government, however,  refused to pay compensation to the land owners following a dispute on the land with another community.

    The House, in its resolution, urged the state Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the Bureau of  Lands and the Office of the Surveyor-General to demarcate the land acquired by the Nigerian Air Force.

    The House also urged Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed to urgently direct the Bureau of Lands to pay the appropriate compensation to the rightful owners without further delay.

    It further called on the state Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to direct the Secretary, State Town Planning and Development Authority to stop issuing building approvals for any land in contention.

    Some lawmakers in their submissions recommended that punitive measures be meted against  town planning  officials  found wanting in the allocation of already acquired land to serve as deterrent to others.

    The Deputy Speaker, Mathew Okedare,  who presided over Thursday’s sitting, commended the committee for its brilliant submissions on the issue.

  • Constitution Review: Reps devolve more Power to states

    Constitution Review: Reps devolve more Power to states

    The House of Representatives Special Ad-hoc Committee has heeded the stringent call for true federalism and restructuring of the country by granting the devolution of powers to State Governments.

    Also adopted by the committee is the amendment that “any person who has been sworn-in as President to complete the term of a person elected as President shall not be eligible to contest for election into such office for more than one single term.”

    The over 50 members committee at a meeting chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun Monday also approved the cancellation of the State and Local Government Joint Account from the 1999 Constitution.

    Each Local Government Council according to the proposed amendment is empowered to maintain its own account into which shall be paid its allocation form the Federation Account and from the State Government.

    That the disbursement from the account can only be upon a Bye-Law of the Local Government Council was also supported by members of the ad hoc committee.

    A statement from the office of the Deputy Speaker further explains: “This is aimed at granting financial autonomy to the local government councils and strengthen separation of power at that level.”

    Also endorsed by the committee was “the bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the 1999 constitution to provide for independent candidacy to contest elections at all levels in the country.”

    The lawmakers also endorsed proposal for financial autonomy for State Houses of Assembly and Judiciary directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the State, and for related matters.

    Members of the Adhoc Committee endorsed the letters of the bill for an Act to alter the provision of the 1999 Constitution to strengthen Local Government administration in Nigeria.

    According to the lawmakers development at the rural areas across the Local Government Areas across the country requires financial independence in order to stimulate infrastructural development at the grassroots level.

     

  • Deputy Speaker faults Osun govt’s claim on Ojutu bridge

    Deputy Speaker faults Osun govt’s claim on Ojutu bridge

    The Deputy Speaker, House of Represen-tatives, Mr. Lasun Yusuf, has faulted Osun State government’s claim that it facilitated the reconstruction of the Ojutu Bridge on Ilobu-Osogbo road. At a press conference in Osogbo, Osun State capital, Yusuf’s Special Adviser on Constituency Relations, Dr. Aderemi Ajala, explained that the lawmaker facilitated the reconstruction of the bridge as one of the capital projects attached to his office as the Deputy Speaker in the 2016 budget.
    According to him: “the subject of our conference is to debunk the lies told by some mischievous and malicious officials of Osun State Government on the designing and construction of the new Ojutu Bridge along Erinle River on Osogbo/Ilobu/Ifon /Ogbomoso road in Osun State. We were struck by a media report, which was reported on Osun State Radio and Television Stations on 3rd of May 2017, that the award of the “Ojutu bridge was facilitated by the Governor, Rauf Aregbesola and not by a federal lawmaker as widely known.
    “As soon as Lasun became the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, on the 30th November 2015, he wrote a letter (Ref: NASS/HR/DS/BNA/M5C/470), to the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, where he called the attention of the Minister to the deplorable condition of the said bridge and the need to design and construct a new bridge that could replace the existing narrow one that was about 102 years old.
    “In the reply, the Minister assured Yussuff of his esteemed support and regards. He also suggested that both of them would have to do the processing. On the part of Yussuff, the Minister suggested that he would send his ministry officials to inspect the bridge and that the Deputy Speaker should mark the bridge as one of the projects earmarked for his office as his allocation of capital projects in his federal constituency.”

  • Reps seek support for Edo rainstorm victims

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday told the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to people displaced by rainstorm in Akoko Edo communities in Edo.

    This is sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Peter Akpatason (Edo-APC) at plenary in Abuja.

    Moving the motion earlier, Akpatason said that NEMA should also take inventory of damages caused by the rainstorm with a view to assisting the victims.

    He said that the incident occurred on March 29 this year.

    The lawmaker said that the incident caused loss of lives and damage to property.

    “The rainstorm, which happened in Lampese, Ibillo, Ugboshi Afe, Imoga, Ugboshi Ele, Ekpedo, Uneme Nekhua, Aiyetoro, Igarra, Ojirami Petesh, Ojirami Afe and Ososo communities blew off roofs and damaged walls of about 250 buildings.

    “It also rendered hundreds of people homeless, thereby exposing them to unhealthy weather conditions,” he said.

    The lawmaker expressed concern that the displaced people were currently taking refuge in make-shift accommodations under harsh conditions.

    He said that if relief materials and other necessary supplies were not provided in good time, the victims would suffer avoidable health hazards from exposure to the elements and more rainfall.

    In his ruling, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr Yussuf Lasun, mandated the committee on emergency and disaster preparedness to visit the communities and make recommendations within two weeks.

     

  • Gov. Obaseki requests Edo Assembly to confirm nominee for traffic agency

    Gov. Obaseki requests Edo Assembly to confirm nominee for traffic agency

    Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Monday requested the State House of Assembly to confirm Mr Dennis Omoregie as the Managing Director, Edo State Traffic Control Agency.

    The request was conveyed in a letter signed and sent to the house by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Osarodion Ogie.

    The speaker, Justin Okonoboh, referred the request to the house committee on rules, business and Government House.
    Also at plenary, a motion to extend the business calendar of the third quarter, second session of the sixth assembly from March 31 to April 7, 2017 was moved by the majority leader, Mr Foly Ogedengbe.

    The motion was seconded by the deputy speaker, Mrs Elizabeth Ativie, member representing (APC Uhunmwode) constituency.

    Moving the motion, Ogedengbe said “the business calendar for this quarter was supposed to have ended on March 31 but we have only extended it with five days,’’ he said.

    The house, however, adopted the business calendar without amendment.

    Meanwhile, the consideration of a bill for a law to eliminate violence in public and private places and prohibit all forms of violence against persons, as well as provide maximum protection, was stepped down.

    The bill was stepped down by the speaker, Justin Okonoboh, as a result of opposition by the chief whip, Kabiru Adjoto and other members of the house.

    Adjoto urged the house to subject the bill to a public hearing, before considering it for passage.

    All efforts by the deputy speaker, Mrs Elizabeth Ativie; majority leader, Mr Foly Ogdengbe, and minority leader, Mr Patrick Iluobe, to persuade other members of the house to support the passage of the bill failed.

    The bill was subsequently stepped down by the speaker.

  • Reps consider Buhari’s N180b virement request

    Reps consider Buhari’s N180b virement request

    The House of Representatives is set to consider the request of President Muhammadu Buhari for the virement of N180b.

    The request which came through a motion by the Majority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila was passed with no resistance from the floor on Wednesday. 

    President Buhari had in a letter dated Tuesday, 25 October 2016 to Speaker Yakubu Dogara requested for virement of funds in the Appropriation Act, 2016.

    The request was in respect of virement of funds appropriated for special intervention  (Recurrent) and special intervention (Capital) to fund some critical Recurrent and Capital items.

    According to the President,  the request was necessitated by a number of reasons, including shortfalls in provisions of Personnel cost, the inadequate provision for the Amnesty Programme,  the need to sustain the war against insurgency and the depreciation of the Naira.

    The letter that came together with the $90b loan request on the same day  was read on the floor while the Speaker said it will be  listed for debate the following week.

    Following the rejection of the President’s requests by the Senate, the House clarified it’s position that it has not rejected the letter but would  rather consider it through a substantive motion.

    The Majority Leader, while justifying the need for the House to consider the motion said in the course of implementing the Appropriation Act, 2016, several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) presented issues pertaining to salary shortfalls as it affects the MDAs that are not under the platform of Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), and some MDAs that are under the IPPIS platform wpuld be locked put as their Personnel Cist budgets would not cover salaries for the rest of the year.

    “Also the Nigerian Air Force needs to cover the foreign exchange differentials in the procurement of its critical equipment and augment the contigency vote, and also to provide for inadequacy in the provision for the National Youth Service Corps in 2016, among others,” he added.

    The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun, who referred it to Committee on Appropriation and other Committees to which the virement relates to serve as sub-committees of the Committee on Appropriations.
  • Plateau Deputy Speaker, Minority Whip, dump PDP for APC

    Plateau Deputy Speaker, Minority Whip, dump PDP for APC

    The Deputy Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, has announced the termination of his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and has indicated his interest to join the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

    The Deputy Speaker made his decision to defect from the PDP to the ruling APC through a letter he addressed to the house, which was read during plenary on Tuesday.

    Gagdi, in his letter announcing his defection, said his former party is wallowing in internal conflict that has become a source of embarrassment to its members.

    He also alleged that there has been no peace fold, due to the poor leadership style of the state executive of the party.

    He said: “Meanwhile, my constituency, my local government (Kanam Local Government Area) is an APC stronghold. There have been so much pressure from the people that voted me into power, that I should join the ruling party. After much consultations among people of my constituency, it dawned on me that my remaining in the opposition for long will be at my own peril.

    “Hence, after due and wider consultations, I have decided to take the bold step, by announcing my decision to follow the dictates of my constituents. I have therefore decided to join my people in the ruling APC.”

    The Minority Whip, Hon. Daniel Nanlong, said his decision to join the ruling APC means that he would sacrifice his position as the Minority Whip.

    Nanlong, who represents Mikang Constituency, said: “I prefer to lose my principal position in the house than losing the support of the people that gave me the mandate in my constituency.”

    Receiving the decampees on the floor of the house, the Majority Leader, Hon. Henry Yunkwap, said the APC has gained an overwhelming majority in the house and that there is the possibility of the remaining few PDP members joining the APC in the nearest future, adding: “That is the beauty of democracy”.

    Speaker, Hon. Peter Azi, said the new entrants into the ruling party would be granted equal status with other members of the party, considering the fact that they are principal officers of the house.

    However, the PDP leadership in the state has said that the action of their two assembly members will not in any way affect the popularity of the party.

  • Plateau deputy speaker, minority whip dump PDP

    Plateau deputy speaker, minority whip dump PDP

    Deputy Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly Yusuf Adamu Gagdi has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Gagdi made his intention known in a letter addressed to the House which was read during plenary yesterday.

    According to Gagdi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been wallowing in internal conflict which had become embarrassing to party members. He also alleged that there had been no peace among members due to the poor leadership style of the state executive.

    “Meanwhile, my local government, Kanam, including my constituency is an APC stronghold. There has been pressure from the people that voted me to join them in the ruling party, and after several consultations, it dawned on me that my remaining in the opposition party will be at my own political risk.

    “Hence, after due consultations, I have decided to take the bold step by announcing my decision to follow the dictates of my constituents. I have, therefore, decamped to join my people in the ruling APC,” Gagdi said.

    The Minority Whip, Daniel Nanlong, who representss Mikang constituency, also announced his defection to the APC.

    Nanlong said he decided to sacrifice his position as the Minority Whip to join the ruling party, adding that: “I prefer to lose my position in the house than losing the people that gave me the mandate.”

    Majority Leader Henry Yunkwap, who received the decampees, said the APC has gained overwhelming majority in the house, noting the possibility of the few PDP members left joining APC in the future.

    Speaker Peter Azi said the new entrants would be treated equally since they were principal officers of the house.

    However, the leadership of the PDP has said the defection will not in affect the party’s popularity.

  • Reps move to decongest prisons

    Reps move to decongest prisons

    • Pass Criminal Justice Act Amendment

    A reprieve may be in the offing for people who are awaiting trial in prisons across the country following the Wednesday consideration for the bill on Criminal Justice Act Amendment at the House of Representatives.

    This is as Lawmakers expressed support for the bill that strengthens the Criminal Justice system as it went through consideration at the committee in the Whole.

    The bill which amends the Criminal Justice (Release from custody) (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. C40, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, with the view to decongest and reduce the number of pretrial inmates in Nigerian prisons and for other related matters was co-sponsored by Nicholas Ossai and Ochiglegor Idagor.

    It seeks to “order the release of a person detained in custody pending trial where the prosecution fails to commence after the person had spent one-third of the maximum sentence prescribed for the offence.”

    Figures released by the United Nation’s Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in August 2016, states that  out the 63,000 inmates spread across 240 prisons in the country, 17,897 are convicted while 45,263 are awaiting trial.

    Idagor while arguing for a positive consideration of the bill said its “embarrassing and worrisome State of Nigerian prisons, where over 70% of inmates are awaiting trial, has made it imperative for us to apply extra LegislativeBudget measures to decongest our prisons and further strengthen the criminal justice system.”

    He further states: “Our society is one in which innocence until proven guilty has been thrown into the wind, as Nigerians are made to spend months and years in incarceration even without being proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

    “We can no longer continue living in the dark age where  people’s rights are constantly abused while the government stands aside and watch. We all know that in the 240 prisons spread across Nigeria, the innocent who were wrongly accused, wrongly detained and are awaiting trial constitute 70% of the Nigerian prison population.

    “It has also been revelead that 95% of riots, escapes and jail breaks are perpetuated by this category of inmates.”

    The lawmaker stated that the bill seeks to cure the age long problem of awaiting trial persons languishing in various prisons as well as saddle an awaiting trial perons with powers to apply to a Judge within the judicial district for unconditional release from custody.

    This he said is especially in a situation where the person has been in custody for a period longer than the maximum period of imprisonment which he could have served had he been convicted of the offence in respect of which he was detained in the execution of a court or Tribunal duly constituted by law.

    According to him, the Judge on receipt of the application will summarily release the inmate if satisfied that the person has been in custody longer than the maximum period the person would have served had he been convicted.

    The lawmaker states that the bill is beneficial in the sense that there is reduction in monetary expenses spent on feeding and upkeep of inmates across the country, reduction of Staff workload and stress, manageability of prisons/improved prison regime, reduction in prison overcrowding rate, improved sanitary and living conditions in prison and reduction of lack of discipline, disturbances and aggression in prison.

    He said the passage of the bill into law will help in reducing unnecessary violation of individual’s right to liberty, prevention of the negative effects of incarceration such as psychological stress to the prison, financial, psychological and social stress faced by the  families, opportunity for better preparation of their cases and prevention of criminal socialisation of those innocent by the more serious and sophisticated offenders.

    However, an observation by the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, that it requires amendment of section 35 of the 1999 Constitution to run the bill through, made the Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun who presided to referred it to the House Committee on Rules and Business for further advise.