Tag: Dr Bukola Saraki
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Ahmed, Saraki absent at Ilorin Eid Prayers
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara state and Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki as well as top government functionaries were conspicuously absent at the Eid-el-Fitri prayers on Wednesday in Ilorin.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that both the governor and Saraki were usually present at the Eid praying ground during Salah celebrations.
No reason was given for their absence although a top Government House source told NAN that the governor prayed at a private mosque in the state capital.
NAN also reports that the duo usually paid the traditional homage to the Emir, Alhaji Sulu Gambari, immediately after the Eid prayers.
They were, however, absent for the traditional homage and the accompanying Durbar which often followed the Eid prayers.
NAN further reports that Ahmed had last year stayed away from the Eid praying ground while those who attended with the senate president were pelted with stones and sachet water by angry workers whose salaries were not paid.
NAN also reports that there was a fracas at the palace of the emir who was hosting this year’s traditional “ night of prayers’’ on Sunday.
A palace source confided in NAN that mid-way into the programme, a cleric rose to defend government’s inability to pay workers’ salaries and this drew the anger of the people.
The source told NAN that the crowd went berserk, disconnecting the electricity supply to the venue and freely throwing chairs at dignitaries at the event.
The Secretary of Sheikh Alimi Foundation, Abdulazeez Arowona, in a statement confirmed there was fracas at the palace during the programme.
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Drug, food counterfeiters may face life imprisonment – Saraki
The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has said that individuals convicted of producing and selling counterfeit and fake drugs as well as unwholesome processed foods may be jailed for life.
Saraki, who spoke at the public hearing on a Bill for an Act to Amend the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods Act, added that such convicts could be fined up to two million naira.
He further said that upon conviction, assets acquired by such persons would be forfeited to the Federal Government.
According to him, the amendment of the law is aimed at strengthening punishments for persons involved in such unwholesome practices.
“In 2008, thousands of Nigerian children started taking a teething medicine that contained toxic chemicals.
“By February 2009 over 90 Nigerian babies had died from consuming the mixture. This is despicable, and to say the least, unacceptable,’’ he said.
The president of the Senate stressed that the amendment of the law would provide Nigerians food security, disease free society and required standards for soil sciences.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Sen. Olanrewaju Tejuoso, said the Senate had continued to give opportunity to Nigerians to contribute their quota to matters of national importance, particularly health.
He said that the World Health Organisation had reported that about 32 billion dollars was lost to drug counterfeiting business in 2004 and 40 billion dollars in 2006.
“There is need to enact new legislation or amend the weak or already existing ones to see that the lives of the citizens of this nation are protected,’’ he said.
Tejuoso said that the increased level of fake products in the Nigerian market was alarming.
He added that “there are several fake products like fake cosmetics, fake registered appliances, fake spare-parts, fake brushes, fake designer shoes and the list is literally endless.
“The effect is far reaching because it is a matter of life and death.
“Some of the major causes of fake drugs and counterfeiting include corruption, inadequate technology for the protection of the identity of genuine drugs as well as lack of vigilance and advocacy by the healthcare providers.
“Combating this menace requires serious efforts,” he said.
According to him, about 50 per cent of drugs bought from private places, such as pharmacies, patent medicine stores and street vendors, are more susceptible to counterfeiting unlike those from the public health sector.
“According to late Dora Akunyili of blessed memory, the negative impact of fake drugs from the society is more than that of either narcotic agents but the combined effects of malaria, HIV/AIDS and armed robbery,” he said.
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Saraki seeks more powers for ECOWAS parliament
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has called for more powers for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, if the aim of the sub-region to achieve full integration is to be realized.
Saraki made the call in his speech at the opening of the First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja on Monday through a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Sanni Onogu, in Abuja.
According to the statement, the Senate President said that though the ECOWAS parliament is evolving in the right direction, it was his fervent hope that members of the sub region will begin to invest in it, more responsibility and opportunity as a sure path to creating the right structure for closer integration of the sub-region.
Saraki said: “The ECOWAS sub-region has come a long way in pursuit of integration and development. However, what is clear today is that we need to do more. Other regional bodies, including those who we inspired have moved faster towards integration than we have.
“Sadly, this has been due to our inability to add to the institutional building blocks and muster the courage to reorder our structures for the vision of a virile and integrated ECOWAS.
“The ECOWAS Parliament remains a critical place to start. We must as a necessity, give the parliament greater authorization and capacity to duly legislate in common areas and provide oversight on certain issues of common interest and interdependency.
“For as long as we are unable to, or fail to remit to this parliament more power, the dreams for greater integration will remain a myth. This singular reason may be responsible for the lack of adequate cohesion in the fight against terrorism, cross border crimes and the implementation of agreed trade agreements and protocols.
“With greater oversight and authorization, it is possible that we would see greater inroads made in the areas of the enforcement of ECOWAS regional trade agreements and instruments especially the Common External Tariff Order,” he said.
He said that the ECOWAS Parliament has shown itself as a primer of integration and a key instrument for stability in the sub region having utilised ‘its instruments to provide opinions on various issues such as infrastructural development, migration, public health and investment referred to it by other Community Institutions, especially the ECOWAS Commission; with the aim to positively impact on the standards of living of West African citizens.’
He noted that there has been a significant increase in the level of cross boarder businesses in the sub-region – with investment criss-crossing regional boundaries by nationals of the ECOWAS region – as a result of the implementation of the free movement of goods and persons across the region.
While saying that the policy on free movement of goods and persons is beginning to bear significant fruits across the length and breath of the region, he lamented that “very little is being done to provide the right legal and institutional inter-ECOWAS-states frameworks that would guarantee and insulate these enterprising citizens from discriminatory practices, anti competition, human rights abuse and the possibility of host bias in the treatment of conflicts arising from their cross-border enterprise.
“This further underscores the need for us to act together to encourage this free flow of capital as a means to deepen our integration and avoid the possibility of recoiling our gains by enabling the parliament have more powers to make laws and fill in the legislative gaps where necessary to aid our regional development agenda,” he said.
He however reiterated the support and assistance of the nation’s National Assembly to the work of the ECOWAS parliament as it strives to provide the necessary legislative leadership for greater development of the ECOWAS region.
While the region is proud that the Parliament has done creditably well in fulfilling its mandate according to the Senate President, he noted that “in recent times, we have seen the scourge of terrorism cut through and expose the weaknesses of our regional integration efforts as our various governments scrambled to find a foothold for proper coordination of intelligence, resource mobilization and rapid response to terror threats.
“This weakness we also witnessed in the coordination of responses to the spread of Ebola virus in 2015. These are glaring cases in which we were severely examined and our imperfect union exposed.
“While these may have happened, we have also shown resilience and our leaders shown ingenuity in coming up with measures that have helped us contain these scourges.
“However, they remain stark reminders of the challenges ahead and the need for us to revisit our protocols and treaties in order to create a more virile union that can help us deal with the challenges of the 21st century.
“As we speak, the average citizen of the ECOWAS is yet to feel meaningfully the impact of the ECOWAS union beyond free movement of persons and goods. This is another reason I believe the enhancement of the ECOWAS Parliament remit merits deliberation,” he said.
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My trial will not disturb Senate proceedings —Saraki
The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has said that his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal will not interrupt Senate proceedings, a statement said in Abuja on Monday.
The statement was issued by Saraki’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu.
It said the president of the Senate spoke following the announcement of the tribunal Chairman, Mr. Danladi Umar, that proceedings in the trial would hold daily henceforth.
The statement said: “It would be recalled that at the preliminary stage of the trial, senators had always accompanied the Senate president to the tribunal each time the case came up for hearing.
“ But Saraki said now that the trial proper has commenced and the Senate is in session, he would not want the trial to affect legislative business.
“Saraki also said `I am the one on trial not the Senate. Even though I have been overwhelmed by the solidarity displayed by my colleagues, it is important that the work of the Senate is not unduly affected by this process.’’
It added that the legislative body would not be affected by the absence of any of the principal officers.
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CCT: Saraki’s trial to resume today
The trial of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on alleged false declaration of assets is set to resumed at the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki today, Wednesday, April 6, 2016.
On Tuesday, counsel to Saraki, Mr. paul Usoro asked for an adjournment on the ground of appeal that had been entered before the appellate court.
Usoro reiterated that the process of appeal had been transmitted to the CCT and the record of appeal was before the Tribunal.
The defendant filed a motion of stay of proceedings which is before the Registrar of the court, he told the Tribunal.
He explained that the prayer for adjournment was to essentially allow the Court of Appeal to entertain and arrive at a decision in the appeal, which it had graciously
However, the trial is set to resume with counsels to the case, announcing their appearances.
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We are committed to Nigeria’s economic growth – Unilever
Unilever Africa has stressed its commitments towards further investment and growth in Nigeria.
This was on Wednesday disclosed by Unilever Africa President, Bruno Witvoet, while at a CEO Forum in Abidjan.
It would be recalled that earlier this year, the Africa CEO visited Nigeria where he met with key government officials like the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Oky Enelamah and he expressed Unilever’s intention to strengthen its investments, as well as commitment to growing business sustainably in Nigeria.
At the same meeting, the Unilever Boss, stated that the company was working on its backward integration plans, driving towards 100% local sourcing over time.
“We are pleased and very confident to state that we are a Nigerian company and we are here to stay.
“We have been in the country for 92 years and will be here for another 92 years and more. Our plans for increased investment will also bring about employment opportunities in the country as workers will be recruited for the new production line, and in the farms for the production and sourcing of local raw materials.”
When asked about the prevailing economic circumstances in Nigeria at the CEO forum, the Unilever Boss said he believes the situation in Nigeria is improving and that the company will continue to invest in the country. He noted that as well as a number of expansion programmes already underway, approval has also being given to invest more in capital expansion.
Mr Wivoet, while stating that it was not the job of companies to comment on currency policies, stated, that he is hopeful, that the current Foreign Exchange situation across the continent where black market rates are allowed to play parallel to official rates will be addressed to help support rapid economic progress.
Local sourcing of raw materials Mr. Witvoet stated will help provide a ready market for some of the products produced by local farmers and thus provide them with the needed encouragement and empowerment.
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FCT Capital Budget: Senate extends implementation of N144bn
The Senate on Tuesday approved a request from President Muhammadu Buhari for the extension of the implementation of the N114 billion FCT capital budget to March 31.
The Senate acceded to the request of the president and gave the bill accelerated hearing as it was considered for second reading, third reading and passed.
However, in his remark, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, directed the Conference Committee of the Senate to harmonise its figures with the House of Representatives.
Earlier, while presenting the bill for second reading, the Leader of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, noted that the 2015 FCT budget was approved on May 28, 2015, allowing only seven months for its implementation.
He said that in order to meet the obligations of the FCT and as requested by the president, the Senate should give accelerated passage to the request for extension.
He said that in view of the seven months period, the FCT budget implementation only stood at 40 per cent, hence the need for the extension.
It would be recalled that Buhari on February 23 requested the Senate to extend the implementation of the budget to March 31.
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My trial is persecution – Saraki
… I won’t resign, says Senate President
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has said that he would not resign from his position, despite his ongoing false asset declaration trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
According to Saraki, the trial is an act of persecution and not an actual fight against corruption.
Saraki said this on Friday at Landmark Events Centre in Lagos during a social media week event organised by State- Craft Inc. the theme was; ‘Did You Say Change? Game Changers of the 2015 Nigerian elections.’
He stated that his trial was the handiwork of powerful people who were unhappy with his emergence as Senate President.
The Senate President said that when he got into office as a civil servant 13 years ago; he filled the asset declaration form which is a must for all public servants to fill once they enter office.
In his words, “We are public servants and you must fill your asset declaration form when you get in office and I did mine 13 years ago.
“The charges have nothing to do with corruption or money being stolen anywhere. I will have my day in court to prove my innocence of the charge pending against me because it is not about corruption.
“I don’t understand how the same organisation that cleared my asset declaration to be proper in 2004, 2009 and 2011 can now say that my record is faulted,” he said.
Among personalities present at the event were, Senator Dino Melaye; Senator Sabi Abdulahi and Senator Foster Ogola.
