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Tag: House of Representative

  • Rep committee appeals to striking nurses, midwives to suspend action

    Rep committee appeals to striking nurses, midwives to suspend action

    The House of Representatives Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity has appealed to nurses and midwives to suspend their ongoing nationwide strike.

    In a statement on Thursday in Akure, the Ondo State, the Committee Chairman, Adegboyega Adefarati, described the ongoing industrial action as disruptive to healthcare delivery and detrimental to the country’s ongoing economic recovery.

    The nurses under the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM-FHI) on Wednesday commenced a nationwide strike to demand improved welfare, fair allowances, and better working conditions.

    Their strike action became necessary after a 15-day ultimatum on 14 July expired without a concrete response from the federal government and Federal Ministry of Health.

    The nurses’ industrial action has continued to paralysed health related activities in major national hospitals owned by the federal government in the state.

    At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo, the nurses declared that they will not attend to any patient during the ongoing warning strike, regardless of the severity of cases.

    Mr Coker Oluwasegun, secretary of the association, who spoke to reporters, said the welfare of the nurses had long been neglected by the government.

    But Hon Adefarati, in his statement acknowledged the indispensable roles nurses and midwives play in Nigeria’s health system and emphasized the urgent need for dialogue.

    He urged the health professionals to consider the broader national interest, especially at a time when the nation is undergoing critical economic transformation.

    “The House Committee deeply empathises with Nigerian nurses and midwives over their service concerns and acknowledges their vital roles in safeguarding the health and well-being of our citizens.

    Read Also: FEC approves ₦68.7bn for power projects in universities, hospitals, rural communities

    “At this critical period of our nation’s economic transformation, it is imperative that we prioritize the collective interests of all Nigerians,” Adefarati said.

    He further expressed concern that the industrial action is further burdening an already strained healthcare sector and disrupting essential services across the country.

    “The ongoing nationwide strike has significantly disrupted healthcare services across the country, further straining our health sector.

    “While we recognise the importance of addressing the legitimate grievances of our health professionals, we urge the leadership of the Nigerian Nurses and Midwives to consider the aggregate interest of all Nigerians,” he said.

    According to the Committee, the Ministers of Labour and Health is already engaging with the leadership of the striking union in an effort to resolve the issues amicably.

    “We call on the leadership of Nigerian nurses and midwives to embrace this opportunity for dialogue and to consider calling off the strike in the spirit of patriotism and commitment to national development.

    “We believe that through constructive engagement and mutual understanding, we can achieve balanced outcomes that respect the needs of our health workers while safeguarding the health rights and well-being of all Nigerians.”

    Adefarati, however, appealed to the union to “show leadership and patriotism by suspending the strike as we work together to restore full healthcare services for our citizens.”

  • I took advantage of Not Too Young To Run act- Lagos Rep-elect

    House of Representative member-elect Kayode Akiolu (APC-Lagos), said that he took advantage of the “Not Too Young to Run” act to win the Feb. 23 election.

    Akiolu, in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja said that the act paved the way for young people to seek political office in the country.

    “In Nigeria today, more than half of our population are younger than 30. So, if we’re old enough to vote, we’re old enough to run for office too.

    “That’s the idea behind the #NotTooYoungToRun. The campaign initially launched in support of Nigeria’s Age Reduction Bill.

    ”Signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 31, 2018, it has given young Nigerians like me the opportunity to serve my constituency and my Nation,” he said.

    According to him, between 1999 and 2015, the average age of the country’s representatives rose from 43 to 50.5 years.

    “All the while, Nigeria’s population trended younger and younger, until reaching its current median age of 18.

    “As one of the first few young Nigerians who have benefited from the movement, I will make sure that the act will not be out of order.

    “Let’s not forget that the absence of youth in decision-making processes in government has created disillusionment among Nigerian youths with regards to Nigeria’s political parties and the ruling class.

    “Presently, Nigeria has a high unemployment rate, most of them youths, but there are lesser policies than those required to halt this problem. If the youths of a country are jobless, then there is bound to be an increase in vices,” he stated.

    Akiolu said that since politics was a way addressing social issues in Africa, priority would be given to such issues when he assumed office.

    He added that the interest of the people that elected him would be uppermost in his agenda.

    “I scored 12,988 votes to defeat the candidate of the PDP, Adamoh Olagbenga, who scored 4,345 votes; the people of my constituency longed for change to get me here and I won’t disappoint them. Being a young person and having confidence in me, their interest will be uppermost,” he explained.

    He stated that his constituents had conferred on him the right to legislate on their behalf and represent their interest at the House of Representatives.

    Akiolu stated that such trust would motivate him to attract developmental projects to his constituency as well as to partner with the State Government in moving the state towards good governance and progress.

    According to him, economic opportunity is the leading domestic issue of the time and the key to reinvigorating the economy is quality education.

    Akiolu said he would work to provide ideas on improving education, training and jobs to close the opportunity gap in his constituency.

    “I have vowed to increase the standard of education of my people and to ensure that more Federal Government presence is attracted to my constituency in terms of projects and social welfare interventions.

    “As a legal practitioner of over a decade, I joined politics to use my experience and the instrumentality of the law to bring about positive legislation that will impact the lives of the people of Lagos Island federal constituency 2, Lagos State and the nation as a whole, ‘’ he said.

    He, however, added that he would be accessible and accountable to his constituents, not forgetting the elderly, the less privileged and the physically challenged.

    The Not Too Young to Run bill was an initiative pushed by about 54 youth’s organisations in the country, calling for more youth inclusion in the nation’s politics and policy-making.

    The initiators requests include reducing the age required to contest for the posts of the president, governors, senators and House of Representative.

    The act now provided for Nigerians to contest for President at the age of 35 and Governor or Senator at the age of 30.

    It is a change from the initial 40 and 35 years limit, which was mandated by the Constitution.

    The bill also stipulates “that 25-year-old people can now legislate in the National and State Assemblies across the country.”

    Akiolu, who is 38 years, is the son of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu. (NAN)

  • Police arrest 70 over bloody clash in Kano

    More than 70 people have been arrested over the bloody clash between supporters of the immediate past governor of Kano State, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and the House of Representative member representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency, Hon. Abdulmuminu Jibrin Kofa.

    Confirming the arrests to our reporter on the phone, the spokesman of the Kano State Police Command, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, also said that Hon. Kofa and the chairman of Bebeji Local Government Area, Alhaji Ali Namadi Bebeji, were also invited by the police.

    DSP Haruna, however, noted that Kofa was only invited alongside some political leaders in the area for investigation and questioning on the cause of the clash.

    The Nation recalls that five people were feared dead on Thursday at Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State when supporters loyal to former Governor of the state, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and former House Committee chairman on Appropriation, Alhaji Abdulmumuni Jibrin Kofa, engaged in a bloody clash.

    According to eyewitness account, trouble started when Senator Kwankwaso’s convoy, while returning from a campaign, rally passed through an open space where Kofa and his supporters were praying for the peaceful conduct of the general elections.

    It was gathered that Kwankwaso’s convoy disrupted the prayer session, resulting in the bloody clash that reportedly led to the death of five people while many others were injured on both sides.

    According to an eyewitness account who pleaded anonymity, “the long convoy of Senator Kwankwaso, which disrupted the prayers, was actually the cause of the problem.

    “It was, indeed, a bloody sight. The Kwankwaso people had provoked Kofa’s supporters who were conducting a peaceful prayer session for the peaceful conduct of the elections.

    Read also: Security experts counsel on violence-free polls

    “I counted five dead bodies which were moved away on a police Hilux Van. Many vehicles were set ablaze and buildings around the Kofa Neighbourhood were also burnt.”

    Confirming the incident, the House of Representatives member in a telephone interview said that senator KwanKwaso’s supporters attacked his house on their way back from Bebeji and Kiru local Government.

    According to him, over 60 vehicles were burnt while his house was not left out.

    He added that the mobile policemen attached to Senator Kwankwaso shot sporadically for more than one hour, resulting in the death of many.

    The spokesman of the PDP governorship candidate, Mallam Sanusi Bature Dawaki Tofa, accused Kofa’s supporters of launching attack on Kwankwaso’s convoy.

  • Reps vow to unravel alleged rape cases in IDP camps

    The House of Representative on Wednesday vowed to unravel alleged rampant cases of raping across Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) camp in the country.

    This followed a motion by Rep. Hassan Saleh (Benue-APC) on the “need to investigate the untoward activities going on in the various IDPs camps in Nigeria.”

    Moving the motion, Saleh said government’s effort concerning the care and protection of the IDPs was not enough, hence the need for government to do more to protect the victims.

    He expressed concern over the publication in one of the nation’s dailies of Dec. 17, 2017 on how the IDPs in Nigeria were poorly managed.

    “There are several IDP camps all over the country due to the continuous invasion by Boko Haram which has led to displacement of many innocent citizens from their communities” he said.

    According to him, there are a lot of stories in National dailies including New York Times of the harrowing Experiences of rape allegedly committed against women and girls by men in the camps, especially those who are supposed to protect them.

    He expressed worry that the stories of rape, sex for food and materials, rampant pregnancy and abandonment of young mothers and their children were the same in all the camps across the country.

    “There are also cases of pilfering of relief materials and extortion ravaging the camps.

    “Human Right watch had reportedly written to various government agencies requesting comments on the various allegations emanating from all the camps but has not received any response.

    “The National Emergency Management ( NEMA ) is mandated by its Act to provide relief materials to victims of natural or other disasters and to assist in their rehabilitation but it unable to do so.

    “NEMA and the Refugee Commission which have expanded mandate for IDPs are unable to cope with the level of displacement,” he said.

    The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

    The House, therefore, mandated its Committee on IDPs, Refugees and Initiative on North-East to investigate cases of rape, teenage pregnancy, extortion and stealing of relief materials in IDPs’ camps.

    The committee has eight weeks to carry out the assignment.

    NAN

  • Senate, Reps agree to move NFIU to CBN

    Senate, Reps agree to move NFIU to CBN

    The Senate and House of Representative conference committee have agreed to domicile the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), it was learnt Tuesday.

    This is coming as the Senate has scheduled today (Wednesday) consider and adopt the report of the Conference Committee on NFIU Bill.

    The NFIU is currently domiciled in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC.)

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi submitted the conference committee’s report to the Senate yesterday.

    The Bill seeks to grant financial and operational autonomy to the NFIU, which is currently domiciled in the EFCC.

    Findings showed that the conference committee adopted the recommendation of the Senate, which removed the NFIU from the anti-graft agency and domiciled it in the CBN.

    The House position which was jettisoned by the conference was that the NFIU should continue to be domiciled in EFCC.

    The Egmont group, a global network of 154 Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), had suspended Nigeria at its last general meeting in July 2017.

    The FIU threatened to expel the country if the Unit was not given autonomy by its next meeting holding on March 11, 2018.

    If expelled, the country will suffer a blacklist in the global finance sector and Nigerian Banks will be unable to issue Mastercard and Visa credit/debit cards while card transactions with Nigerian originated cards will be blocked. This means Nigerians will be unable to carry out foreign transactions.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary, said that the Bill will be considered today.

    Ekweremadu commended Utazi and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Kayode Oladele, for putting aside their differences and presenting a harmonised report.

    He said that the Bill will be passed and signed into law before the group’s meeting this weekend.

    Only last week, Utazi accused his counterpart in the House of attempting to derail the process of having a legal framework that would guarantee independence of the NFIU.

    Oladele fired back and insisted that Utazi was behind the delay in the passing of the Bill.

    A meeting between Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, mandated the two lawmakers to meet and conclude work on the conference report.

    The joint committee met on Monday, where the two versions of the report were harmonised.

    Read Also: Senate, Reps bicker over NFIU bill

  • Igbonla kids: Lawmaker hails Ambode, Akeredolu, Lagos police chief

    Hon. Wale Raji representing Epe federal constituency at the House of Representative has hailed Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni for the release the kidnapped Igbonla school children.

    Raji also thanked Governor Akinwumi Ambode and his Ondo state counterpart, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for their swift actions in ensuring that the children were released alive.

    He said: “I will like to seize this opportunity to appreciate the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Mr Fatai Owoseni for his unrelenting effort to secure the release of these schools children. Likewise I want to appreciate his Excellency Mr Akinwumi Ambode, the governor of Lagos State and his counterpart from Ondo State Mr Akeredolu for their swift actions in ensuring that the children were released alive.

    “I will like to beg Nigerians to believe in this government and let’s all remember that security of life and properties should not be left on the shoulder of government alone. We should all rise to the clarion call and support government on every of its moves to secure a better Nigeria.

    “However, I will like to charge His Excellency Mr Akinwumi Ambode to please intensify more effort to secure the people living in riverine areas of Lagos State. Recently, a residence in Ise Town was kidnapped for 35 days and latter, like 5 other people were abducted and no one knows their location up till this moment but I believe if a well-equipped marine police station is established in ISE TOWN in Ibeju Lekki, it will serve a great security purposes for people living in the riverine border town of the Lagos and Ogun state.

    “However let our public schools be more secured to avoid future occurrence.”

  • Sex scandal: Panel yet to be constituted – Reps

    Sex scandal: Panel yet to be constituted – Reps

    Even as the lawmakers and their involved in the sex scandals continue to deny any form of culpability, the leadership of the House is yet to constitute the probe panel that will conduct the investigation.

    The non-existence of a probe panel was however contrary to what House Spokesman, Abdulrazak Namdas told journalists on Thursday in a press briefing that the House has commenced an investigation the scandal.

    It was gathered that as at time of this report, no Committee has been mandated by the Speaker to conduct the investigation.

    A source, who pleaded anonymity said the leadership of the House may want to be cautious and not be caught in an awkward position over the issue, which was the reason for the delay in the constitution of the probe panel.

    He said: “Normally, the Nicholas Ossai-led Ethics and Privileges Committee that conducts investigation into allegations of misdemeanor by members supposed to have been informed by the leadership

    “As we speak, no official information has been forwarded to the Committee to commence any investigation in that direction.

    “We can not however rule out a composition of an ad hoc Committee to do as a result of the magnitude and veracity of the incidence, while considering the image of the country.

    “If the leadership prefers an ad hoc Committee, no one should be suprised that some members of the leadership would be members.

    “As we speak, nothing has been done so far but it is also possible that the Speaker might have asked some people (without the knowledge of other members) to carry out the investigation”.

  • ‘NASS will not adopt national confab proceedings’

    ‘NASS will not adopt national confab proceedings’

    A member representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Jim Adun has reacted to the proceedings in the ongoing National confab stating that it will not see the light of the day.

    Honorable Adun, a two-time house of Representative member expressed deep reservations about the Confab added that it will be a slight on the National assembly to adopt proceedings from a selected body to be passed into law

    He said whereas members of the National Assembly were elected by the people to represent them and make laws for the good governance of the people, it will be according to him ‘foolhardy’ to think that proceedings from the delegate conference will be adopted.

    Adun who is seeking to represent Edo South Senatorial District under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the Senate said “I am one individual who is against the national conference. It is an exercise in futility. How do you get unelected people to waste public resources and make recommendations for us to pass into law”

    “We must face the truth. We have weak persons in government if you can shut down the state and National Assemblies and let us go and have a National Conference.”

    Speaking on his senatorial ambition Adun said “we have taken cue from the state and the challenge before us is to improve on what then state governor has done. We have achieved a lot in the House of Representatives in terms of bringing to our people dividends of democracy to our people.”

  • Lawmaker hails registration of new parties

    Minority Whip of the Federal House of Representative, Hon Samson Osagie has said that the recent registration of new political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has moved Nigeria from the threat of becoming a one-party state.

    Hon Osagie said the registration of the parties has consolidated Nigeria’s multi-party democratic system and signpost a positive development in the country.

    He spoke in a chat with newsmen shortly after he was honoured with an award of excellence by students of the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi in Edo State.

    Hon Osagie noted that the emergence would afford Nigerians a greater opportunity and possibility “and an alternative political platform in order to ensure that good governance is enthrone through the electoral system.”

    Commenting on the kidnapping of Mike Ozekhome, Hon Osagie said the security challenges have a lot of political undertone.

    He said, “ I grieve that our society is now gradually being turned to a den of criminality. A lot of young people are jobless. The system does not appear to hold anything for them and there appear to be loss of hope. It is a pity that it has to get to this stage. We must redirect the ship of our state in such a manner that economic policies have human face, capable of creating jobs in such that the populace will feel the impact of governance to a very large extent help to solve this act of brigandage.”