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Tag: House of Representatives

  • Reps to criminalize use of plastic bags

    The House of Representatives has adopted a report on a Bill for an Act to, among other things, prohibit the use, manufacture and importation of plastic bags for commercial and household packaging.

    The report was adopted on Tuesday at the Committee of Whole presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Yussuf Lassun (APC-Osun).

    The bill seeks to address the harmful effects of plastic bags on the oceans, rivers, lakes, forests, wildlife as well as human beings when passed into law.

    The bill which has been passed by the Senate was presented to the house by Rep. Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno)

    The report recommended that retailers of goods shall offer paper bags to customers at the point of sale in place of plastic bags or be guilty of an offence when the bill is passed into law.

    It stated that a person who manufactures plastic bags for the purpose of selling would be guilty of an offence.

    Read Also: Sanitation: Taraba govt, bans use of Polythene bags

    The report also stated that a person who imports plastic bag for sale or carryout bag is equally guilty of an offence.

    “Anybody found guilty shall be liable upon conviction to a fine of not exceeding N500,000 or a jail term not exceeding three years or both,” it recommended.

    The report says that any organisation found guilty shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not more than N5 million.

    Presenting the report, Monguno said that the bill seeks to relieve pressure on landfills and waste management.

    He said that the use of plastic bags is rampant and that the bags are not bio degradable.

    Monguno said that the bags stay in the environment for hundreds of years and affect arable land, water bodies and wildlife.

    Lassun who presided over the meeting observed that the bill should create room for recycling of plastic bags.

    He said that the bill as it stands, when passed would mean that plastic bags would not be seen again in the country.

    The bill would now be listed for third reading on a later date after which it would be sent to the President for assent.

    NAN

     

  • Nigeria must win war against violence, says Dogara

    Honourable Yakubu Dogara, Speaker, House of Representatives has said that Nigeria must win the war against violence in order to attain full civilisation.

    Dogara stated this on Friday in Jos at the annual cultural festival of Berom people of Plateau known as the “Nzem Berom”.

    The Speaker who was the chairman of the event said that the violence confronting the country must be stopped at all cost.

    He said “I have said it many times, we cannot afford to lose the fight against violence and still keep our civilisation.

    “Any nation that has lost the fight against violence, has always lost its civilisation.

    “Take the situation with the Northeast where I come from, as an example, there are communities where you can’t find anything as representatives of the government.

    “Police stations are gone. Roads, buildings, hospitals and schools have all been destroyed.

    “How long it is going to take us before we even get back to the position where we were prior to the breakout of violence?”

    Dogara noted that he had reflected long on the issues pertaining to the violence in the country, and discovered that most Nigerians dwell on errors, which serve as fuel for violence.

    The speaker said that for instance, there was an error that tells us that a whole ethnic group could just be wiped out.

    According to him, any person who utilises his senses should know that it is highly impossible to talk of just wiping out an ethnic group, except the God that created them decides to wipe them out Himself.

    “I have also heard of the error that stipulates that violence can be cured by more violence.
    “There has never been a conflict in the world, not even where the best of the war machines are used, that the weapons of war were thought to have resolved and brought peace.

    Read Also: Nigeria in worst period of insecurity- Dogara

    “Peace has always been obtained at the table of brotherhood. So that is another error.

    “We can defeat violence in Nigeria, if we are determined to do so and we have the leaders who are willing to do so.

    “It is also an error to say that some people are being killed because of cattle rustling.

    In a goodwill message for the festival, which attracted different tribes within and outside Plateau, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Solomon Dalung, commended Berom nation for a befitting cultural festival.

    Dalung also tasked the people on unity, saying that Plateau was known for peace and hospitality.

    “Our ancestors were peaceful people. Our ancestors were hospitable people and that was why they succeeded in all that they were doing.
    “For us, present leaders, we must invest our time and energy in promotion and protection of people of Plateau,” he said.

    The minister added that the leaders, particularly politicians, would disappoint the people and God if they could not unite and proffer solutions to the challenges bedeviling the state and country.

    NAN

  • ‘Remember Nigeria in your prayers’

    A member of House of Representatives, Taosir Wale Raji has urged Muslims to remember Nigeria in their prayers and supplications.

    He said the country is at a critical period which nothing can solve her predicaments and challenges than seeking for the divine intervention from Almighty Allah.

    Raji also urged the faithful to pray for peace, stability, growth and development of the country.

    “We should be conscious that not everyone whom we observed last Ramadan with is alive to witness this year, thus, it becomes expedient for us to utilise greatly the chance we have to improve in all acts and deeds in conformity with dictates of Quran and teachings of the Holy Prophet,” he said, adding “the Holy Month provides us opportunity to commune directly with our Creator. We should therefore, use this scared moments to seek forgiveness and mercies upon our nation and our leaders. We must pray for stability and peace so that prosperity will spread across every nooks and cranny of the country.”

  • Reps approve two State constituencies for Benue

    The House of Representatives has approved the creation of two new State constituencies for Benue State.

    The approval followed a proposal to the House of Representatives by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the boundaries of Guma State Constituency be altered by creating two state Constituencies.

    The new State constituencies created from Guma are Guma State Constituency and Agasha State Constituency.

    Attempts by other lawmakers to compel INEC to include their States in the alterations of constituencies considered failed to sail through.

    Speaker Yakubu Dogara, while ruling on the motion Tuesday  said the approval of Guma and Agasha constituencies was strictly based on Supreme Court judgment and cannot be altered.

    In his lead debate, sponsor of the motion, Edward Pwajok (PDP, Plateau), Chairman Rules and Business Committee noted that Section 91 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) provides that subject to the provisions of this “Constitution, a House of Assembly of a State shall consist of three or four times the number of seats that State has in the House of Representatives divided in a way to reflect, as far as possible, nearly equal population”

    According to him, the same Section provides that a House of Assembly of a State shall consist of not less than 24 and not more than 40 members.

    He backed his argument with constitutional provisions, saying, “Section 112 of the 1999 Constitution provides that “Subject to the provisions of Sections 91 and 113 of the 1999 Constitution, INEC shall divide every State in the Federation into such number of State Constituencies as is equal to three or four times the number of Federal Constituencies within that State”.

    “Section 113 of the 1999 Constitution provides that “The boundaries of each State Constituency shall be such that the number of inhabitants thereof is as nearly equal to the population quota as is reasonably practicable”.

    The lawmaker also referred to Section 114 of the 1999 Constitution which  provides that “The Independent Electoral Commission shall review the division of every State into Constituencies at intervals of not less than ten years. and may alter such Constituencies in accordance with the provisions of this Section to such extent as it may consider desirable in the light of the review”

    He said: “Cognizance should be taken that Benue State has 11 Federal Constituencies and 29 State Constituencies and by the constitutionally prescribed threshold of minimum number of State constituencies per state, Benue State should have a minimum of 33 State Constituencies.

    “It should be noted that the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in the case of INEC V GUMA Local Government Council, Suit No. (SC/195/2016) ordered the INEC to create additional Agasha State Constituency from GUMA State constituency of Benue State.

    “Also, it’s acknowledged that INEC has taken steps to comply with the Supreme Court judgment by consulting all stake holders and undertaking trothing exercise to map the boundaries of the area concerned.

    “It is also acknowledged the receipt of a proposal from INEC dated 18 April 2019 requesting the National Assembly to approve the establishment of two State Constituencies from Guma State Constituency of Benue State”.

    The motion was unanimously adopted after a voice vote.

  • Speakership: 178 new Rep members endorse Gbajabiamilla

    178 new members-elect on Thursday declares support for Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamilla, to emerge speaker of the 9th Assembly.

    His media aide, Olanrenwaju Smart, said the members drawn across party lines gathered for the proclamation at New Chelsea Hotel in Abuja.

    Hon. Onofiuk Luke, Speaker of Akwa-Ibom State, who spoke on behalf of the other members, said they were endorsing Gbajabiamiila because of his sterling qualities and the fact that he is the most qualified.

    His words: “I am the Speaker of Akwa-Ibom State and here with me are newly elected members of the House of Representatives and this is a conglomeration of people of different parties. I am of the PDP. We have members of the APC here.

    “We have members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), we have people from Action Alliance (AA), we have people from ACP and we have people from ADC. It’s a multi-party arrangement.

    “We decided to convene ourselves as newly elected members of the House of Representatives to look at the emergence of the next leadership of the 9th assembly and in doing so, we looked through the antecedents and credentials of those who are aspiring to lead the National Assembly.

    “And we acknowledge the fact that this country today; with the challenges that we have that we need a bipartisan approach to solve the problem of Nigeria and the person and the man that has shown that credibility, capacity, that has what it takes even as reflected in his manifesto, to carry the entire parties along in resolving and solving the issues of Nigeria, the man who will not mortgage the independence of the legislature but at the same time would not engage the executive in unnecessary fisticuffs, a man who will build a good relationship between the executive and the legislature, between the legislature and the judiciary.”

    He further stated that they were in search of “a man who will care about the welfare of Nigerians, a man who will put the interest of Nigeria above his personal interest and a man who will put the interest of Nigeria above the party

    “And we have resolved today, to have come from our different states, from our different constituencies and we have found as newly-elected members, having looked through the credentials and the CV, we have found Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as a man who has a capacity to lead the 9th National Assembly as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    “We know that he is not going to let Nigerians down and we know and believe that he is not going to let us down and we know and believe that he is not going to let God down.”

  • Reps to sanction RMAFC boss

    The House of Representatives will proceed with the institution of sanctions against acting Chairman and Management of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Rep. Mark Gbillah (PDP-Benue) has said.

    Gbillah, who is the Chairman of the House ad hoc Committee investigating data collection processes, maintenance and usage in RMAFC made this known at a hearing on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The chairman said that the committee was constituted in January, 2018 but had not been unable to finish its work as RMAFC would not comply with the demands of the committee.

    He said that the committee had written to RMAFC several times and there were various reasons why the commission would not respond to the demands of the committee.

    “The committee intended to prevail on the speaker to halt the sanctions that had already been initiated against erring institutions if they are not willing to cooperate with the committee.

    “But from what we are seeing today, I want to assure Nigerians that the House of Representatives would proceed with the institution of sanctions against the acting Chairman and management of RMAFC,” he said.

    Gbillah said that the commission had erred fundamentally to have written to other agencies instructing them not to honour the invitation of the committee.

    The legislator said that by that action, RMAFC did not respect the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    He said that the institution did not observe the principle of the Rule of Law and thought they were above board.

    The lawmaker said that he wanted President Muhammadu Buhari and all the supervising officers to know what the committee had been going through with the commission in the last one year.

    He said that the commission had degenerated to the extent of writing to the Speaker of the house demanding the removal of the committee chairman and casting all forms of aspersions on the committee.

    He said that the new National Minimum Wage is hinged on the revenue that accrued to the states of the federation.

    According to Gbillah, the committee is out to ensure an equitable allocation of resources to the state and prevent any state from being shortchanged.

    The chairman said that the RMAFC has been unable to come up with a record and data to show that all the indices sent to the Accountant General’s office are correct representation of their changing realities envisaged by the Constitution.

    He said the allegations against RMAFC before the National Assembly had not been unproven as the commission would not cooperate with the committee.

    Gbillah said that the house was left without any other option than to engage the state and take far reaching actions against the commission.

    Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC-Adamawa) said that the committee could not afford to allow institutions vital to the investigation to hinder the progress of the committee.

    He said that the commission writing to other agencies, instructing them not appear before the committee should not be condoned and serious actions should be taken.

    Namdas said that the exercise was not a child’s play as section 89 of the Constitution empowers the parliament to carry out investigations and institutions must respect it.

    Also, Rep. Mohammed Usman (APC-Kaduna) said it was a sad day for him as the parliamentarians were accused of not doing their job in the media.

    According to him, here we are working for Nigerians and some institutions do not want to support to make Nigeria great and better than it is.

    He said that there was no institution that was as significant to the state and Local Government as the RMAFC.

    Usman said besides Lagos state, no other state in the country could function without revenue from the Federal Government.

    He said it was sad that only three states out of 36 honoured the invitation to attend a hearing bothering on revenue allocation.

    The lawmaker said that the house must come out strongly as Nigerians would not tolerate such sabotage.

    Usman alleged that the right processes hardly works in the RMAFC, alleging that some members of staff allocate monies at will and illegally get a share of it.

    According to the lawmaker, this is what necessitated the petition which came to the floor of the house as a motion and the resolution to investigate the matter and the institutions are not here.

    The acting Director, Banking Services, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Abubakar Kure said that the CBN keeps custody of the Federation account which is shared between the federal, states and local governments.

    He said that the CBN is also empowered to monitor the inflows and the out flows of the account and to carry out reconciliation.

    Kure said the CBN is not a revenue generating agency and that the bank only keeps custody of the account.

    He said on a monthly basis, all inflows are collated and sent to the Office of the Account General of the Federation.

    Kure said though the bank provides information and returns on the account to RMAFC, it does not have an interface with the commission.

    He also said that the commission had not demanded for any returns of revenue collecting agencies from the bank in a very long time.

    Also, Mr Abdulazeez Mustafa, the Deputy Director, Revenue Account Department, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) said that the service had submitted all documents requested for by the committee.

    He said that details of disbursements by the CBN to the FIRS were also contained in the documents submitted to the committee.

    He said that there was no existing electronic interface between FIRS and the RMAFC and that the details of all revenue generated by FIRS since 2014 to 2018 had be submitted to the committee.

    Mustafa said that the issue of revenue sharing formular was outside the scope of the mandate of the FIRS.

    Institutions that failed to appear include the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).(NAN)

  • Reps to FG: Commence rehabilitation of Ikorodu Lighter Terminal road

    The House of Representatives has decried the number of man hour wasted on Ebute-Ogoloto road leading to Ikorodu Lighter Terminal due to its bad state and the indiscriminate parking of trailers on the road.

    Consequently, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, to as a matter of urgency commence the rehabilitation of the road to ensure travel time is reduced.

    This followed the adoption of a motion by Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos), who noted that the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal (IKLT) constructed by NPA to decongest the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports in Lagos State in recent time has witnessed movement of containers from the Apapa Port Complex by sea to the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal in barges;

    “Due to the continued growth in the terminal’s containerised and bulk cargo haulage businesses, there has been an increasing number of trailers (flat bed & container laden), plying the Ogolonto to Ebute route in Ikorodu Federal Constituency.

    “In the cause of picking up their consignments, the trailers park indiscriminately on the Ogolonto-Ebute Road thereby causing traffic congestion and damaging the roads.

    Read Also: Police arrest three in Ikorodu police station attack

    “It is however worrisome that this situation is getting worse as the articulated vehicles have brought untold hardship on my people and even the said Ogolonto road has been damaged from the weight of these trailers,” he said.

    Also in its resolution, the House urged   NPA to take advantage of vacant lands on Lagos-Ikorodu road to create modern day trailer parks and ensure only trailers scheduled for loading have access to the lighter terminal vicinity.

    In addition, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) was advised to give strict warnings and subsequently penalize any trailer that parks indiscriminately on the Ogolonto-Ebute road.

    Committees on Nigeria Customs Services (NCS), NPA, Works, and Legislative Compliance were mandated to ensure the resolutions of the House is carried out.

    The motion was unanimously adopted after a voice vote.

     

  • Reps PenCom probe chairman steps down over pressure

    The investigation of Chairman of the House of alleged misappropriation of N9 trillion by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) by the House of Representatives claimed its first casualty on Thursday.

    Chairman of the ad-hoc Committee Johnson Agbonnayinma stepped down his position, claiming external and internal pressure on him to scuttle the investigation.

    At a press briefing, Agbonnnayinma said his daughter, Deborah, who was alleged to have worked with PenCom with fake certificates is an adult who should be responsible for her actions.

    While he said the investigation of PenCom and the resultant pressure was not about him or his daughter, the lawmakers noted that it was an organised movement with some members being used against the Committee.

    He said: “Please, be aware that I have been trending on the social media, print and electronic media on the sack of Deborah Agbonayinma by the management of PenCOM over presentation of fake credentials.

    “As a lawmaker of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a parent, I will never condone illegality and at all times stand on the path of Justice.

    “I have been smeared by the conduct of a child who is an adult, married and over 30 years of age, who is responsible for her actions and inactions.

    “I will always walk on the path of justice and the oaths I took as prescribed by the seventh schedule to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to function honestly in the discharge of my duties.

    Read Also: Pension assets stand at N8.906 trn – PenCom

    “The management of PenCOM is on a path of war because of the ongoing investigations by the Ad-hoc Committee, using public funds to blackmail and threaten the Committee through some members by saying I am hard on the commission because of the sack of my daughter.

    “It is germane to note that the Commission sacked her on the 27th February, 2019 and the Ad-hoc committee started its investigations on December 12th, 2018.

    “It is scandalous to link PenCOM probe to my daughter’s sack.

    “The truth about the PenCOM funds must come out. There has been a systematic and orchestrated attempt to frustrate the patriotic and determined effort of this Ad-hoc Committee.

    “This fight is not against me or my daughter, this is a fight against the cohesive sanctity of this House.

    “Government is continuum, irrespective of who chairs the Ad-hoc Committee, I am optimistic a holistic investigation will be done devoid of prejudiced.

    “As I step aside as chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the Activities of PenCom from April 2017 to date, I seek the support of the Speaker, members of the Committee and stakeholders as well as PenCOM in the discharge of the Ad-hoc Commiunee mandate as prescribed in the House Resolution.”

    He said the investigation met very stiff oppositions and challenges immediately after its inaugural meeting with various motions for the rescission of the motion setting up the Ad-Hoc Committee moved by members of the House.

    According to him, the sponsors for the rescission of the motion were commissioned by management of PenCOM to subvert the directives of the House and derail the activities of the ad hoc Committee, a development he described as being at variance with the Standing Orders of the House, particularly Order 8 Rule” Notice of Motions”.

    He said a member of the ad hoc Committee threw decorum to the wind when he took it upon himself to derail activities of the Ad-hoc Committee with unparliamentarily remarks and several overtures to subvert the mandate of the Ad-hoc Committee.

    “From our Findings the body language of the Honourable Member is that of a commissioned agent and with a directive to stifle the investigations and subvert the report of the Ad-hoc Committee. It is very sad that a ranking parliamentarian is involve in these unwholesome acts. This is the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob.

    “The Ad-hoc Committee wrote series of letters to PenCOM from December, 2018 and has so far written 11 letters to PenCOM requesting information’s and submission of Memorandum to the committee.

    “Also, note that letters were also communicated to Pension Funds Administrators (PFA’s), Pension Fund Custodians (PFC’s), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Office of the Secretary of the Federation (SGF), Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Inion Congress (TUC) and various stakeholders and government parastatals. It may surprise you to note that our first Public Hearing was held on the 7th of February, 2019”.

    Meanwhile,  in a swift reaction, the  member alleged to have been used against the ad hoc Committee, Oluwole Oke, who is also the  Chairman, House Committee on Public Procurement denied the the allegation through short text message.

    It reads: “How and in what way? Let him substantiate his allegations with facts. Such allegation is false and untrue.

    “He (Agbonayinma) should not drag me into his woes and that of his daughter over their allegations of certificate forgery.

    “The Committee has constitutional powers to do their job and bring their report to the floor. I have no business with Pencom. I don’t owe any PFA or a Director in any.

    “If there is any lawmaker that PenCom hates it’s me because of my Legislative activities sponsoring bills that exited the Armed Forces and Intelligence Communities”.

  • Reps condemn Presidency for starving first-line charge agencies of funds

    The House of Representatives yesterday condemned the Presidency for allegedly implementing last year’s Appropriation Act without respecting the provisions for government agencies on first-line charge.

    The lawmakers faulted the Executive for not respecting the constitutional provisions on first-line charge for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Universal Basic Education (UBEC), the Public Complaints Commission (PCM) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

    The House urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) to fully implement last year’s Appropriation Act with regard to statutory transfers to agencies on first-line.

    To emphasise the urgency of the matter, the leadership of the National Assembly and the committees on Appropriation, Finance and Legislative Compliance were directed to ensure compliance and report back to the House within two weeks.

    The move followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by Edward Pwajok (PDP, Plateau), who noted that the 1999 Constitution, as amended, creates and allocates separate powers to the three arms of government.

    The lawmaker said the three arms of government are co-equal and should operate independently to guarantee the smooth working of the government under the Presidential Constitution.

    He noted that the Executive breached the Constitution, despite being aware that it was amended by the first Alteration Act, 2010 Act No. 1, by altering Section 81(3) to place INEC, the National Assembly and the Judiciary on first-line charge by stipulating that the amount standing to the credit of those agencies or arms of government be paid directly them.

    Pwajok said: “These bodies are captured in the annual Appropriation Acts under Statutory Transfers.

    Read also: Presidency: home-grown school feeding now in 30 states

    “It is worrisome that the Executive arm of government is currently in breach of the Constitution by refusing or neglecting to implement the mandatory provisions of the Constitution regarding statutory transfers and first-line charge requirements, by not releasing the funds to these bodies in line with the Appropriation Act 2013 and the Constitution.

    “In spite of a previous resolution of the House passed in 2018 on the above subject and the appearance of the Minister of Finance before an ad hoc committee, the matter has remained unresolved.

    “The implication of the brazen flouting of the Appropriation Act 2018 and the Constitution is that it may make the Legislature and the Judiciary to become subservient to the Executive, thereby negating the letters and spirit of the Constitution and the law with dire consequences to the practice of democracy in Nigeria.”

    The motion was unanimous adopted after a voice vote, while the resolution is expected to be transmitted to the Senate for concurrence.

  • House of Reps committee lays 2019 budget appropriation report

    The House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations on Wednesday laid the report of the 2019 budget appropriation before the House at plenary.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Mustapha Dawaki (APC-Kano), who presented the report did not give the details of the approved figure.

    Following this development, the report would now be considered at the Committee of Supply at the next legislative day in line with parliamentary practice.

    Read Also: Council presents N2.9b budget

    Meanwhile, the House has adjourned plenary till Tuesday, April 23, 2019 to observe the Easter Holiday.

    The Wednesday plenary was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Lasun Yussuff.

    NAN