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Tag: Ita Enang

  • Customs boss visits Saraki as Senate expects him Wednesday

    Customs boss visits Saraki as Senate expects him Wednesday

    The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, retired Col. Hameed Ali, on Tuesday paid a visit to the President of the Senate, Dr  Bukola Saraki.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the comptroller-General, who arrived the National Assembly complex at about 5.30 p.m., was first received by the Leader of the Senate, Sen.  Ahmed Lawan.

    He then went into a close door session with Saraki.

    The Customs boss later left the complex in company of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang, at about 6.49 p.m.

    NAN recalls that the Senate on Tuesday at plenary session insisted that Ali must appear before it in uniform on Wednesday.

    This followed the receipt of a letter from Ali seeking permission not to appear on Wednesday.

    An Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Azarema Abdulkadir, had written to the Clerk of the Senate requesting that the upper chamber gives the Comptroller-General a new date to appear before it.

    NAN recalls the Senate had on March 9, asked Ali to appear in plenary session in uniform on Wednesday to address the issues of retrospective payment of duty on vehicles.

    The letter was read by the Clerk, Mr Nelson Ayewoh, to the senators at plenary session.

    It stated that Wednesday coincided with the fortnightly meeting of the NCS management.

     

  • Presidency cautions Akwa Ibom governor over Paris Club fund

    The Presidency on Thursday asked Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, to ensure judicious use of the N14.5 billion released to the state by the Federal Government from the Paris Club debt fund.

    It specifically cautioned the governor to deploy the fund to defray outstanding salaries and pension arrears of workers in the state.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang stated this when he hosted a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emmanuel Ukoete, who defected to All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Ukoete represents Ukanafun/ Orukanam of Akwa Ibom in the House of Representatives.

    Enang, who said the fund was released to the state government for the payment of accumulated salaries and pension owed workers in the state, insisted that the money should be used for its purpose.

    He said, “We are calling on the state to use the money for what it is meant for so that life can return to the state.”

    The Presidential aide noted that  it is obvious that the people of Akwa Ibom are the greatest beneficiaries of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in term of appointments and empowerment programmes.

     

  • Buhari signs endangered species bill into law

    Buhari signs endangered species bill into law

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday signed the Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) Amendment Act 2016.

    The amendment bill was passed and forwarded to the President by the National Assembly.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the ceremony, the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate) to the President, Ita Enang said: “This is one of the 10 bills that were forwarded by the National Assembly to Mr. President and he has just assented to this, almost completing every action on all the bills that were forwarded to him by the National Assembly.

    “The intent of this amendment is to bring the penalty provisions in line with economic realities and to act as a deterrent or deter people from trafficking and trading in endangered species because endangered are preserves of the country.

    “It will discourage traffic and it will improve agriculture and the preservation of endangered species in Nigeria. This is an amendment bill.

    “This law has been in existence but what the National Assembly has done and the President has assented to today is to increase the penalty for violation of the provisions and to bring it in line with today’s reality.”

  • Consultation ongoing on $30bn loan – Presidency

    Consultation ongoing on $30bn loan – Presidency

    The Presidency on Wednesday said top level consultation had been initiated between the Executive and Legislative arms of government on the request by President Muhammadu Buhari to borrow $29.96 billion for infrastructural development.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, who disclosed this, said President Buhari has not withheld his assent on the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) amendment bill.

    Enang told journalists in Abuja that necessary legislative process aimed at paving way for the loan is still pending.

    He noted that in recent times, the level of consultation between the arms of government has increased.

    The consultations, he said, were intended to address and resolve thorny questions in any of the requests made by the executive.

    Enang said the President and governors cannot proceed to take loan because it will become the responsibility of the entire country to pay.

    He said, “The year has been very active, politically and legislatively active and I used the opportunity to comment that this present National Assembly under the leadership of Distinguished Senator Bukola Saraki and the Speaker Yakubu Dogara has been very rewarding in terms of legislation, the number of bills passed.”

     

     

  • Buhari signs eight bills into law

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday signed eight bills into law.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, briefed State House correspondents at the end of the ceremony.

    The new Acts, according to him, included National Judicial Institute Amendment Act 2016, Advertising Practitioners Registration Amendment Act 2016, Utilities Charges Commission Amendment Act 2016 and Quality Surveyors Registration Amendment Act 2016.

    Others are – Small and Medium Scale Industries Development Agency Amendment Act 2016, Treaty to Establish African Economic Community Relating to Pan African Parliament (Accession and Jurisdiction) Amendment Act 2016, University of Abuja Amendment Act 2016 and Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers Amendment Act 2016.

    He said: “These are bills transmitted to the President, having been assented to by Mr. President have become Acts and Laws enforceable in Nigeria.

    “I used this medium to commend the National Assembly for the industry and dexterity they have shown and the concentration on the core functions of the legislature because compared to times like this in previous parliaments, I think this is the highest number of bills passed by any single parliament within its one year and six months.

    “I commend the leadership of the National Assembly because of the cooperation they have extended to the Executive and the Executive reciprocal cooperation has also provided a very conducive environment for them to function.”

  • Ambassadorial nominees recited National Anthem correctly – Enang

    The Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, on Wednesday dismissed report that some ambassadorial nominees failed to recite the National Anthem and the Pledge.

    Enang in a statement titled – “Ambassadorial Nominees: ‎Media report a misrepresentation of fact,” faulted the report that some ambassadorial nominees faltered when they were asked to recite the National Anthem and the Pledge during their screening at the Senate.

    The Presidential aide, who led the nominees to the venue of the screening session, said it was wrong to paint the nominees in bad light when nothing like that happened.

    Enang said, “Our attention has been drawn to report by a section of the media that some ambassadorial nominees were unable to recite the National Anthem and Pledge while appearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening.

    “May I state that the nominees were able to respond to questions asked the‎m and also recited the National Anthem and Pledge when called upon. As such, the report by the media is incorrect.

    “Subjecting them to criticisms at this point over a situation which never happened in the first place is most unfair and uncalled for.

    “Let me use this opportunity to appreciate the effort of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu and members of the committee, for the intellectual and thorough manner in which the exercise is being carried out.”

  • Buhari, Mark, former NASS leaders meet in Aso Rock

    Buhari, Mark, former NASS leaders meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with some ex- leaders of the National Assembly.

    Two separate meetings were said to have been held at the President’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Those spotted at the Villa included former Senate Presidents, David Mark and Ken Nnamani, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang.

    While Nnamani and Masari arrived the same time, Mark, who is still a current Senator approached the President’s office together with Enang about one hour later.

    But it was not clear whether Mark and Enang actually met Nnamani and Masari at the President’s office as Nnamani and Masari were said to have been taken out from the President’s office’s entrance in a vehicle.

    Nnamani and Masari, who had earlier trekked by the Council Chamber in the clear view of journalists when going to the President’s office, have not been spotted to go out through the same way they came in at the time of filing this report.

    The agenda of the meetings was unknown but may not be unconnected with the soured relationship between the Presidency and the current Senate.

    Mark, who came out after about thirty minutes in the President’s office, did not speak to journalists as he walked through the corridor with one protocol officer.

    His visit to the Villa was the first since he stepped down as the Senate President in the last dispensation.

    No official statement, at the time of this report, has been issued concerning the meetings.

    The current Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who is facing Senate Standing rules forgery trial along with is deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, had recently declared that there was cabal in the Presidency.

  • Forgery: what transpired between me and police—Enang

    Forgery: what transpired between me and police—Enang

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator  Ita Enang, yesterday opened up on his role in the investigation of the alleged forgery of the Standing Orders of the Senate 2015 by the police.

    He said he was only invited by the police as a former chairman of the Rules and Business Committee of the 7th Senate.

    He said six others were similarly invited by the police in the course of the investigation.

    Enang, in a statement in Abuja entitled “Presidential aides not witnessing against Senate leadership,” said his invitation by the police was “prior to and independent of my appointment as SSA to the President in late August 2015.”

    He said: “Further to false publications and insinuations that presidential aides have been lined up against the presiding officers of the Senate and others in the prosecution relating to the Standing Orders of the Senate 2015 citing me as one of those thus lined up, I hereby state as hereunder:

    “That this is false in material particulars. That I was the chairman of the Rules and Business Committee of the 7th Senate which ended plenary on June 4, 2015 and the 8th Senate was inaugurated on June 9, 2015.

    “That upon a written petition to the police on the subject of alleged forgery of the Standing Orders by some distinguished Senators of the 8th Senate, the Inspector-General of Police, through one DIG Dan Azumi J. Doma, wrote to the Clerk to the National Assembly vide his letter dated July 1, 2015 requesting him to ask the under mentioned key officials of the 7th Senate to have an audience with the under signed on or before 6th July, 2015.

    He listed the former principal officers invited by the police as follows: Senate President; Deputy Senate President; Majority Leader of the Senate; Clerk of the National Assembly; Clerk of the Senate; Chairman, Business and Rules Committee; and Secretary, Business and Rules Committee.

    Enang added: “Further to the above, I, on July 3rd 2015, met with the police who confronted me with  the allegation that I am suspected to have amended or printed the Standing Orders in issue being the chairman of the Rules and Business Committee of the 7th Senate. I was asked to make a written statement on the matter and I did on the said July 3, denying the allegation.

    “That it was from the statement of other persons of interest, after my statement, that the police may have formed an opinion  as to who did what, exonerating me, but rather listed me as a witness as to the procedure for amendment, having made a statement on the matter.

    “That all these course of events occurred prior to and independent of my appointment as SSA to the President in late August 2015.

    “That I am not mentioned in the process as an aide in the presidency as wrongly misrepresented, but as former chair of the Rules and Business Committee of the defunct Senate.

    “That I have not made any other statement on this matter subsequent to that made on July 3, 2015.”

  • Buhari gets 2016 Budget details

    Buhari gets 2016 Budget details

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday received the 2016 Appropriation Bill details from the National Assembly.

     

    Buhari had insisted on getting and scrutinizing the budget details before assenting the bill passed by the National Assembly.

     

    The 1,800-page budget details was signed for and collected on behalf of the President by the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

     

    He received it from the President’s Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang; and the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Samaila Kawu.

     

    After getting the document in his office, Kyari led Enang and Kawu to President Buhari’s office where they met briefly.

     

    They came out from the President’s office few minutes later with Enang still holding on to the document.

     

    Briefing State House correspondents later, Enang said that constitutional procedure will now follow the formal submission of the document.

     

    He said: “The budget details has been transmitted to His Excellency, Mr. President today, the constitutional process begins thereafter.

     

    “We have transmitted it to the Office of the President and the constitutional process of timing starts.”  he added.

  • Killers of ex-FUTA VC sentenced to death

    An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure on Wednesday sentenced two persons, Ita Enang and Olayemi Bamitale, to death by hanging for killing a former Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Prof. Albert Ilemobade.

    Enang and Bamitale were two domestic staff of the late varsity don.

    They were accused of killing Ilemobade in September last year and dumped his remains in an empty stall in his compound at Ijapo,Akure, before carting away his Toyota SUV car and other valuable items from the compound.

    The deceased’s body was later found by family members about one week after the incident.

    The duo were arrested by policemen in Ogun State while trying to sell the stolen items.

    The presiding judge, Justice Olamide Williams, said the prosecuting counsel had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons killed the varsity don for their selfish gain.