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Tag: Ita Enang

  • Presidency submitted fake 2016 budget – Senate panel

    Presidency submitted fake 2016 budget – Senate panel

    The drama trailing the 2016 budget in the Senate continued Thursday with stunning assertions by the Senate leadership.

    The troubling revelations came after over two hour closed session where the lawmakers were said to have “thoroughly discussed and taken far reaching decisions on the budget.

    After the closed session, Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, announced that the secret meeting centered on the controversy surrounding the 2016 Appropriation Bill.

    He also recalled that they mandated the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate the matter in order for the Senate to take an informed position.

    Saraki then dropped the bombshell.

    He said that the Senate discovered from the findings of its Ethics committee that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matter, Senator Ita Enang, printed and submitted to the Senate a different version of the 2016 budget.

    He said that what Enang submitted to the Senate was against the original copy of the Appropriation Bill presented by President Muhammadu Buhari on December 22, 2015.

    Saraki did not stop there.

    He said that the Senate resolved not to work with a version of the Appropriation Bill not laid before the National Assembly.

    He added that the Senate also resolved to consider only the version of Bill presented by President Buhari as soon as they receive soft copy of the original document from the Executive.

    He said, “We have received the report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on investigations surrounding 2016 Appropriation Bill.

    “Our finding is that Senator Ita Enang, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matter (SSA) printed copies of the 2016 Appropriation Bill and brought to the Senate.

    “We have discovered that what he brought is different from the version presented by Mr. President.

    “We have resolved to consider only the version presented by Mr. President as soon as we receive soft copy of the original document from the Executive.”

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi also addressed reporters immediately after Senate plenary to throw more light on the claim of a fake budget.

    Abdullahi spoke in company with the Vice Chairman of his committee, Senator Ben Murray – Bruce.

    He said, “We are here to update you on an issue that has been awash in the media. We are here in continuation of what we have said earlier that the report about a missing budget is not true.

    “We don’t have a budget that is missing and we still maintain that we don’t have a budget that is missing.

    “But you recall that the Senate President did inform Nigerians that there is issue that a committee was asked to investigate.

    “The report of the investigation by the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition has been submitted in the Executive session because it was a decision we took in the last Executive session on Tuesday.

    “Now our findings are this, that Mr. President did lay the budget in the Joint session of the National Assembly.

    “Thereafter, the Senate went on recess and upon resumption copies of the document were produced by Senator Ita Enang, who is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters for Senate and copies were submitted to both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    “What we found out is that the document submitted by Senator Ita Enang upon our resumption has some differences and discrepancies with what was originally laid by Mr. President in the joint sitting of the National Assembly.

    “However, the Senate in defence in its integrity and honour will not work with what has not been laid in the National Assembly.

    “We are constitutionally mandated and duty bound to consider only that budget that has been so laid by Mr. President.

    “Right now, for reproduction, we are awaiting the soft copy of the originally submitted budget so that the National Assembly can reproduce copies of the budget itself.

    “Because if we reproduce ourselves, then we have confidence in the fact that what we reproduced is what was originally submitted to us.

    “The institution of the Senate will not and cannot do anything that is illegal. We will not do anything that will not promote the unity, integrity and welfare of Nigerians.

    “Some people were saddled with the responsibility to find out what happened.”

    Abdullahi reiterated that “the budget submitted by the President is not missing, “we already have copies of it but what we are saying is that for us to reproduce for our members, it is easier, based on the quantum of document that has to be produced, that we get the soft copy of that original version so that we can reproduce it.”

    He insisted that “by next week, we want to go down to business, Senators have picked dates to speak during the three days set aside for debate of the 2016 budget.”

    Abdullahi also said that the Senate leadership was mandated to speak with all those concerned with the document saying “that was why the Senate President was in touch with Mr. President.”

    The Senate spokesperson however refused to speak on the claim by the House of Representatives that it had its own original version of the fiscal document.

    He also declined to say what amounted to the differences spotted in the version of the budget submitted by Enang and the original version presented by President Buhari.

    “I am not in the position to say the differences between the document submitted by the President and the one brought by Ita Enang. The committee that investigated the issue did not include that in their report,” he claimed.

    Abdullahi said that as at the time the Senate President promised to make copies of the budget available to Senators Thursday, “he was working on the assumption that what were brought by the executive were copies of the original copies submitted by Mr. President.”

    He noted that “but based on the outcry, it was discovered that there are another version different from what the President gave us.”

    The man at the centre of the controversy, Senator Ita Enang, refused to respond to what the Senate President said.

    Enang told anxious reporters who crowded his office that he does not want to join issue with the Senate.

     

  • Presidency to present MTEF to NASS

    The Presidency is set to present a Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and a Fiscal Strategy Papers (FSP) to the National Assembly any time next week.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, stated this in a chat with journalists on Friday.

    This, according to him, would be followed by the presentation of the 2016 Appropriation Bill for the consideration of the lawmakers.

    Enang said: “I want to assure you that in the next few days, Mr. President will forward the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the Fiscal Strategy Paper to the National Assembly.

    “The National Assembly will consider it and in the course of it, Mr. President will communicate to the National Assembly the date on which the 2016 budget will be laid.

    “You know that is normally preceded by a letter from the President requesting for a date for the presentation of the documents.”

    He described the speedy passage of the 2015 supplementary budget by the National Assembly as an indication of cordial relationship between the executive and the legislative arms.

    “The National Assembly will consider it and in the cause of it, Mr. President will communicate to the National Assembly the date on which the 2016 budget will be laid. The letter will be issued and the letter will communicate the date”.

    Part II (Sec. 11 1b) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, prescribed that the government shall submit the MTEF for three financial years not later than four months before the commencement of the next financial year

    But Enang insisted the government did not violate the Fiscal Responsibility Act even as it has yet to present the documents a few days to the end of the 2015 financial year.

    According to him, the President was still acting within the framework of the relevant laws and that there were no areas of friction between the two arms of government.

    “There is no violation at all. It’s within what is allowed by law. We are not in violation at all,” the presidential aide stated.

  • Ministerial List: Presidency lobby PDP Senators

    Ministerial List: Presidency lobby PDP Senators

    Following the unveiling of the long awaited ministerial list, the Presidency may have started moves to woo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senators to support the nominees.

    The Senate has fixed October 13 and 14 for screening of the nominees.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, said on Tuesday that he has initiated contact with PDP Senators as part of his duty to reach out to all sections in the National Assembly.

    Enang stated this when he briefed journalists in Abuja in company with Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

    Enang said both of them decided to brief journalists together for “the sake and interest of Nigeria.”

    He said, “Part of our job is to reach out to all the sections. And the past is gone, this is a new beginning.”

    Akpabio on his part said he is impressed by the ministerial nominees the President sent to the National Assembly for screening and confirmation as ministers.

    He said there was no doubt that the President was able to assemble men and women of integrity to assist him in salvaging the country.

    He, however, said that what is remaining is for the Senate to do its work.

    Akpabio said his prayer is that more than 70 per cent or 80 per cent of the nominees would scale through the Senate hurdle.

    He said, “We will do our best to ensure robust debate, fine tune the policies of the APC administration to better the lots of Nigerians and to ensure that Nigeria gets out of the current economic doldrums. So far, on a personal note, I am impressed with the list that was sent by the President.

    “I believe that he has kept to his word by ensuring that we sort out a lot of people of integrity that can salvage the country. But of course, the Senate will still do its work of screening and re-screening and I pray that more than 70 or 80 percent of the list should pass through.”

     

     

  • Discrimination: Enang seeks action against A/ Ibom Broadcasting Corporation

    The National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has been asked to clampdown on the Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (Radio and Television) Services over discriminatory political programmes.

    The Chairman Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, stated this in a letter to the Director General of the Commission in Abuja.

    Enang lamented that the state radio and television services have unduly concentrated on the news and programmes of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the utter exclusion of other political parties in the state.

    He stated that the development was not only unhealthy but a negation of the political broadcast code which mandates all broadcasting outfits to give equal visibility to all political parties.

    He called on the NBC to ensure that the practice is halted or in the alternative withdraw their licences and reassign their broadcast frequency.

    He said the situation is capable of throwing the state into an unfathomable crisis if not redressed urgently.

    The letter dated February, 3, 2015 and entitled: “Re: Discriminatory attention and unfair denial of airtime to some political parties by Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation Radio and Television Service,” reads in part:

    “I write as the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North East (Uyo) Senatorial District and the political class in the state.

    “The Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation Service is owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government.

    “In the allotment of airtime for political broadcast and other activities, the services concentrate only on the Peoples Democratic Party to the absolute exclusion of all other political parties’ programmes and news.

    “The state is controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). For this, other political parties are completely shut out from being heard at all. This is the reason your organization was set up.”

     

  • Controversy trails Sexual Offences Bill

    Controversy trails Sexual Offences Bill

    The relevance or otherwise of the Sexual Offences Bill in relation to extant laws yesterday led to a sharp disagreement between two Senators.

    The disagreement arose during a public hearing between the sponsor of the Bill, Senator Chris Anyanwu and a member of the committee and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang.

    The public hearing was organized by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters in Abuja.

    Enang had raised critical legal issues concerning the new Bill bordering on the concurrent and exclusive legislative lists between the Federal and State Governments.

    He explained that the provisions of the new Bill were already captured in both the Penal and Criminal Codes and sought to know if an existing law can be reenacted instead of amendment.

    He noted contended that the National Assembly cannot make laws on rape for the states.

    He stated that the National Assembly can only make laws for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and not the states of the Federation.

    He said the various provisions proposed in the bill are a repeat of existing laws on rape across the various states of the federation.

    According to him, the best the National Assembly can do, is to amend the laws, saying that “these are the issues for determination before the public hearing.”

    Enang suggested that if existing laws are weak, what was required is to strengthen the system of enforcement and not to duplicate the laws.

    But Senator Anyanwu countered Enang’s position by saying that the bill has nothing to do with the numerous legal books being cited by Enang, because “incidents of rape have become so common place in Nigeria without any of the existing laws catching up with the perpetrators,”

     

    She argued that there are items in the bill that are not contained in some of the existing laws, pointing out that the bill if passed, can be adopted by the states.

    Anyanwu said: “The problem of rape in Nigeria as it is today has gone beyond jurisdictional argument by lawyers. It is a problem for the whole society to solve by whatever way possible.

    “We are looking to see a harmonized law that can be copied by the states. We are not looking to encroach into the jurisdiction of states.”

    The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina, kicked against option of fine provided in the bill for sexual Offences with a child, child trafficking and child sex tourism.

    Maina insisted that the proposal is not strong enough to serve as deterrent to offenders.

    She said: “In order to curtail the upsurge in the scourge of rape of persons especially women and girls, it is important that the penalties attached to these offences be punitive and prohibitive for natural and jurisdiction persons respectively.

    “Consequently, we consider the sum ranging from N500,000, N1million, N3million penalties for offenders to be a slap on the wrist.

    “These organizations/ companies peddle in women, girls and drugs and have immense financial resources at their disposal.

    “Therefore, the payment of penalties stipulated in the Bill will not in any way affect their resources. The amount should be increased in order to deter would be perpetrators of this offence.

    “Offenders should go to jail straight upon conviction without any option of fine and stay there for a very long period of time that would make way for collapse of their businesses.”

     

     

  • Senate unshaken by defections, says Enang

    Senate unshaken by defections, says Enang

    The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Ita Enang, has said the threat of defection by aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators to the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not affect the activities of the Senate when it resumes next week.

    Enang told reporters yesterday in Abuja that the planned defection would not affect the Senate because the lawmakers are “responsible senator who are always interested in the unity and progress of the country.”

    He said the senators considered the interest of the country first before thinking of their political affiliations.

    Enang added: “The senators see themselves as one. What is paramount in their minds is how to develop the nation. We will all work together as a single body to address issues dispassionately.”

    The senator declined to comment on allegations that PDP lawmakers were demanding automatic tickets to remain loyal to the party.

    “The issue of defection is a matter being anticipated and I would not want to make comments on such issues,” Enang said.

    He stressed that the senators, on resumption next week, would start deliberations on this year’s budget.

    The senator said since last year’s appropriation cycle ended on December 31, the National Assembly has the responsibility to ensure that the 2014 Appropriation Bill is considered and approved early to enable the executive begin its implementation.

  • Senate seeks FG’s action on flooding

    Senate seeks FG’s action on flooding

    The Senate on Thursday mandated its joint committee on Water Resources, Environment, Marine Transport and Special Duties to find out the level of preparedness of the Federal Government to avert flooding during the year.

    The directive followed a motion on “emergency preparedness for 2013 flood and rainfall prediction.”

    It was sponsored by Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North East) and 80 others.

    Enang in his lead debate noted that excessive rainfall in 2012 in the country coupled with release of water from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon led to devastating flooding in most part of the country.

    He said the water released from the dam flowed through River Benue and merged at the confluence of River Benue and Niger at Lokoja leading to massive flooding, death, submerging of houses and farmlands in Lokoja, Kogi State.

    He noted that the flooding also affected Delta and Bayelsa States estuary where there are many tributaries, most of the tributaries silted and filled with sand such that the large volume of water from River Benue and Niger could not find sufficient dept to channel the volume of water to the Atlantic Ocean.

    Enang said that unless concerted effort is made by the Federal and state Governments and relevant agencies to clear the water routes such as bridges and channels, obstruction of flow of water to the ocean will continue.

    He said that there was an urgent need to dredge the coastlines of major rivers and ocean within the country’s inland territories where sand has accumulated in order to further reduce the impact of the restriction of water channels on seasonal flooding.

    Senate President, David Mark, who summed up contributions by senators, said that there was no local government in the country that did not suffer flooding in 2012.

    Mark noted that the implication of the massive flooding in parts of the country was the inability of the country to prepare for emergency situations.