The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lawmaker

  • Lawmaker faults exclusion from SAN rank

    The practice of excluding lawyers in the legislature from being awarded the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is discriminatory and should stop, Chairman, Senate Rules and Business Committee, Senator Ita Enang, has said.

    He described as unfortunate the fact that lawyers in the National Assembly or state Houses of Assembly are not accorded the same privileges and recognition as their counterparts in advocacy or academics.Enang spoke in Owerri at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference during a session by Lawyers in the Legislature Forum.

    It had the topic: The Nigerian Legislature and the role of the lawyer in the law making process.

    Section 5 (7) (2) of the Legal Practitioners Act (2012) states that the SAN rank is conferred primarily on legal practitioners who have distinguished themselves as advocates or in exceptional cases, on academics who have made substantial contributions to the practice of law though teaching and research.

    Enang argued that the law was made during the military era when the legislature was non-existent and when significant contribution by lawyers to the legal profession through lawmaking and legislative advocacy were not contemplated.

    The senator called for an amendment, saying after all, lawyers in the National Assembly playi critical roles in making the laws and Constitution amendments on which courtroom advocates base their practice and from which academics teach their students. “How about the law maker?” he asked.”

    The Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Legal Practitioners and Privileges Committee should review and relax the rules to accommodate legislative practitioners and advocates among persons who could be honoured with the privileges of the Bar,” he said.

    Enang said despite the fact he, as a lawyer, had served as a Councilor, House of Assembly member, House of Representatives member and Senator, his application for SAN rank was rejected, even though he hopes to re-apply.”I was sifted out and the committee appeared dazed that they did not know if I was applying as an advocate or as an academic,” he said.

    He added: “The award of the rank would encourage legislators who are lawyers to know that even out of, and away from the courts, their contribution to sound law making and refining legislative impurities are still being watched and appraised for possible honour by the Privileges Committee and they would put in research, industry and ingenuity in law making, thus reducing inconsistencies in laws made and ensuring certainty and quality of legislation.”

    Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa said lawyers who draft legislations engage in a highly technical aspect of law that requires competence.”A failure to properly translate the substantive policy into the appropriate law adversely affects the policy,” he said, adding that government policies through legislation are not likely to be achieved where there is no clarity and accuracy in the drafting of the laws.

    “The lawyers are like midvives in the birth of laws and so it behooves them to strive hard to help bring forth laws that are effective, clear, precise, intelligible and capable of only one interpretation, which is the true purpose and intent of the policy as envisaged by the policy initiators,” he said.

     

     

  • Lawmaker awards bursary

    A lawmaker, Hosea Agboola’s has disbursed N15million as bursary and scholarships to over 1,500 indigent students of Oyo North Senatorial district. The gesture, according to Agboola, was in fulfilment of his electoral promises to his constituency.

    Agboola, who is the Senate Deputy Chief Whip, said at the awards presentation in his home town, Igbojaye, Oyo State, that  each  beneficiaries received N10,000. The aim of the bursary award, he said, was to ensure that students are committed to their studies and respect the rules and regulations of their institutions.

    He urged them to desist from anti-social behaviours, saying that the only way to give back to the society is to give the youths the education assistance in order to make them relevant in the society.

    “This is the only way I can give back to my constituents. I cannot give you fish all the time, but I must be able to teach you how to catch fish for your own benefit.

    “Education is the only means of being a respectful citizen in the society. It will help you to excel in this world and with your little efforts, the sky is just the beginning,” he said.

    He congratulated award recipients and urged them to make good use of the money.

    The lawmaker also commissioned a block of three classrooms and an ICT centre in each of the 13 local governments of the districts.

    Schools that benefitted include The Apostolic Church Basic School III; Olopemarunin Ogbomosho South; Ori-Oke Community Senior High School, Ogbomoso North; UMCA Grammar School, Olorunsogo; Nybrosis Primary School, Oke-Suna Tege, Kisi in Orelope Local Government; Gboro Community Secondary School, Saki in Saki West Local Government; IDGS Secondary School, Iseyin Local Government and Nawarudeen Primary School, Okaka.

    At the Baptist High School, Saki, which is his alma mater, a fully equipped ICT centre with  was constructed while same was replicated at Baptist Secondary Grammar School, Ago-Are and Igbojaye Community High School.

     

  • LASU VC praises lawmaker

    Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), Prof John Obafunwa, has praised a lawmaker, Dayo Bush-Alebisosu, for facilitating the donation of 110 laptops to the institution.

    He said at the university’s convocation that the donation followed the selection of the university as a beneficiary of the Advanced Digital Access Programme for Tertiary Institution (ADAPTI), a school support initiative of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

    He said Bush-Alebiosu’s recommendation was instrumental to the university’s selection for the programme.

    Bush-Alebiosu, who chairs the House of Representatives Committee on Treaties and Agreements, said he believes in the power of education to prepare youths for leadership.

    He added that he facilitated a similar project for Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School – apart from various other projects he has implemented in schools within his constituency in Kosofe.

    Beneficiary schools include Expressway Primary School, Ikosi-Ketu;  Oworonshoki Primary School, Oworonshoki and  Orishigun Primary School, Ketu where blocks of classrooms were built, desks, benches, teaching aids for their teachers and instructors as well as textbooks for pupils, instructional materials have been provided.

    The lawmaker concluded that though the primary responsibility of lawmakers is to make laws for the good governance of the country, he would always put in his efforts in the provision of developmental projects and amenities the constituency and the state at large.

     

  • Nasarawa Assembly suspends APC lawmaker

    Nasarawa Assembly suspends APC lawmaker

    Nasarawa State House of Assembly suspended yesterday a lawmaker from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tanko Tunga, for six months.

    The motion for the suspension was moved at plenary by Baba Ibaku (PDP-Udegye/Loko)  and seconded by Nathaniel Agyomesa (PDP-Lafia North), who accused Tunga of violating the Assembly’s rules.

    Tunga was also accused of attempting to snatch the mace and insulting his colleagues.

    Ibaku said Tunga should be placed on a half salary.

    The Speaker, Ahmed Musa Muhammed, has directed the Clerk, Ego Maikeffi, to write the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    It was alleged that the Chief Judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko, violated  Section 188 by appointing partisan persons to serve in the panel  probing allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Tanko Al-Makura.

    The directive followed a motion of public interest moved by the Majority Leader, Godiya Akwashiki and seconded by Yahaya Usman (PDP-Ugya/Umaisha).

    Francis Orogu (PDP-Keana) alleged that the Chief Judge conspired with selfish politicians to subvert justice.

  • Lawmaker gives SUVs to monarchs

    The member representing Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu in the House of

    Representatives, Mr. Tajudeen Ayo Yusuf, yesterday distributed Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to monarchs.

    He said the gesture was part of his empowerment package for 2013, which he could not fulfil, “due to political exigencies.”

    The lawmaker said he had distributed over 500 cars, motorcycles, hair dryers and deep freezers in the last two years and built libraries and shops.

    He also said he had given scholarships to over 100 students and provided employment opportunities for  university graduates.

    Yusuf said if given another opportunity next year, he would build on what he had achieved.

    The people prayed for the legislator at the palace of the Obaro of Kabba and Chairman, Okun Council of Traditional Rulers, Dr. Michael Olobayo.

    One of the beneficiaries and the Olubunu of Bunu land, Oba Joseph Ikusemoro, thanked the lawmaker for remembering traditional rulers in his empowerment programme.

    Traditional rulers, who benefitted from the gifts, included Oba Olobayo, the Obadofin of Owe land; Oba Michael Yusuf, the Obajemu of Owe land; Oba Michael Ibinaiye, the Eleso of Owe land; Chief Joseph Oloruntoba and the Olubunu of Bunu, Oba Joseph Ikusemoro.

  • Osun lawmaker to sue police for unlawful arrest

    Osun lawmaker to sue police for unlawful arrest

    A member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Folarin Fafowora, has vowed to take a legal action against alleged “unlawful arrest” by the police a day before the August 9 governorship election.

    The lawmaker representing Ilesa West State Constituency disclosed this to reporters in Osogbo at the weekend.

    He said his lawyers would soon file the case in court to seek justice on the breach of his fundamental human rights.

    Narrating his ordeal, he said the police forced him, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Wale Adedoyin, the Executive Secretary of Ilesa East, Lanre Baolgun, and about 50 others arrested to sit on the “dirty bare floor of Ayeso Police Station” like criminals.

    “The police said they were acting on the allegation by the members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  in Ilesa that we were doing accreditation for some people before the election day. But later, the police investigation proved otherwise,” he said.

    He lamented that he spent five days under very poor unhygienic condition for a crime he did not commit, blaming the police for acting as agents of the PDP governorship candidate in the election, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

  • Five bag lawmaker’s scholarship

    It was a moment of joy for five students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, the Anambra State capital. They were given scholarship by the lawmaker representing Njikoka 1 Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Valentine Ayika.

    The lawmaker said the scholarship was borne out of his desire to lighten the burden of his constituents through education. The scholarship covered tuition fee for one academic session.

    Ayika gave the scholarship to the students shortly after delivering a lecture at the Department of Mass Communication to mark the Legislative Day organised by the Association of Mass Communication Students (ASOMACS).

    The event was part of activities lined up for the students’ Week.

    The beneficiaries were Goodness Okeke, Emmanuel Obiekezie, Prudence Ihegboro and Isaac Ibeabuchi, all diploma students.

    Others were Chidiebere Uzowuihe and Ugochi Iwuchukwu, both in 200-Level Mass Communication.

    The lawmaker said he derived joy from putting smiles on the faces of the people, especially the indigent. He reassured the students of his commitment to improving the conditions of living of the people in his constituency.

    Ayika spoke on History of the legislative arm in the government, saying for any society to move forward, the leaders must ensure the independence of the legislature.

    He said: “The legislature has not only enriched our culture but has nurtured, developed and deployed human resources to the other arms of the government, especially the executive arm to engender development.”

    Ayika advised the students to maximise their stay on the campus, urging them to make good use of their time and resources to become better citizens after graduation.

    He promised to sponsor 30 students from the department on an excursion to the assembly where they would have opportunity to watch proceedings in the chamber and improve their understanding of the legislative arm of government.

    The ASOMACS Staff Adviser, Dr Chinwe Uzochukwu, who represented the Head of the department, Dr Ifeoma Dunu, praised the lawmaker for his benevolence, urging the beneficiaries to justify the scholarship by studying hard.

    Earlier, the Speaker of the association, Tochukwu Onyima, urged his colleagues to learn from the wealth of experience of the lawmaker.

    The ASOMACS president, Philip Muoghalu, hailed the lawmaker for considering the students for the scholarship. He urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the scholarship.

    Isaac, a beneficiary, thanked Ayika for the gesture, promising to do his best in his academic pursuit.

  • Lawmaker donates scientific equipment to Imo schools

    Lawmaker donates scientific equipment to Imo schools

    Things are looking up for students of Science in secondary schools in Imo State. The Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha in collaboration with the Scientific Equipment Development Institute (SEDI) Enugu distributed Scientific Equipment to secondary schools in Imo State.

    The students, who were, before now grappling with studying science subjects without equipment for practical studies can now heave a sigh of relief with the arrival of the modern science equipment.

    Beneficiaries of the project were not just government-owned schools as has always been the practice. Privately-owned and missionary schools equally benefitted from the gesture. In all, 141 schools were given equipment to boost the study of science in their various schools.

    Speaking during the official distribution of the equipment at the Holy Ghost College Owerri, Imo State capital, Ihedioha, disclosed that the programme was designed to support the educational needs of the students in Imo State and to complement the efforts of government and the private sector to reposition education.

    According to him, the quality of education in the state has become a primary concern to stakeholders, stressing that no society can make meaningful progress without an educated population.

    “We are talking of not just education for its sake but education that will lead to self-reliance. We are talking about education that will lead to industrial and technological progress of our state,” he said.

    He further stated: “For educational progress to be made, we need to appraise where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going to. Sometime ago, a group of experts were commissioned to study and determine the level of preparedness by secondary schools in Imo State, in terms of equipment, re-agents, materials and qualified teachers, in teaching both basic and advanced sciences. The findings showed that funding for science education in Imo is low.”

    Hon. Ihedioha lamented that the implication of the low funding of science education in the state was that students in the secondary school system could complete their education without exposure to the basic experiments required of them in sciences.

    The Deputy Speaker also attributed the massive failure of Imo State students in science subjects such as Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Technical Drawing, Basic Technology and Mathematics in public examinations to lack of basic scientific equipment to aid learning, regretting that “data from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), The National Examinations Council (NECO) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) demonstrates that in 2013, WAEC Examination, Imo State scored an average 46 per cent, whereas our neighbouring states of Anambra and Abia scored 67 per cent and 65 per cent respectively. This is unacceptable and must be reversed for the sake of the future of our children.”

    He equally blamed the massive failure on dearth of qualified science teachers in the state’s secondary school system, noting that, “the ratio of science teachers to students in Imo State is one of the poorest in the country today. There was a time in this state when science teachers were paid incentives that made them earn higher than other teachers. This motivated them to give their best. This is no more the case today. It was in the realisation of this deficit in our schools that I decided to make my own contributions towards solving the problem.”

    Earlier in his address, the Director-General of SEDI, Prof. Christian Okechukwu Nwajagu, represented by the Deputy Director, Mrs Ifeyinwa Okeke, noted that the country’s economic survival and ability to compete maximally in the global market is subject to sustainable scientific breakthroughs and technological development; hence the need for effective and result-oriented science learning at the fundamental levels.

    He further stated that science education is jeopardised as a result of lack or inadequate science materials and equipment for learning and teaching, adding that “several students shy away from science subjects, claiming that they are abstract and difficult. This has largely been attributed to lack of scientific equipment in our schools.”

    He said: “Science and its application called technology are the duo movers of any country’s economy and hence any investment in the field is a worthy and commendable one. More so, in a time like this when the country’s slogan is vision 20-20-20. In order to achieve this slogan of joining the formidable league of industrialised countries of the world in 2020, this event is a welcome development.”

    He also explained that, “the JSS kit contains several scientific materials, charts and accessories which were carefully developed in line with Basic Science curriculum approved by the Federal Ministry of Education. It is aimed at actualising in practical terms the objectives of Basic Science education.

    The kit emphasises hands-on-minds-on practical activity and can be used to perform over 50 experiments in line with Basic Science curriculum. The use of the kit in learning science has the capacity to elicit interest and increase achievement in the subject.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of the Committee for the Distribution of the Scientific Equipment, Prof. Obioma Iheduru, the Deputy Speaker, through the initiative, has inspired confidence in the electorate in the state that leaders are alive to their responsibilities of providing for the needs of the people.

    Decrying the declining standard of education in the state, Iheduru, stated: “I enjoin you to ask the question, how qualitative is our educational system in Imo State today?

    Whither the once famed epithet; education is our industry. We ask why is Imo at the bottom of the ladder in performance at public examinations by WAEC, NECO and JAMB. When was the last time that an Imo State student obtained first position in any of these examinations?

    Praising the initiative, a retired school teacher, Mr. Paul Uzoukwu said the gesture will go a long way to revive in the students the desire to learn, adding that no science teacher can produce Grade A students without an equipped and functional laboratory.

    He opined that with the proper application of the equipment, the state will soon regain its top position in science education.

    “I am optimistic that with time and right use of these modern equipment, the students will excel in the science subjects, which has been a source of worry to parents, teachers and other major stakeholders. The Initiative is apt and should be emulated by other public office holders.”

    Some of the students, who were joyful over the gesture, assured that with the provision of the equipment, they would work hard to justify the huge investment.

    Miss Njoku Rose, a student from one of the benefitting schools said: “I am so grateful to the Deputy Speaker for his kindness. Before now, we only read about this equipment, but now we can see and use them for our practical”

  • Lawmaker empowers constituents

    Lawmaker empowers constituents

    When Fatima Binta Bello was elected to represent Kaltungo/Shongom Federal Constituency of Gombe State in the House of Representatives, her promise was to offer the people of the area an effective and quality representation, while being accountable to them.

    So, when she decided to gather the people of her constituency inside the Olusegun Obasanjo Stadium in Kaltungo on June 7, 2014, it was to show of appreciation for electing her to represent them. She also used the occasion to empower many of them.

    The Chairman of Kaltungo Local Government Area, Musa Buba Awak described the event as “a demonstration of love, commitment and dedication by a daughter of the land. In her desire to better the lot of members of her constituency, she has embarked on these enormous programmes that aim at reducing the rate of poverty among members of her constituency.

    “It was a day that marked yet another milestone in the provision of democratic benefits in line with Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo transformation agenda. The governor has continually transformed the state from rural settlement to a modern state.

    Governor Dankwambo called on other members of the National Assembly from the state to shun political and other differences and pool their resources to assist the people of their constituencies. He reminded elected office holders not to look at the number of votes they got from some areas during their elections but to empower the people with love as a way of winning their hearts, noting that Binta Bello’s contribution to the development of her constituency and the state would ever be remembered.

    In her remark, the lawmaker said she was inspired by Governor Dankwambo’s commitment to developing the entire state to reach out to her constituents describing him as a “role model, positive influence and ultimate transformer of the state”.

    She noted that the empowerment programme was her own way of keying into the transformation agenda in Gombe State, adding that she embarked on the empowerment programme “in order to reduce the level of poverty among the people in the area”.

    She further said apart from the empowerment programme, about 300 students in various higher institutions of learning across the country and the Fatima Bello ICT Centre in Kaltungo which has so far graduated 350 students, have benefitted from her scholarship scheme.

    The lawmaker said: “Boreholes have been sunk in all the 20 wards that make up my constituency. This gesture aimed at providing potable water for my people.”

    According to her, eight other communities benefited from solar-powered boreholes, in addition to solar-powered light in Kamu, Tungo, Ture, Burak, Jauro Sajo and Lalaipido communities.

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal praised the efforts of colleague of his whom he said has performed well both at home and in the National Assembly.

    He called on the people to re-elect her in the 2015 general elections in order to continually witness quality representation at the House of Representatives. He asked other members of the National Assembly to emulate Bello’s example and remain focused in order to empower their constituencies.

    The Speaker said: “Legislators need to have the interest of their people at heart. Doing so will not only translate to proper and quality representation, but would also give their people sense of belonging and accomplishment anywhere they found themselves.”

    Tambuwal challenged lawmakers to intensify their efforts in empowering their people in order to make them be self-reliant; stressing that it was their responsibility to empower them.

    He further said: “Our job is to see that members of our constituencies are empowered.”

    He, however, called on Nigerians to imbibe the culture of allowing parliamentarians to serve for multiple tenures as obtained in developed democracies. This, he believes, would bring about the much-needed maturity of the country’s democracy, adding that “as you know, in the legislature, we don’t have term limit. A member can return for as long as he is doing what the constituency is happy with.

    “In developed democracies, there are parliamentarians who have been in the parliament for over 40 years and they are still there. I believe this is a good culture that should be promoted for our democracy to grow. A situation whereby more than 80 per cent of members of the legislators lose their seats in any fresh election is not encouraging.

    “I plead with the Nigerian public and, in particular, our leaders to appreciate the fact that we need as many members as possible to be re-elected in next year’s election.”

    Some of the items donated were 100 hospital beds, 100 mattresses, 100 pillows and 100 bed sheets for the 200-bed Snakebite Hospital at Kaltungo under construction; 11 maternity clinics and two cottage hospitals in Shongom Local Government Area with one examination bed, one stainless screen cover and one wheel chair in each of the 13 health facilities.

    She also provided 120 grinding machines, 200 sewing machines, 50 taliya making machines and 100 hair dryers to women in Shongom and Kaltungo local government areas to enhance their socio-economic life while male youths of the constituency received 52 Keke NAPEP tricycles, 20 car washing machines and 100 barbing machines.

    There were 10 wheel chairs for 10 crippled persons and 100 electricity generating sets for other members of the constituency. Dry season farmers were all smiles as they received 40 irrigation pumping machines.

  • Honour for lawmaker

    Honour for lawmaker

    A member of the House of Representatives, who represents Emure/Gbonyin/Ekiti East Constituency, Hon Bamidele Faparusi, has bagged a honourary doctorate degree at the Commonwealth University, United Kingdom (UK).

    A source told The Nation yesterday that the lawmaker traveled out of the country to the UK through Dubai about 4pm yesterday.

    The award, the source said, is not unconnected with the “impressive” representation that the lawmaker has given his constituency, coupled with his people-oriented empowerment initiatives that have lifted many indigenes of Ekiti State.

    Confirming the story, Faparusi said the award came to him as a surprise, adding: “I appreciate the honour, but I must say that serving my constituency has remained part of my natural self; it is something that I see as an avowed commitment. The award, to me, is a further impetus to drive me to do more for my people and fatherland.”