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Tag: Nasarawa Assembly

  • Nasarawa Assembly passes N90.17bn budget for 2019

    The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has passed the 2019 appropriation bill of N90.17billion into law.

    The Speaker of the House, Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi on Wednesday, also disclosed that the House jerked up the budget by over N3billion due to the omission of Nasarawa Youth Empowerment Scheme (NAYES) sectoral allocation among others.

    The Speaker also recommended that ongoing and new projects should be completed for the benefit of the people of the state.

    ”Today, the House approved and passed a total budget size of N90,170,246,463.52 billion only to be issued out from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of which N51.029,581,277.52 billion, which represents 57 percent, for Recurrent Expenditure and N31,966,994,046 billion, which represents 35 percent, is for Capital Expenditure

    “Consolidated Revenue Funds charges of N7,173,671,140billion is for Debt Servicing, Pension and Gratuity,” he said.

    Read Also: Nasarawa varsity wins interview, counselling skills contest

    Balarabe-Abdullahi urged the state government to intensify effort and block all leakages especially in the area of revenue generation to achieve the desired objective with regards to Internally Generated Revenue of the state.

    The House also recommended the autonomy of the state Revenue Board to enhance their performance in generating more revenue.

    The speaker also tasked the executive on strict implementation of the budgetary provisions if finally assented to into law.

  • Nasarawa Assembly okays five-year single term for VC

    The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has approved a five- year single tenure for the Vice Chancellor (VC) and principal officers of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

    The Speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, while announcing the passage of the bill to amend the Nasarawa State University Law of 2001 in Lafia, praised Daniel Ogah Ogazi, the lawmaker representing Kokona East in the house and some others for sponsoring the bill.

    The speaker said with the new law, the Vice-Chancellor shall hold office for a single term of five years and shall no longer be eligible for appointment until at least 10 years have elapsed since he last held office as a VC.

    “Within a period of 90 days and not later than 60 days to the expiration of the tenure of the existing Vice-Chancellor, the successor to the Vice-Chancellor shall be appointed.

    “The Registrar shall hold office for a single term of five years, except when his tenure is expiring the same time with the Vice Chancellor that his tenure shall be extended for one year only and no more.”

    Ogazi said based on the new law, the directorates in the university are to be head by Directors who shall hold office for a single term of five years only.

    “Directorates of Works and Maintenance, Directorates of Physical Planning, Directorates of Health Services and Directorates of Information, Communication and Technology shall hold office for a single term of five years only.

    “Also, there shall be Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) in the office of the Vice Chancellor whose tenure shall be two years subject to renewal for another two years, Ogazi said.

  • ‘Nasarawa lawmakers rebuffed Jonathan’s peace moves’

    The Minority Leader at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Mr. Tanko Maikatako, has revealed that President Goodluck Jonathan’s efforts to amicably settle the dispute between the lawmakers and Governor Umaru Almakura were rejected.

    “The President’s efforts toward peace were not successful due to selfishness among the law makers,” Maikatako, who represents Lafia Central constituency, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Lafia.

    According to him, Jonathan had appealed to the lawmakers to opt for dialogue rather than impeaching Al-Makura, but the legislators insisted on removing the governor.

    “The President met with us and appealed to us to go back and meet with the governors to iron out the issues, but the members refused,” he said.

    Maikatako, a member of the All Progressives Congress, said he was very surprised at that development.

    “We don’t know why it happened that way. If the president himself, the Peoples Democratic Party leader in the country, appealed to his colleagues to return to Nasarawa, meet the governor to iron out issues, they should have come back,” he opined.

    Maikatako frowned at the attitude of his 20 colleagues and declared that their insistence on ignoring Jonathan’s peace offer snowballed into the political crisis.

    “Their resolve to go ahead with the impeachment of Governor Umaru Al-Makura was selfishly motivated,” said Maikatako, who claimed that the lawmakers did not have an iota of evidence to substantiate their claims against Al-Makura.

    “They abandoned all the allegations they levelled against the governor; that means that the allegations were baseless. One can therefore conclude that the panel did its job.

    “As it is, the lawmakers must come back. That was what Mr. President advised them to do; they must meet the governor and iron out the issues,” he said.

     

  • Panel’s clearance has vindicated me – Al Makura

    Panel’s clearance has vindicated me – Al Makura

    Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa State on Tuesday said he has been vindicated by the “not guilty” verdict of the-seven man impeachment panel, investigating allegations of gross misconduct preferred against him by the state House of Assembly.

    Reacting to the verdict of the panel at the Government House, Lafia, Almakura said the dismissal of all the charges against him had proven beyond reasonable doubt that he did nothing wrong in the discharge of his duties as the governor of the state.

    Almakura, who spoke with reporters, said, “There can be no further vindication than the verdict of the panel because each and every of the 16 allegations have been proved to be frivolous and dismissed accordingly. The people of goodwill in Nasarawa State who stood by me have also vindicated me by virtue of my antecedents and relationship with them.

    “Even though the action and process taken by the legislators was a violation of the constitution, irrespective of that I decided to appear before the panel to defend myself.

    “As God will have it, the very people that accused me and alleged so many frivolous and unsubstantiated allegations against me were not there to defend the allegations.

    “They were trying to make a scapegoat through certain technicalities which were not sustainable.

    “So I have nothing to fear as far as I am concerned because this is a victory for democracy. This is a victory for the rule of law. And I am ever ready to appear before any court of competent jurisdiction to defend myself at any point in time.

    “They also are free as citizens of Nigeria and the law has given them the leverage in accordance with the constitution, to pursue their course.”

     

  • Panel dismisses charges against Al- Makura

    Panel dismisses charges against Al- Makura

    The Nasarawa State probe panel on Tuesday cleared Governor Tanko Umaru  Almakura of all the allegations of gross misconduct filed against him by the state House of Assembly.

    The Assembly was also given 24 hours to appear before the panel and substantiate allegations made against the governor

    The Chairman of the panel, Yusuf Usman, during the proceeding made reference to section 7 (c) of the panel guideline which stipulated that where the assembly fails to appear and lead evidence on the allegations, the panel, upon proof of service may dismiss the allegations.

    Usman said the panel had during its Monday’s sitting, gave 24 hours grace to the lawmakers to appear and substantiate their case against the governor.

    “The rule of natural justice and our criminal laws put the onus of proof on the complainant and failure to which the accused is deemed innocent.

    “The House has failed to advance evidence on the allegations, therefore the panel agrees with the prayer of the governor’s counsel and has decided to dismiss the charges against the governor,” Usman said.

     

  • Al- Makura appears before panel, dismisses allegations

    Al- Makura appears before panel, dismisses allegations

    Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has dismissed as spurious and unfounded the 16-count allegations of misconduct levelled against him by the state House of Assembly.

    His lawyers also urged the panel to “enter a notice of dismissal of the impeachment notice served on the governor for wants of proof” of the allegations.

    Al- Makura, who appeared on Monday before the seven-man panel constituted by the state Chief Judge, Suleiman Dikko, said appearing in person before the panel was to set the records straight and in line with his deep respect for the rule of law and the constitution of the Country.

    The governor, who made his way into the premises of the state ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and headed straight into the Conference Hall of the building at about 10am amidst tight security, looked calm and unperturbed.

    As soon as he was introduced to make his defense, Almakura told the investigative panel headed by Yusuf Shehu Usman that he had done nothing wrong in the course of discharging his responsibility as the governor of the state. He noted that up till the time of his appearing before the panel he was yet to be served any notice by the House of Assembly.

    Al- Makura said: “I must state, Mr. Chairman, and panel members that making this appearance in person and for the records, I want to say I was not served any notice by the House of Assembly. I am appearing in response to the hearing notice served on me by the panel and my appearance is to defend myself and clear my name against these spurious and unfounded allegations made against me.

    “I intend to defend myself during the proceedings by my representatives who will carry on. I have already prepared my defense and I have been informed by my counsel that it has been prepared and filed accordingly.”

    He also hinted that those who preferred allegations against him and accused him of misconduct not only erred in the ways and manner they pursued their goals but violated the constitution of the country, stressing that at the proper time he would challenge them in Court for the violation of the constitution.

    “What this panel is doing today is a call to duty in compliance with the constitution of Nigeria. The activities and result of this panel’s proceeding will determine the wellbeing of the state. I pray that God guides the panel to do what is right for the people of the state, the constitution and the country,” the governor stated.

    However, shortly after the governor’s remarks, his counsel led by U. N Udechukwu (SAN) pleaded with the panel to allow the governor take his leave in order to attend to other matters concerning the state.

    The Chairman of the panel, Yusuf Usman, in his remarks, said members of the panel have agreed that the lawmakers be given the opportunity to appear before the panel in the interest of justice and fair play.

    “We therefore give them opportunity to appear before the panel on Tuesday while hearing notices be served on them,” Usman stated.