The Nation Newspaper

Tag: national assembly

  • Budget presentation: NANS wants NASS to apologise to Nigerians

    The National Association of Nigerian Students ( NANS ) has called on members of the National Assembly to apologise to Nigerians for their unruly behaviour during President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 budget presentation .

    The Public Relations Officer of NANS, Mr Azeez Adeyemi, made the call on Friday in Abeokuta.

    Adeyemi condemned the lawmakers’ behaviour, saying that it had further tarnished the external image of the country.

    He urged the lawmakers to always promote the integrity of the country, while according due respect to its leaders.

    He stressed that the legislators should jettison personal and political interests while treating matters of national interest.

    Read Also: Budget presentation: We showed our strength, says APC Reps

    “Nigerian students believe that members of the National Assembly should be role models to Nigerian youths and students by displaying worthy and enviable character.

    “It is important to place respect for the honour and integrity of our dear country above any personal or political interests.

    “We, hereby, call on the leadership of the National Assembly to, as a matter of necessity, apologise to the entire people of Nigeria over the members’ unruly conduct during the president’s budget presentation,” he said.

    The NANS spokesperson, nonetheless, urged the National Assembly members to scrutinise the 2019 appropriation bill before its passage so as to ensure the outcome was in the best interest of all Nigerians.

  • Passage of 2019 budget may be delayed as NASS adjourns

    The proposed N8.83 trillion 2019 Appropriation Bill may not be passed by the National Assembly until after the 2019 general elections.

    This indication emerged on Thursday as the two chambers of the National Assembly adjourned plenary till January 16, 2019.

    The budget estimate was presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday by President Muhammadu Buhari. 

    Senators and House of Representatives members adjourned plenary without the second reading of the money bill.

    The presentation of the fiscal estimate by Buhari served as the first reading of the Appropriation Bill.

    The second reading is debate of the general principles of the budget, which gives the lawmakers the opportunity to talk about the merits and demerits of the budget.

    What follows debate of the general principles of the budget is referring the Bill to the Appropriation Committee of the two chambers.

    The standing committees of the two chambers will serve as sub committees of the Appropriation Committee to consider the Bill.

    The standing committees are empowered to invite ministers and other heads of government agencies to defend their budget proposals.

    This has always been source of conflict between heads of MDAs and the lawmakers.

    Although the two chambers of the National Assembly adjourned on Thursday to reconvene on January 16, insiders said the lawmakers would “merely resume plenary and adjourn again to allow everybody to prepare for 2019 the election in February 2019.”

    A source close to the leadership of the National Assembly told our reporter that “anybody who is expecting the National Assembly to pass the 2019 budget before the election is not being fair to us.

    “Where will you get the ministers and the heads of government agencies to defend their proposals?”

    He added: “It is clear that it is practically impossible for the National Assembly to pass the budget before the 2019 election.

    “When was the budget presented by President Buhari? Who is talking about passage at this time when the second reading of the money bill has not been read.

    “We will follow the normal process and see how far we can go when we reconvene in January.

    “Passage of the budget is completely out of the question now. Nobody is thinking about that.”

     

  • 2019 Budget: Buhari scolds unruly lawmakers

    President Muhammadu Buhari was yesterday forced to caution some recalcitrant members of the National Assembly who jeered at him as he presented the 2019 Appropriation Bill.

    They interrupted his remarks at the presentation of the N8.83 trillion budget proposals, but the President remained calm, even as he gently scolded the unruly lawmakers.

    “May I appeal to the honourable members that the world is watching us… we’re supposed to be above this,” Buhari said calmly.

    It was, however, not all booing and jeering at yesterday’s presentation to the joint session of the National Assembly.

    Some of the lawmakers at the Green Chamber, venue of the yearly “ritual”, hailed President Buhari as he did a chronicle of his achievements.

    Following the intermittent hostilities exhibited by some of the opposition lawmakers and aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC) members, the President cautioned them to be mindful of their behaviour.

    ”The world is watching us,” he said and added: “you are only messing up yourselves.”

    There were signs that all was not well when the President entered the lobby of the National Assembly to behold lawmakers singing anti-Buhari songs.

    As this went on, other groups of lawmakers cheered the President as he made his way into the House of Representatives chamber.

    There was confusion in the complex as anti and pro-Buhari elements squared up to one another.

    Inside the chamber, a protest by mostly members of the House welcomed the President.

    On sighting Buhari, some House members and senators burst into songs.

    “Freedom comes by struggle, freedom comes by struggle, by struggle, freedom comes,” they sang.

    But pro-Buhari members replied, singing: “Sai baba, sai baba”.

    The development was demeaning, observers said.

    The National Anthem was taken amid the confusion as Senate President Bukola Saraki laboured to maintain decorum in the tension-soaked chamber.

    Saraki continued to bang the gavel on the table to keep the peace to no avail.

    The shouting became even more serious when Buhari told the lawmakers that the details of the Appropriation Bill would be given by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Amina Mohammed.

    What followed was “no, no, no”.

    The President said the economy had substantially recovered. The lawmakers yelled “no, no, no; you are lying.”

    Buhari was then compelled to offer some words of caution saying “the world is watching us”.

    Every step the President took was booed and jeered by the irritant hecklers.

    When the President said that the Federal Government had made some milestone in the fight against corruption, the lawmakers screamed “no, no, no, grass cutter, grass cutter.”

    The sharp division almost marred the presentation of the budget but President Buhari kept his cool, ignoring side comments.

    As President Buhari reeled out the progress made in the water sector, one of the lawmakers shouted “lie, lie, lie; it is not true, it’s not correct, propaganda, campaign speech.”

    A lawmaker was heard shouting: “This is open challenge to the President. It is completely unacceptable.”

    Another shouted: “Some of our colleagues have gone to a ridiculous level to embarrass Mr. President. We should not allow that.”

    At a stage, it seemed that some of the antagonists descended to the level of tampering with the microphone to make it impossible to hear the President.

    The stage appeared to have been set when Saraki merely introduced President Buhari without backing it up with the usual complimentary speech.

    When the President concluded his presentation, some aggrieved senators and House members blocked the Speaker Yakubu Dogara from giving his vote of thanks.

    On Tuesday, All Progressives Congress (APC) senators met to articulate how to forestall any unpleasant development during the presentation of the budget.

    It was learnt that the House held a closed door meeting early yesterday to prevail on their members to behave themselves.

    Some aggrieved APC lawmakers, who had come with placards to the chamber, were prevailed upon not to embarrass the President with their protest.

  • Video: Buhari hailed at National Assembly

    President Mohammadu Buhari was on Wednesday hailed by members of the National Assembly on arrival for the presentation of the 2019 budget.

    Shouts of Sai Baba rented the air.

     

  • Buhari rejects NASS’ approval for refund of N488.7b to states

    President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected the National Assembly’s approval for refund of N488.7 billion to State Governments for projects they executed on behalf of the Federal Government.

    Buhari communicated the decision through a letter read by the President of the Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki, at plenary on Tuesday.

    The president said he rejected the National Assembly’s approval because it violated the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

    He noted that whereas the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a total of N487.8 billion for the purpose, the National Assembly jerked up the figure to N488.7 billion.

    He said the amount approved by the lawmakers was N890 million higher than that approved by FEC.

    Buhari said a review of the NASS’ approval, communicated through a July 27, 2018 letter, also revealed discrepancies in the number of states submitted by FEC and those approved by the lawmakers.

    He said, “While FEC approved reimbursement to 25 states, the National Assembly approved reimbursement to 21 states.

    “The National Assembly did not approve any reimbursement to four states, that is, Bauchi, Delta, Kogi and Taraba, whereas FEC approved reimbursement for them.

    “Note that the amount approved by the National Assembly for reimbursement to 21 states is higher than the amount approved by FEC for reimbursement to 25 states.”

    The president added that the amount approved by the lawmakers for each of the 21 states was higher than that approved by FEC for each of them, except for Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano and Niger.

    He urged the Senate to note that the Public Procurement Act 2007 empowers the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to approve vendors for contract sums.

    According to him, the amounts presented to the national assembly for approval were duly certified for reimbursement by the BPP before they were approved by FEC.

    Buhari said this was after the projects had been inspected through a programme under the chairmanship of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing.

    The president noted that there was need for compliance with the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

    “I wish to request that you forward to us details relating to the amounts approved by the National Assembly for the 17 states in excess of what was certified by BPP, for necessary verification and approval.

    “Furthermore, I wish to request for a review of the reimbursement earlier submitted in favour of Bauchi, Delta, Kogi and Taraba states,” the president said.

    In the meantime, Buhari has told the lawmakers that the federal government will proceed with the implementation of the reimbursement on certain grounds.

    First, he said where the amount approved by the national assembly is the same as the amount approved by FEC the jointly approved amounts would be refunded.

    Read Also: 2019: Kaduna women vow to deliver 2m votes to Buhari, El-Rufai

    He identified the states in this category as Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano and Niger.

    Second, the president said where the amount approved by the National Assembly was higher than the amount approved by FEC, the amount approved by FEC would be paid.

    The benefiting states on this are Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Ebonyi, Benue, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kwara, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau and Zamfara.

    He said the four states (Bauchi, Delta, Kogi and Taraba) excluded in the NASS approval would not be refunded until their consideration by the lawmakers.

  • ‘NASS will not allow marginalisation of indigenous companies’

    The Chairman Senate Committee on Local Content, Sen. Solomon Adeola, says the National Assembly will not watch indigenous companies fold up as a result of marginalisation.

    Adeola made this known to newsmen during a visit of the National Assembly Joint Committees on Local Content to Solewant, an indigenous pipe coating company in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

    The lawmaker, who lamented reports of marginalisation of indigenous companies, particularly in the oil and gas industry, said local content initiative was introduced to curb such.

    He said if the ugly trend, which International Oil Companies(IOCs) were often accused of, was not tackled, it would have adverse effect on the economy.

    “The local content initiative is a growing phenomenon in developing nations that have suffered the effect of importation of investments, labour and technology in the critical sectors of the economy.

    “The initiative aims at encouraging domestic investment, promote the empowerment and employment of indigenes and facilitate technology transfer, in order to expand the economy.

    “The need for the greater inclusion of the legislature in the initiative is believed to further enhance the attainment of the idea and this led to the inauguration of the Senate’s Committee on Local Content in November of 2017 by the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki.

    “The committee was inaugurated with the mandate to ensure the transfer of technology in the oil and gas industry, ensure the use of local manpower by companies cited in Nigeria.

    “It was also inaugurated to develop policies and make laws that would ensure the patronage of local manufacturing industry by Nigerians and carry out oversight function of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board as well as other operators in the industry.

    “The Senate Committee seeks to significantly add value to the local content initiative.

    “It also seeks to increase impact and enforcement of the Local Content Act as well as work with the Nigeria Content Development Management Board.

    “This is to promote domestication and domiciliation of oil and gas activities among the leading industry operators,” he said.

    Adeola said pursuant to resolve by the parliament to support indigenous companies to boost the economy, it had commenced amendment of the local content law, to expand its scope for maximum result.

    He added that “it is in the interest of furthering the achievements made by the local content initiative that the committee has resolved to pursue its three cardinal focus of law and policy development, institutional strengthening and oversight.

    “The committee’s oversight function is targeted at providing Legislative monitoring towards ensuring high level of compliance with the local content initiatives.

    “In this regard, the committee has been able to come to the aid of indigenous operators who felt shortchanged or marginalised by the International Oil Companies(IOCs).”

    Also speaking to newsmen, Board Chairman of Solewant Group, Prof. Sylvanus Ebohon, thanked Adeola and members of the committee for assuring them of protection from marginalisation.

    He said unless major stakeholders come together to protect local companies, particularly in the oil and gas industry, they would be forced extinction.

    Read Also: NASS Leadership directs Police, SSS to secure complex for pleanry

    He said the effect of such would be better imagined, adding that the unemployment rate would increase among other consequences.

    “I want to thank the lawmakers for considering our company worthy for this facility tour, signalling possible acceptance by the committee.

    “We have been facing the usual blackmail typical of multinational diplomacy in contemporary business competition.

    “Our company is one of the two function all companies out of the four coating companies in Nigeria.

    “We have put together four specialised activities including pipeline coating services, laboratory testing services.

    “I am aware that the indigenisation policy has not made any meaningful impact on what local content dream is supposed to constitute for developing country like ours.

    “Since 1992, Nigeria has only four coating companies and only two are functioning. It is sad,” he said.

    The chairman urged the national assembly to protect it and other indigenous companies, adding that they were Nigerian projects.

  • NASS Leadership directs Police, SSS to secure complex for plenary

    …as strike enters day two

     

    The leadership of the National Assembly ( NASS ) has said the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) should be held responsible if President Buhari is not allowed to present the 2019 Appropriation Budget schelded for Wednesday due to the four-day industrial action by the National Assembly workers.

    The workers have however vowed to continue with the warning strike as the main gate to the National Assembly remained partially locked.

    Though water and power supplies have been restored, workers are having difficulty gaining access to the complex.

    Most motorists were observed to be using the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) gate to access the complex.

    But DSS operatives at the SGF gate have however refused to allow anyone with National Assembly identity card through their gate.

    In a statement on Monday night, after a meeting with the management of the National Assembly led by the Clerk, Muhammadu Sani-Omolori, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara said the management has made sufficient efforts to address rue grievance of the striking workers.

    The meeting, conveyed at the instance of Saraki and Dogara was to assess the situation and efforts made so far by the management to address the grievances of the striking staff.

    The political leadership, as such, directed the security agencies to secure the National Assembly for legislators to carry out their duties from this morning.

    Read Also: Senate approves names of nominees for NASS commission

    The statement signed by Omolori reads, “The leadership of the National Assembly called the meeting because they know that almost all the issues raised by the striking workers were being addressed by the management.

    “And after listening to the CNA, it was unanimously agreed that the management had made sufficient plans and efforts to address all the grievances of the workers and ensure their happiness.

    “We were sure that the issues raised by the workers have been well attended to and that it is necessary for the business of the National Assembly to continue without any disturbance.

    “Both chambers must hold their normal plenary tomorrow morning to prepare the ground for the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 to present the budget proposal to the joint sitting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    “We have therefore mandated the security agencies to perform their duty of maintaining law and order in the National Assembly Complex and its surrounding.

    “They must enforce the laws which allow the striking workers to down tools if they choose to and also the ones which restrain them from disturbing those who choose to work or stop parliamentarians from entering the chambers or their offices to do the work for which they were elected.

    “Senators and members of the House of Representatives, their aides, other workers and people who have legitimate business within the National Assembly Complex are therefore advised to come in as they will be free to operate without any hinderance and molestation.

    “If President Buhari is unable to present the budget proposal on Wednesday as scheduled Nigerians should hold the security agencies responsible for failing in the performance of their duties.”

  • Workers shut down National Assembly

    …say won’t stop Buhari Budget presentation

     

    Workers of National Assembly have commenced the four-day warning industrial action with a threat to put off power supply.

    The workers are protesting non implementation of the Consolidated legislative Salary Suucture (CONLESS) that was approved in 2010 among other demands.

    The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) said the industrial action is not a picket as no one would be stopped from accessing the National Assembly but members of the union would not be allowed to carry out their duties.

    The workers also said President Muhammadu Buhari would not be stopped from presenting the 2019 Appropriation Bill scheduled for Wednesday.

    Addressing the protesting workers at the entrance to the complex, Odo Chris MC said neither lawmakers, managememt staff from Grade Level 14 and above, nor visitors would be barred from the complex for the duration of the strike.

    The workers gather as early as half past six Monday morning to close all entrances leading to the National Assembly complex but non-members of the workers union were stopped from going into the complex.

    He said: “It is the members of the union that will not go to work, everybody else cam go in and do whatever they want to do.

    “As a union, we don’t even have the power to stop Grade 14 officers and above from going in to perform their duties because they are not our members.

    “I am appealing to you to be careful and apply wisdom as we carry out this strike because we have a law that guides us.

    “This is not picketing, there should ne no fighting,there should be no breakdown of law and order.

    “Right now, some of us will go in and shut off electricity supply, by the time the environment becomes unbearable for those that are working, they will leave as well.

    “The President can go in and present his budget if the place is conducive enough”.

    While Sergeant -at-Arm joined the protesting workers, armed security personnel including mobile policemen, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) are on ground to prevent breakdown of law and order, while officers of Federal Road Safety Corps ((FRSC) were seen coordinating traffic movements

  • ‘Nigeria still very corrupt despite Buhari’s anti-corruption war’

    Despite the anti-corruption posture of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, Nigeria is still perceived as an extremely corrupt country, the Uyo Zonal Head of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Abdulkarim Chukkul has said.

    Chukkul, who made this known Monday at the commission’s office during a press briefing in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, said the 2017 corruption perception index scored the country low when compared with the 2016 perception report.

    Read Also:Vote buying a threat to Nigeria’s democracy – Saraki, Dogara

    “Despite the frantic efforts by the government to tackle corruption, the 2017 corruption perception scored Nigeria low compare with the 2016 perception report. Nigeria slipped in the country-ranking by 12 position in 2017, which shows that Nigeria is still perceived as
    extremely corrupt “, he said.

    He expressed frustration over the National Assembly’s refusal to pass into law some major bills presented to it by the agency, saying that the situation has stifled the commission’s mandate of tackling corruption.

    “Beneficial ownership register is nowhere near completion and crucial asset recovery legislation such as the proceeds of Crime Bill has been stalled in the National Assembly.

    “The pledge to work towards full implementation of the Open Contracting Data Standard has not resulted in tangible actions and the much needed public procurement reform is stalled as key appointments for National Procurement Council (NPC) have not commenced, ” he said.

    Chukkul said that, at the state level, lack of procurement law has resulted in shady contracting leading to non-implementation of projects and outright abandoning of even the ones initiated, he also said that the increasing level of abandon projects across Nigeria has made the citizens not to benefit from the trillions of naira budgeted yearly for development.

    “According to the findings of our monitoring activities, 70 percent of government projects are abandoned. This is the evident as the number of abandoned projects scattering across the state. The increasing level of abandon projects across Nigeria has deprived the citizens the benefit of the trillions of naira budgeted yearly for development

    “While the citizens are deprived the benefit of governance, some few persons who are politically exposed see the opportunity of budget implementation to drain the nation of its resources,” he added.

  • Unpaid salaries: National Assembly workers blow hot again

    THE Chairman of the Parliamentary staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), National Assembly Chapter, Bature Musa Mohammad, yesterday insisted the association will embark on an indefinite industrial action if their demands are not met.

    According to him,  “The picketting  (of the National Assembly), which started on Tuesday December 4, 2018, was to last till Thursday  December 6, 2018 a prelude to and warning signal about a proposed total strike action billed to take place in two weeks time,  precisely December 18, 2018.”

    The National Assembly workers had on Tuesday December4, shut down the two chambers in the parliament over certain demands from the management of the NASS and prevented lawmakers from sitting.

    The demands were centred on the payment of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS), Condition of Service, Promotion,  Conversion, Upgrading and Training, among others.

    Speaking with reporters yesterday, Muhammad said following the intervention of the principal officers of the two chambers of the National Assembly, who assured that the outstanding salary arrears and allowances would be paid soon, they had decided to sheathe their swords temporarily.

    He, however, threatened that the National Assembly would be shut down again if their demands were not attended to.

    “We hereby reiterate that the proposed indefinite industrial action that will ground all legislative activities of the National Assembly will commence as earlier scheduled if our demands are not met as promised,” he threatened.

    He said the picketing that was done on Tuesday was not illegal as was declared by the spokesman of the House of Representatives, adding that the action was in line with the Union Act.

    “We’ve been empowered by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is supreme to any other law.  We are alsobbacked up by the Trade Union Act to do what we have done so far.

    “So, it’s left to the leadership t to handle this situation and avoid any embarrassment that the House might receive. As far as we’re concerned, we’re doing what is legitimate and right”.

    Muhammad said the sins of the NASS management included the delay in making appropriate appointments into offices such as the Deputy Clerk, National Assembly (DCNA); Deputy Clerk House of Representatives (Legislative and Admin); secretaries of directorates and directors of departments.

    Another issue that irked PASAN, he said, was the issue of consultancy. “It is disappointing to inform you that in recent times, some top management staff who have retired from service are not allowed to proceed on retirement”.

    He said the management unilaterally claimed that “there are no vacancies for staff on Grade Level 7 and above, in gross violation of the service rules, as they arrogated to itself the power of the National Assembly Service Commission.

    According to Muhammad, it is the duty of the commission, “in line with the provision of the National Assembly Service Act, to appoint, promote and discipline the staff of the National Assembly.”