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Tag: national assembly

  • Pension: FG, stakeholders faults bill seeking to exempt paramilitary personnel

    Pension: FG, stakeholders faults bill seeking to exempt paramilitary personnel

    The Federal government has opposed the exclusion personnel of paramilitary services from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) as proposed by a bill in the House of Representatives.

    The government balked at the proposal of being responsible for the pension liabilities of personnel of anti-graft agencies and para-military services.

    For emphasis, the Federal Government has issued a White paper prohibiting all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) as well as paramilitary from pulling out of the CPS to Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), it was revealed.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and others stakeholders Thursday at a public hearing on two pension-related bills warned  that to erode the gains of CPS that has over N6.4 trillion in its pool would attract avoidable consequences.

    One of the bill seeks to amend Pension Reform Act, 2014, to exclude/exempt personnel of various paramilitary and anti-graft agencies from CPS, while the other was  for an Act to amend the provisions of the Pension Reform Act, to reposition the contributory pension scheme for effective service delivery.

    If the exemption bill, sponsored by Oluwole Oke, who is also Chairman, House Committee on Public Procurement is passed into law, the Federal Government will take responsibility for the payment of 100 percent pension for personnel of Nigeria Police Force; Security & Civil Defence Corps; the Nigeria Customs Service; Nigeria Prisons Service; Nigeria Immigration Service; Economic & Financial Crimes Commission; Independent Corrupt Practices Commission; Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

    In his presentation, Roy Ogor, from Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (OSGF), who spoke on behalf of Federal Government, noted that provisions of the exemption bill is not in the interest of a sustainable pension programme for the country.

    Saying that the bill should be discarded, Ogor opined that the National Assembly should not encourage legislations that would further compound the socio-economic challenges facing the country.

    According to him, the Federal government would prefer the lawmakers strengthen the Pension Reform Act that has provision for increase in pension contribution by employers rather than the proposed amendment which seeks to exempt paramilitary personnel.

    While he stressed that the government is only desirous of maintaining the extant arrangement, Ogor said public and private employers should be encouraged to meet their 18 percent pension obligations as provided in Pension Reform Act, 2014.

    He however complained that public and private employers are currently struggling to comply with the current contribution of 18 percent as the lingering economic recession affect both public and private employers.

    Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) advocated for introduction of ‘closed pension scheme’ for the paramilitary rather than outright exemption which he noted is detrimental to the well-being of the personnel of various paramilitary agencies.

    According to NECA, the implementation of the DBS as proposed by the bill would be jeopardized as government cannot afford to wholly fund the pension of the paramilitary personnel due to inadequate funding.

    The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), the adviser to Federal Government on insurance matters, disclosed that the CPS has paid N180b annuity as at March 2017 thereby deepening the development of insurance in the country.

    Earlier, Speaker Dogara warned against any attempt to destroy the legacy achieved through the contributory pension scheme.

    Represented by the Chief Whip, Ado Doguwa, the Speaker said, “We are conscious of the fact that the pension industry has become a crucial sector that is playing a formidable role towards the development of the economy in terms of availability of huge investment funds of about N6.4 trillion provided by the scheme that could be deployed both in the real sector as well as in the capital market sector.

    “Furthermore, the role effective pension administration plays in the general well-being of the pensioners cannot be over-emphasised and we as a parliament will always ensure that the efforts of those that labored for the fatherland will always be appreciated through regular and timely payment of pensions and gratuities.

    “Any bill therefore that can improve both ends of the sector, that is, the pensioners’ wellbeing as well as the administration of the funds will always be favourably considered by the House.”

     

  • Dalung urges NASS to revisit legislation  on tax rebate

    Dalung urges NASS to revisit legislation  on tax rebate

     

    The Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung has called on the National Assembly to revisit the Bill supporting tax waivers for investors in sports development.

    Barrister Dalung made the call when the Nigeria Hockey Federation led by its President Senator Abdul Ningi paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
    The bill, if passed and assented to will have a tax rebate for any company that supports sports. This is expected to generate funds for sports development while waiving a percentage of taxes paid by sponsors of sports development.

    “Elsewhere around the world, financial institutions pick athletes, adopt them and spend their money on the development of those athletes. We must have such traditions in Nigeria. Here, multinationals make billions in Nigeria and none of them plough back the interest or the profit of their investments into sports, yet, they put billions supporting sports in other countries. That is unacceptable and that is why I will lend my voice to call on the National Assembly to revisit that legislation which was concluded but did not receive the Presidential assent, because it is a desirable legislation for sports development. If we have that bill passed and assented to by Mr President, definitely sports development will be rapid and massive.”

    The Minister also commended the federation for bringing hockey back to life and for soliciting funding of their various programs.
    “Despite the challenges being faced by the federation, you have been able to make indelible landmarks as far Hockey is concerned in Nigeria and Africa . All that needs to be done is justice to other federations in Nigeria. Over the years we deliberately embarked on policies of elimination of other sports and this went down to even the elimination of institutional sports. This situation was compounded by the inequitable policy of only appropriating more funds to choice sports while others were abandoned to their fate. I want to assure you that having successfully conducted the elections of the National Federations we will move to equity and justice in sports administration.”

    Earlier, the President of the Nigerian Hockey Federation Senator Abdul Ningi said that since coming on board, the federation has been able to meet all their domestic competitions on the calendar.

    “We have taken part in the Super league, League One, National league and club competitions. In spite of the problems of funding, the federation members are still doing their best to ensure that we are always represented at competitions.”

    The Senator also solicited support for the upcoming Nations Cup competition billed for Egypt.

    “It is our flagship competition and its supposed to take place in August in South Africa but because of the international league that took place there, it was shifted to Egypt. Our ambition is to put back Nigerian hockey on the African continent and onto global limelight. The business organizations we have are not actually in tune with the reality of the situation in the country. Ghana, Kenya, Egypt and South Africa get endorsements from the private sector but in Nigeria, it is only football and basketball that they invest in and therefore we must do whatever we can to get the business sector to come up with how to move some sports forward.”

    He called on the Minister to assist the federation with sponsorship for the Nations Cup.

  • Recall: Drama as INEC dumps bags of documents at Melaye’s office

    Recall: Drama as INEC dumps bags of documents at Melaye’s office

    IT was all drama at the National Assembly yesterday as Senator Dino Melaye and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) engaged in hide-and-seek game over the Kogi West lawmaker’s recall.

    The INEC officials had arrived at the National Assembly complex as early as 11am with four ‘Ghana Must Go’ bags containing recall petitions and a heap of tied documents signed by constituents in Melaye’s  Kogi West.

    The INEC officials had split into two with one group waiting at the door of the senator’s office. The other group was monitoring the chambers, where Melaye kept himself busy with legislative duties.

    Apparently aware that some of the INEC officials were waiting for him in the frontage of his locked office at the Senate Wing of the complex, the lawmaker refused to go to his office after plenary.

    Melaye, who participated actively in the day’s proceedings, left the National Assembly complex without getting to his office as is the tradition with every lawmaker.

    Flustered by the senator’s antics, the electoral officials dumped the documents on the recall at the entrance of his office in the National Assembly.

    The documents were dumped around 11:00am.

    The INEC officials left the National Assembly complex at about 1.14pm disappointed.

    One after the other, they filed into a waiting Toyota Hiace bus that brought them.

    The controversial senator has been in a running battle with the INEC over plans by his constituents to recall him for alleged poor representation.

    He decided to buy time by approaching the courts to stop the process and succeeded in pushing the process for over the 90-day timeframe prescribed by the constitution.

    Melaye had, at a press briefing on Monday, washed his hands off the recall process, saying that the 90-day span prescribed by the Constitution had elapsed.

    However, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba in a later ruling, had ordered the INEC to start the process afresh by serving the relevant documents on the senator.

    At the last court appearance, INEC’s lawyers had sought to serve the senator through substituted service, but Justice Dimgba directed them to make another attempt at serving Melaye and that they should report back to court should the attempt fail.

     

  • NGO Bill: NASS cannot be intimidated into abandoning role – Dogara

    NGO Bill: NASS cannot be intimidated into abandoning role – Dogara

    The National Assembly says it cannot be intimidated into abandoning its duty of providing platform for Nigerians to agree or disagree on any proposed legislative measure.

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Yakubu Dogara, said this on Tuesday in Abuja in his remarks at the resumption of plenary after the legislators’ seven-week recess.

    Dogara, reacting to the controversy surrounding the NGO Bill, said that transparency was what Non-Governmental Organisations ( NGOs ) promoted and therefore, should welcome the opportunity to interrogate the issues with open arms.

    According to him, everyone should understand that the principal objective of the NGO Regulation Bill is to inject transparency, accountability and prevent the subversion of national security from within and without.

    “No one can nor indeed, should gag the operations of NGOs in Nigeria.

    “But, just as they aspire for this freedom, it must be stated that freedom does not come without responsibility as there is no such thing as freedom to be irresponsible.

    “There are also desperate attempts to instigate religious bodies and cultural organizations to oppose the Bill by spreading falsehood that they are the target of this bill.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, let me state once again that churches, mosques, esussu, market women associations as well as local quasi financial institutions are “not NGOs’’ and thus, the bill has nothing to do with their operations.

    “The legislative process cannot be short circuited,’’ he said.

    The speaker said that members of the Lower Chamber were also aware of the criticism over the NGO Bill which had passed second reading and was at committee stage.

    “Honourable members are also aware that the media have been awash with scathing criticism of the institution of the House of Representatives over the NGO Regulation Bill which has passed second reading and is at committee stage.

    “Public criticism of the content of the Bill is a welcome development and there are many who are doing just that.

    “Indeed, it is the reason why every Bill is subjected to public hearing so that the inputs of stakeholders can be obtained to ensure public buy-in.

    “I hasten to say that all Nigerians and other corporate persons, including non-Nigerians, are stakeholders and have a right to support or oppose a Bill.

    “However, when opinions are targeted at disparaging the institution of the legislature, then it becomes imperative to interrogate the motives driving such, especially when this emanates from those who should know,’’ he said.

    Dogara also urged Nigerians to desist from hate speech, saying it had no place in democracy and could instigate violence.

    According to him, hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence.

    “We must learn to love one another, understand each other and respect each other for Nigeria to reach her full potential politically, socially and economically.

    “Of course, all healthy democracies are noisy, but they are filled with noise that elicits debate, not noise that incites to violence.

    “When speech or noise leads to debate, it’s called free speech but when noise or speech incites to violence then that is hate speech.

    “Hate speech has no place in a democracy and must never be tolerated or allowed.

    “Words are powerful and once spoken, it’s difficult, if not impossible to take them back. Words have the power to create the atmosphere in which we live.

    “There is nothing that exists that was not created by or in consequence of spoken words. Hate speech multiplies words that have the capacity to drown the truth.

    “In the midst of hate speech, the truth is usually the casualty. There lies the real danger of hate speech. Yet, it is only in the truth that everything finds its worth,’’ Dogara said.

  • FG to win anti-graft war – Sagay

    FG to win anti-graft war – Sagay

    The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay, on Thursday expressed optimism that the Federal Government would win the ongoing fight against corruption.

    Sagay, who is a constitutional lawyer, said this in Lagos.

    He spoke on recent directive given by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to judges, asking them to ensure success of the anti-graft campaign.

    Sagay said the CJN should undertake in-depth study of judicial officers, with a view to fishing out “bad eggs” in order to give the war against corruption the needed push to succeed.

    He said the war was multifaceted requiring thorough work, and expressed optimism that the government would surmount every obstacle clogging the wheels of justice.

    “We are very concerned about the judiciary because without them, we simply kiss the anti- corruption war goodbye. So we must have a competent judiciary otherwise, they will keep messing up corruption cases.

    “A number of judges take decisions and interfere with ongoing corruption cases which in my view indicates their hostility for the anti- corruption war.

    “The government is very much aware of some of these practices but as you know, this is a law abiding government which believes so much in the rule of law and allows itself to be guided by it.

    “I am optimistic that government will achieve victory in its war against corruption; so for the new legal year, I urge the Chief Justice of Nigeria to look keenly at his officers and those who are found incompetent, should be eased out of the system.

    “More so, if we can get the National Assembly to pass the Special Criminal Court bill into an Act, then, it will be settled that only qualified judges with ‘established’ reputation for integrity, honour and honesty will be appointed there,” Sagay said.

  • Youths kick against restructuring

    Members of the Yoruba Youths Congress (YYC) have kicked against agitations for restructuring of the country, stressing that it is ill-timed.

    Besides, the group said the National Assembly can legislate on certain issues, especially, resource control to favour the state governments.

    The group said those yearning for regional government as a form of restructuring do not have the interest of the country at heart.

    National leader of the group, Wale Alake who spoke with reporters in Akure, the state capital, said there are more fundamental issues that needed to be addressed urgently before the issue of restructuring could be considered.

    Alake noted that there was need to restructure the minds of our leaders across the country so that the nation would have nationalists and selfless leaders as against regionalist and self-centred ones.

    He said instead of conceiving the idea of regionalism, there can be a referendum on some parts of the Constitution to be amended to address economic restructuring.

    The YYC national leadership said institutions must also be built and strengthened so as to be alive to their responsibilities.

    His words: “We believe that there is no challenge we face as a nation currently that cannot be overcome if various institutions of government are strengthened to work at optimum level.

    “Advocates of restructuring complain of marginalisation in government appointments in various agencies. There’s an agency of government to take care of such. If it were alive to its responsibilities, such lop-sidedness would have been corrected.

    “If the Code of Conduct Bureau was alive to its responsibilities, corruption would have been made unattractive and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would have had lesser jobs to do.”

    He accused some elite and the ruling class of being behind the clamour for restructuring, saying it is not for the benefit of the masses.

    He said: “The loudest advocate of restructuring are the manipulative elite and ruling class who manipulate the narrative to suit their selfish and parochial interests.

    “I have not seen or heard any one of them elucidating on how restructuring would benefit the suffering masses who, on daily basis, are confronted with various problems ranging from hunger to lack of basic needs of life.

    “This group of people go as far as cajoling the masses to take position that are even   detrimental to their own well-being.

    “If Nigeria is restructured, are we going to bring people from the Mars to run the system? Isn’t it the same ruling class that has almost ‘knocked” the engine of the vehicle of the present structure that will hold sway at the regional level?”

    The group said if the agitations for restructuring are not curtailed, it might lead to unconscious gravitation towards secession.

    It said the National Assembly is in the best position to address any issue of socio-economic, political and any seemingly structural imbalances.

  • Ekweremadu’s kinsmen plan mass protest to National Assembly

    Ekweremadu’s kinsmen plan mass protest to National Assembly

    Constituents from the District of the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu have threatened to lead a protest to the National Assembly, over what they described as the continuous marginalisation of their autonomous community by the lawmaker.

    Addressing a news conference in Abuja yesterday, leader of Mgbowo Youth Progressive Organisation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Humphrey Onyima, said despite the fact that the community which is one of the biggest in Enugu West Senatorial District, produces some of the highest number of votes, the Deputy President of the Senate has not used his office to attract developmental projects to the place.

    He said: “We wish to state categorically that our next line of action is a march on the National Assembly to address our grievances.

    Senator Ekweremadu is representing Enugu West Senatorial District , while Hon. Tobi Okechukwu represents Awgu, Aninri, Oji River Federal Constituency of Enugu State.

    “Sidelining Mgbowo community from 2003 till date is unacceptable. Take a look at the 2017 budget,  you will see a determined effort to reduce Mgbowo community to the lowest end. All attracted projects are either sited in Aninri, Ekweremadu community or in Ugbo, Tobi Okechukwu community.”

    When contacted, the Special Adviser Media to the Deputy President of the Senate, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, said the office would not dignify Onyima and his puppeteers with a response as, according to him, “it is not every kind of rain that a wise man bothers to remove his wares from”.

    He said: “Onyima is on his own. There are 81 Electoral Wards in Enugu West of which Mgbowo is one ward.

    “ Ask him if he is aware that Ekweremadu attracted solar-powered street lighting to Mgbowo and a library to Girls Secondary School in Mgbowo?

    “Is he aware that over a hundred Mgbowo indigenes have benefitted from and are still in school today courtesy of Ikeoha Scholarship Foundation?

    “Is he aware that Ekweremadu has facilitated the appointment of many Mgbowo indigenes into the federal civil service and federal parastatals and that he, in fact, facilities the appointment of Mgbowo indigenes as heads of federal government agencies?

    “Is he aware that several Mgbowo indigenes have political appointments today courtesy of Ikeoha, including Engr Ikechukwu Azi?

  • IPOB: Saraki faults South-East Govs, Army over proscription

    IPOB: Saraki faults South-East Govs, Army over proscription

    President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, says Nigerian Army’s branding of Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB ) as a terrorist organisation is unconstitutional.

    Also unconstitutional, according to him, is the proscription of the group by the governors of South-East states.

    Saraki, in a 10-point statement on Monday in Abuja, said the pronouncements by the governors and the military did not follow due process.

    Read also: IPOB: Army not under Political Pressure – Buratai

    He said that such declarations would not take effect because the laws had made clear provisions for taking such actions.

    “I am sure the President will do the needful by initiating the right process.

    “This will go a long way in demonstrating to the world that we are a country that operates by laid down process under every circumstance.

    “So, those who have been hammering on this point should maintain their cool,’’ he said.

    While commending the military for their efforts in restoring peace to different parts of the country and sustaining the unity, he urged it to be guided by their training in the face of provocation.

    Read also: IPOB: Opposition’s plot to destabilise Nigeria – Lai Mohammed

    According to Saraki, military training emphasises respect for human rights, even in war situations.

    He added that given the nature of the situation in the South East, the military should have been hesitant in the use of force.

    The president of the senate urged the executive not to over-stretch the military, adding that “we need to protect our military against dissipation of their fighting strength.

    “This means we need to strengthen the police and equip them with the capacity to deal with civil crisis.

    “That is why we in the National Assembly are already reviewing the Police Act and  looking at possibility of enabling other para-military agencies to help curb civil unrest and maintenance of law and order.’’

    He said that the national assembly would embark on a fact-finding investigation aimed at determining what happened during the military exercise in the South-East.

    Saraki said that it was to enable it sift the facts from the fiction and determine who did what, adding that all the facts were not yet known.

    He assured Nigerians that there would be no cover-up, saying that all facts would be laid bare.

    He called for calm and restraint by all Nigerians to provide the right solution to the current problem rather than worsening it.

    The president of the senate further urged the people of the South-East to continue to maintain peace and tranquility and go about their lawful business.

    Read also: Fayose has link with IPOB funding, says Ekiti APC

    He explained that if allowed to continue, the crisis would only expose innocent people to unwarranted danger.

    He commended Nigerians in other parts of the country who had worked to ensure that the crisis did not spread beyond the South-East.

    Saraki called for peace and stability to ensure that Nigerians, irrespective of religion, tribe and creed, remained protected and safe under the law.

    “It is also important that commentators and purveyors of information on all media platforms should be conscious of the need, at all times, to maintain the unity of the country.

    “Therefore, they must refrain from circulating information that has the potential for aggravating the crisis.

    “We should all realise that Nigeria is all we have.

    “It is therefore in our individual and collective interests not to stoke the fire of crisis and fan the embers of discord through the messages we spread.

    “We must all protect and strengthen our country rather than contributing to her collapse and disintegration.

    “We want to remind Nigerians that the reason for constitution review by the National Assembly was to enable us look into issues that are agitating the minds of Nigerians and creating tension among us.

    “We have promised that the exercise will be continuous. We intend to keep that promise by further taking decisions that will strengthen and improve on our structures,’’ he said.

    Saraki assured that the national assembly would on resumption, play its constitutional role by addressing all issues agitating the minds of Nigerians.

    He called on political, religious and traditional leaders to continue to engage with the people on the need to maintain peace.

  • I’ll succeed Ajimobi in 2019 – Shittu

    I’ll succeed Ajimobi in 2019 – Shittu

    Mr Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communications, has expressed confidence that he would succeed Gov. Abiola Ajimobi as governor of Oyo State in 2019.

    Shittu made the declaration when he spoke with newsmen in Ibadan after a meeting with members of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) from Egbeda Local Government and Ajorosun Local Council Development Area.

    The minister, who is a governorship aspirant, said he would take over from Ajimobi to improve on the good work already started.

    According to him, he is the most experienced of all the aspirants, having held several public offices and learnt politics from late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    “I was a member of the State House of Assembly in 1979 and two-time Commissioner in the State. I have also contested the governorship seat in the state twice before I became a minister.

    “These are experiences you cannot buy. Oyo is advanced and sophisticated to be handled by inexperienced administrators,’’ he said.

    Shittu dismissed the ongoing re-alignment in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the party was a non-starter at the state and federal level.

    He stated that no fewer than 38 road contractors had abandoned work across the country two years before President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office.

    The minister stated that the development had contributed largely to unemployment as several workers, including labourers, bricklayers and iron benders were laid-off.

    He alleged that the PDP administration’s negligence and incompetence in handling the Boko Haram at inception was responsible for the magnitude of the present security challenges the country was confronted with.

    “Boko Haram would have overrun the country if not for Buhari’s emergence.

    “The Buhari administration on assumption of office had evolved several efficient and effective strategies at reducing the threat drastically,’’ he said.

    Speaking on the call for restructuring, he stated that the APC was presently collating views of Nigerians so as to ensure the people chart a new course for the future.

    He said that the outcome would subsequently be presented to the National Assembly.

    The minister said that the National Assembly was the only constitutionally recognised institution vested with the powers to amend the Constitution.

    NAN reports that the minister donated an 18-seater bus and cash to the party in the local government.

  • NASS announces new date for resumption

    NASS announces new date for resumption

    The National Assembly (NASS) has announced a new date for the resumption of federal lawmakers from the annual recess.

    The resumption of the lawmakers was earlier fixed for September 19 but has been shifted by a week to now resume on September 26, 2017.

    Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, in a letter to the lawmakers did not give reasons for the one week postponement.

    It reads: “This is to inform all distinguished senators and honourable members of the National Assembly, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that the resumption date of both Houses in plenary have been rescheduled from Tuesday 19th September 2017 to Tuesday 26th September 2017.

    “All distinguished senators and honourable members are by this notice requested to resume sitting in plenary on Tuesday, 26th September, 2017 at 10am prompt, please.”

    The postponement, it was gathered might be as a result of the ongoing massive renovation in the White House that housed the Chambers and the administration offices of the National Assembly bureaucracy.