The Nation Newspaper

Tag: national assembly

  • Omotowa to National Assembly: don’t amend NLNG Act

    Omotowa to National Assembly: don’t amend NLNG Act

    Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) Managing Director Babs Omotowa has cautioned against the amendment of the NLNG Act by the National Assembly.

    He said the amendment would jeopardise the take-off of the Train 7 & 8 plants of NLNG.

    He sought support for the construction of the  Trains 7 and 8 aimed at boosting gas production.

    He noted that the NLNG Act was key in enabling a project that had been in the drawer for over 35 years to be delivered; and has helped to reduce flaring by over 50 per cent, as well as delivered over $33billion to Nigeria from an investment of $2.5billion.

    Omotowa urged Nigeria to fast- tract the take-off of final investment decision (FID) on these additional trains, especially now that commodity prices are low, and that this could lower the cost of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) as the major input, such as steel and iron ore prices, are at their lowest ebb.

    He noted that Nigeria is not rated well in the ease of doing business, citing the World Bank.The World Bank, he said, ranked Nigeria at 169th out of 189 countries in ease of doing business index 2016.

    This is a ranking we must improve on; and the executive arm of government has identified this as a priority, and it is important that our legislators understand this and support the Executive efforts in this direction, and not undermine the country as a bride in terms of attracting investments.

    The NLNG chief said: “One area to highlight, however, is that despite the need for all the reforms and to diversify the economy, we must ensure a conducive business environment.The private sector plays a key role in the development of any country, hence the Executive and Legislature must do everything to ensure we continue to attract investments (local and foreign) to help in accelerating our development as government funding alone will not be adequate.

    “An example of this is where NLNG ability to attract future investments to maintain and grow the plant is being put in jeopardy by attempts to renege on promises that Nigeria gave to foreign investors that has enabled us attract $15billion in foreign investment, and grown LNG capacity from a two-Train complex to a six-Train plant. In the construction phase alone, we employed up to 18,000 people. Future investment would even enable us and our gas suppliers employ over 30,000 people, especially in this period of high unemployment. ‘’

    Omotowa continued: “While we have received support from the Executive on the need to keep the sanctity of the NLNG Act, the periodic attempts by the Legislature to amend the clear promises made to investors will cost the country quite a lot.

    ‘’Apart from the immediate relocation of investments in excess of $25billion to other countries, Nigeria will also be opened to fines running into billions of dollars in international courts. For instance, Venezuela and Ecuador were fined over $1.8billion each for reneging on similar agreements. Financial incentives of the nature contained in the NLNG Act are not uncommon in the global LNG industry. Countries such as Qatar, Oman, Malaysia, Angola, etc have similar incentives in place.

    “Indeed, even within Nigeria, more generous incentives are contained in legislation, such as the Oil & Gas Free Trade Zone Act, as enterprises in those zones, with a view to attracting foreign investment and stimulating exports, do not pay any taxes whatsoever to the Federal, state, local governments or the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) levy.”

    ‘’This is not the time to jeopardise Nigeria’s best interest by showing it as one with a people not to be trusted, and thus create a climate of unconducive business environment,’’ he added.

  • Nigerians to National Assembly on emergency power: stand with Buhari

    Nigerians to National Assembly on emergency power: stand with Buhari

    Hit by the harsh economic condition, many Nigerians believe President Muhammadu Buhari needs the needs support of the National Assembly for emergency power to lift the economy out of of the woods fast, report CHIKODI OKEREOCHA, COLLINS NWEZE, TOBA AGBOOLA and DANIEL ESSIET

    DESPITE explanations from the Vice President’s Office that the Bill to rescue the economy is still in the works, Nigerians yesterday continued to express their expectations of the bill.

    Beyond throwing their weight behind the reform to revitalise the ailing economy by the Presidency, those who commented on the development urged the National Assembly to treat the Bill with dispatch as soon as it gets to the chamber for scrutiny and passage.

    In a clarification on Monday by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s media aide, Mr Laolu Akande, the Presidency admitted that the Federal Government has been firing on all cylinders to get the economy back on track but that the economic think-tank has not concluded work on the policy.

    The statement reads:  “The Economic Management Team has indeed been considering several policy options and measures to urgently reform and revitalise the economy. Some of these measures may well require legislative amendments and presidential orders that will enable the executive arm of government move quickly in implementing the economic reform plans.

    “As far as I know, this has not been passed on to the President, the Federal Executive Council or the legislative arm of government. So, at this point, there are no further details to share.”

    But stakeholders in the economy told The Nation in separate chats that whatever Bill sent to the National Assembly for the purpose of empowering the president to stimulate the economy must be supported.

    The stakeholders cut across many sectors of the economy including the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), telecommunications, academia and agriculture.

    However, some of the stakeholders spoke of the need to guard against abuse as granting the President a blank check may be counter-productive.

     

    It’ll help budget

    implementation

     

    Through its President, Ayuba Wabba, the NLC told The Nation that the organised labour is in full support of the proposal coming from President Buhari.

    According to him, the workers’ umbrella body has seen areas where the President needs to take such action, pointing out that the executive requires such an executive power for the implementation of the budget.

    He said: “As we all know that economy is in recession now, the government needs to do anything that will quickly get us out of it. Take for instance, for budget to be fully implemented; we need to support him because he needs our full support.

    “Because the economy is in recession, we need something extraordinary to get out of it. If he thinks that is the best way out to move the economy forward, we should give him the leverage”, the labour leader said.

    On the stand of some federal lawmakers to shoot down the Bill at the National Assembly, Wabba said “the President is not somebody that misuses power,” urging that “the President should be allowed to have his way.

    “Mr President is not somebody that we don’t know. He is not somebody that misuses power. So therefore, they should allow him. We also want the National Assembly to have a dialogue with the President so as to move the economy forward.”

     

    Economic blue print also key

     

    To the General President of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Joe Ajaero, there is the need for the President to come out with more details on the request. Besides, he urged the President to come up with an economic blue print, adding that such power is within the President’s reach.

    Ajaero said: “We want the President to articulate economic policies that will take us out from this recession. It is then we can say our view.”

    Also commenting, President of the Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations of Nigeria (FACAN), Dr Victor Iyama, said the President should be granted emergency power to deal with the economic crisis facing the country.

    According to him, the economy needs a push to enhance Nigerians living standard, which he noted has fallen below average.

     

    Emergency powers

    will stimulate economy

     

    A Criminology teacher in the Sociology Department, Imo State University, Owerri, Dr. Dan Nkwocha, also threw his weight behind President Buhari’s proposal to seek emergency powers to stimulate the economy.

    Describing the proposal as “a welcome development,” he said in view of the urgent need to halt the recession foisted on the economy and Nigerians by the crash in oil prices at the international market, the National Assembly should accede to the request in public interest.

    The varsity don said: “Desperate situations require desperate measures. So, members of the National Assembly should be patriotic enough to grant the President the emergency powers to navigate the economy out of its current recession.

    “Everybody knows that there is fire on the mountain and this requires urgent measures to stem the economic tide. I therefore appeal to the National Assembly to grant him the approval so that the economy can come out of the woods.”

    Dr. Nkwocha told The Nation that the fact that the president made the request was a demonstration of respect for the rule of law and separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution.

    “It means that he does not want to act arbitrarily; that the emergency powers he is asking for does not fall within the purview of the executive arm,” Nkwocha pointed out.

    “Besides, the proposal, if approved, will contain some clauses to checkmate perceived excesses by the president,” he added.

    The criminologist added that the President has made it clear that the emergency powers would be for a period of only 12 months.

    A former Executive Director, Keystone Bank Limited, Richard Obire, said that Nigeria need speed to fix its challenging economy, urging the President against abusing the emergency power is garnted.

    Obire recalled that former President Shehu Shagari sought and secured similar power, although his administration was cut short military intervention.

    He said: “During the Shagari era, the economy was in dire straits. He sought and secured the power to deal with the issues challenging the economy at that time. He tried to use the emergency power before the government was toppled.”

    But Obire believes that unlike in the 1980s, the world today is better advanced with thoughts better articulated.

    Obire said: “If the President has the majority at the Senate and House of Representatives, he should take advantage of that opportunity to fix the economy.

    “I think there is that dictatorial tendency on the side of this government, because the President has the tendency not to respect the rule of law.”

    According to him, the President should be monitored to guard against abuse and that such power should be withdrawn once misused.

     

    Proposal underscores sincerity

     

    A former President of the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Lanre Ajayi, said the President’s decision to seek emergency powers to fix the economy underscored his genuine determination to bring succour to the populace.

    He, however, warned that granting excessive powers to the president might be dangerous on the long run, arguing that within the ambit of the Nigerian Constitution, the President has enormous powers which he could evoke to do whatever needed to be done to get the economy running.

    According to him, the President’s intention might be good but it might be abused if not checked.

    The President of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS), Deolu Ogunbanjo said the President does not need any further powers to get the economy running.

    According to him, “the law allows him ample room to use his enormous powers as the chief executive of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to manage the economy.”

     

    Monetary, fiscal

    policies’ advisers needed

     

    Ogunbanjo urged the President to raise a team of experts that would advise him on monetary and fiscal policies that will help the economy back on stream, warning that granting the president emergency powers will lead to arbitrary use of powers, adding that the obnoxious Communications Service Tax Bill seeking a nine per cent tax on communications services in the country may be introduced by fiat.

    He said such a tax will be overkill for consumers and operators who are already reeling under a myriad of challenges including multiple taxation and dearth of infrastructure among others.

    In an interview with The Nation, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, had urged the Federal Government to support the telecoms sector by way of intervention.

    According to him, telecoms remained the only sector experiencing reductions in services in the economy.

    “We hope that tariffs will remain the same provided the government is able to assist us with some interventions”, he said.

     

  • We are moving all IDPs back to Gwoza- Ndume

    We are moving all IDPs back to Gwoza- Ndume

    Sen. Muhammad Ndume, representing Borno South at the National Assembly, on Tuesday announced plans to relocate Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Gwoza living in camps in Lagos, Abuja and Maiduguri back home.

    Ndume made the announcement while addressing newsmen in Maiduguri.

    He said that the IDPs would be evacuated to transit camps pending when they would be able to go back to their homes.

    “I am a serious advocate of dismantling the IDPs camps and I am working on that.

    “We plan to create transit camps in various localities to move our IDPs from Gwoza,” Ndume said.

    He said that keeping IDPs camps for long was counter-productive.

    “In the history of the IDP camps worldwide, once you insist on keeping the camps, then you are creating a permanent den for criminality and laziness.

    “The IDPs have been there for three years; I always tell them continue to stay there if that is the life you want to live,” Ndume said.

    The lawmaker said he had held talks with Gwoza IDPs in Lagos and Abuja toward finalising the arrangement to evacuate them.

    “We are moving all IDPs from the FCT back home to Gwoza, they have agreed to go back to transit camps in Gwoza and Pulka.

    “So, from there people can go see their destroyed houses and try to fix them and go back.

    “I met with 29 various groups in the IDP camps in FCT and I am going to Lagos to tell them we are closing the camps.

    “The people have agreed that once government gives them little support to go back they will go back,’’ he said.

    Ndume said that the FCT Emergency Management Authority and National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) had also agreed to provide support for the movement.

    “We are talking with the FCT Emergency Management Authority and NEMA they have all agreed to help,” he said.

    Ndume said that the newly -appointed Gwoza Local Government Area caretaker chairman will inaugurate his council in Gwoza in a few days time.

    “We are making arrangement to go back home, the local government caretaker chairman will inaugurate his council in Gwoza.

     

    “The council will move to Gwoza, if the council moves to Gwoza anybody staying elsewhere is on his own,” he said.

     

    Ndume said the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Muhammad Timta, had also agreed to relocate to Gwoza.

     

    “The Emir is going back to Gwoza any moment from now,” he said.

  • ‎Budget padding not possible without executive-Na’Abba

    ‎Budget padding not possible without executive-Na’Abba

    A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Ghali Na’Abba, has called for proper investigation of the role played by officials in the executive arm in the current budget padding controversy.

    Na’Abba made the call while answering questions from Energy Correspondents, at a workshop organised by Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) in Kano.

    He said it was impossible for the budget to be padded without the connivance of government officials.

    “This stealing of funds cannot be possible without active connivance with some members of the executive arm,” he said.

    On calls for the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to resign, Na’Abba said that the call was “unwarranted” as there was no formal indictment of the speaker.

    “According to my understanding, where the issue being referred to as padding comes into play, is a situation where some members go behind and add items of expenditure to what has already been agreed upon.

    “For either stealing the funds or doing whatever they feel like doing with it.

    “So far, accusations are being traded amongst members of the house, but no investigation has been conducted.

    “On the call for the resignation of the Speaker, the question is, what has the Speaker done to warrant his resignation?”

    He called for full investigation to ascertain the level of involvement of members of the House mentioned in the allegation before calling on anyone to resign.

    “I expect that for 16 years of return to democracy, Nigerians would have understood the responsibilities of the National Assembly.

    “For some weeks now, there has been controversy over what is called padding.

    ‘As far as I am concerned, the National Assembly has the responsibility to pass the budget, approve it and allow the executive arm to execute it.”

    On whether padding constituted an offence, Na’Abba said, “It all depends on what angle you look at it, I just told you that the responsibility of appropriation belongs to the national assembly.

    “If padding is seen as an offence, then it is when some members of the national assembly decide to add items of expenditure through the back door after the bill has been passed by the two legislative arms.

    “It therefore behooves on Nigerians to decide who represent them in the national assembly.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 30 selected Journalists from the Kaduna Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) attended the three-day workshop, designed sharpen their skills in reporting the Oil and Gas sector.

  • Customs agents to shut down ports over hike in duty

    The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), has threatened to shut down the nation’s ports over 43 per cent hike in customs duty.

    President of the association, Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

    Shittu said that the association condemned in totality the monetary policy that led to the collapse of the maritime industry.

    He frowned at the import regime of fixing the foreign exchange rate at N331 to the dollar.

    “There should have been a deliberate effort to save Nigerian importers from the debilitating effect of fixing the foreign exchange in calculating the import duty, “ Shittu said.

    He noted that it was condemnable to force Nigerians to open form ‘M’ for imports at N197 to the dollar, and now forced to pay N331 after the goods had been shipped.

    According to Shittu, this is very devastating and uncalled for.

    “Governments all over the world make conscious efforts to protect the interest of their citizens, ‘’he said.

    “We are calling for a National Executive Council meeting of our association where a date will be announced for total withdrawal of our services’’, Shittu said.

    On the scramble by some agencies to return to ports, Shittu said this was not unexpected because the regulatory agencies were too weak.

    He said the regulatory bodies were more interested in creating, “toll gates’’ so as to extort the Customs agents

    He urged the National Assembly to be up and doing in their oversight functions and check the activities of the agencies.

     

  • FG to reduce importation of items to by 201

    FG to reduce importation of items to by 201

    The Federal Government is targeting to reduce the costs of its annual importation of various items into Nigeria from N9.85 trillion in 2016 to N8.79 trillion by 2019.

    This is part of the proposal the Federal Government plans to make in the 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework to be submitted to the National Assembly in October.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) obtained the document from a source at the Ministry of Budget and National Planning on Monday in Abuja.

    According to the document, this shows a decrease of about N1.05 trillion in import bill from 2016 to 2019.

    NAN recalls that the country is heavily dependent on importation. Trillions of Naira is spent annually on importing processed meat, poultry, tomatoes, toothpicks and clothing, among others.

    This has led to the depletion of the nation’s foreign reserves.

    Statistics from the Central Bank of Nigeria shows that rice, wheat, fish and sugar account for the highest amount of food imports into the country.

    About N3.4 trillion is being spent annually on importing the food items.

    However, the document shows that the Federal Government is projecting that the level of importation into the country would rise slightly to N9.9 trillion in 2017 due to slow economic recovery.

    However, after the recovery, it is projected that the country would begin to see a significant reduction in the level of importation from N9.9 trillion in 2017 to N9.34 trillion.

    Accordingly, it is also projected that there will be a reduction in the level of importation to N8.79 trillion in 2018 and 2019 fiscal periods.

    The Strategy Paper shows that the government is determined to reduce the level of import by further diversifying the economy and focus on agriculture, solid minerals and manufacturing.

    It also stated that the government will focus on other areas where the country has comparative advantage.

    “The fiscal strategy for 2017 to 2019 builds on the framework of the 2016-2020 Medium Term Development Plan is designed to reflate the economy out of recession to a sustainable and inclusive growth path.

    “Government will support rapid development of Small and Medium Enterprises through increased funding and focus on value chain that will generate wealth and improve sufficiency,” the document stated.

    The document also shows that the Federal Government is determined to increase exports of locally manufactured goods and services in the next three years.

  • Budget padding: Don’t judge Dogara, others – Gbajabiamila

    Budget padding: Don’t judge Dogara, others – Gbajabiamila

    ….Denies working against Speaker

    The leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila Monday said fellow lawmakers and by extension all Nigerians, should not judge the Speaker of the House of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers accused of “insertions” of billions into the 2016 budget.

    Gbajabiamila made the appeal Monday in a statement to his colleagues made available to National Assembly reporters.

    “Yes, allegations have been made but I strongly believe judgment should not be passed based on allegations. We operate a constitutional democracy and we must at all times submit to its dictates and ethos. All parties are innocent until otherwise proven. This should be our guide. I plead with all members. The mudslinging must stop.

    The lawmaker also denied that he is working against the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, over the allegations of budget padding leveled against him by the former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin.

    A text message making the rounds amongst members of the House alleged that Gbajabiamila is working with the former Appropriation Chairman to remove Dogara, but the House Leader in a statement yesterday said the allegation is far from the truth.

    He further states: “Since the budget controversy that engulfed the House  about a week ago, I have pointedly maintained a dignified silence. I did this for the sake of the institution I represent and which I have labored hard to grow and protect, knowing that whatever I say could be impactful both within the House and outside it.

    “I was determined to keep in place the glue that holds an otherwise
    O fragmented House, protect its integrity and at same time avoid eroding the little confidence and vestiges of hope Nigerians have in us.

    “Unfortunately, the controversy has now taken a different turn following the rather strange if not comical text making the rounds amongst members about my complicity in this rather sordid matter.   I am being dragged into an arena I tried very hard to stay out of only for the good of the House.

    “The Speakership election has come and gone. The election was divisive and acrimonious but I have since worked hard to heal the wounds some of which still fester amongst members on both sides. It is my responsibility to bring all tendencies in a House I lead together and I have worked well with the Speaker and all other Principal officers in a bi partisan manner and in the interest of the institution and the country.

    “This text message, which desperately seeks to finger me in some macabre plot to destabilize the House is a throw-back and echoes our dark post Speakership election history. The resurfacing or resurgence of the faceless text messengers will not help us as a House and let me quickly add that it will fail.

    “My strongest critics and biggest political adversaries in the House cannot deny the fact that my commitment has always been to strengthen the legislature and its processes and our democracy as a whole. I consider everyone a friend and colleague and urge that as we collectively work towards a stronger legislature and strive to deepen our democracy, we do not pull back the hands of the clock nor lose sight of the enormous responsibility placed upon us by providence as members of a critical arm of government.”

    The House Leader however, admitted that the budget process needs to be reformed:

    “On the budget issue at hand, it is clear that our budget process needs radical reform and very quickly too,” he said.

  • National Assembly stinks, says ex-panel chair Jibrin

    National Assembly stinks, says ex-panel chair Jibrin

    ‘There is institutional corruption’

    We want to force reform, says lawmaker

    Sacked House of Representatives Appropriations Committee chairman Abdulmumin Jibrin last night spoke of what he called “institutional corruption” at the National Assembly.

    He claimed that those behind the “massive corruption” frustrated his efforts to prevent the padding of Budget 2016.

    Jibrin was sacked for allegedly padding the budget.

    He denied the allegation, claiming that Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuff Lasun, Chief Whip Alhassan Ado Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor wanted to use him to achieve their own ends.

    Jibrin, who accused Dogara, Lasun, Doguwa and Ogor of being behind the padding, alleged that  10 chairmen inserted 2,000 fictitious projects worth N248 billion into the budget.

    But he is being  accused of “allocating 20 projects worth N4.3billion to his constituency.”

    Dogara and the other principal officers have protested their innocence, saying Jibrin’s allegations were “mere afterthoughts manufactured simply because the House relieved him of his position”.

    Jibrin told Channels Television last night: “There is institutional corruption at the National Assembly, which we have to address.”

    He said he was interested in triggering the reform needed to combat corruption in the legislature and declared that he “is not corrupt”.

    “The case of the National Assembly today is that there is a trigger and we want to take advantage of the trigger to be able to force reform in the National Assembly. Not only reform in the budget of the National Assembly because people are looking at it from a narrow perspective. This issue is going to lead to a revolution in the National Assembly; a lot of corruption is at National Assembly. I want to use the word trigger.

    “I have been part of the institution for five years, I have not been part of any corruption, I have never shared money with members of the National Assembly; we have come to a point that we state our position. The money they alleged that I benefitted from is mere blackmail.

    “Of course, I am the chairman of Appropriation, what I did is not only to promote my constituency but Nigeria as a whole.”

    Declaring that the padding was “completely off the board” compared to the padding in the previous years, Jubrin said: ”As I explained in the last few days, there were lots of insertions in the 2016 budget from the angle of the National Assembly.

    “I discussed with the speaker that the insertions were too many. Though we (the legislature) have the power to insert but it was senseless in view of the enormity of the insertions. I fought internally to ensure that the situation was checked. The insertions were passed.

    “We did a statistics after collecting reports from the various committees. I discovered that in between the committees in the House, about 2000 projects were posted by the committees totaling about N224 billion and I was a bit worried about it.

    “For five years, I have been working on budgets and of course I have been part of the budgeting process. Since 1999 to date it has been outrageous.

    “A lot of people have been asking me why haven’t I opened up? It is a difficult system and much more complex than what people think. But, I raised the issue internally of insertions and I fought the battle of my life.”

    The lawmaker said padding has been ongoing since 1999, “What I think is wrong is when the insertion goes out of proportion.

    “Every year, there have always been insertions, which is made up constituency projects. They do often cause friction and tension between both arms of government. The only difference is that in 2016, it went completely off the board. I stand by my word that there were lots of insertions.”

  • Change is here: The National Assembly must never again be allowed to get away with stealing public funds

    Change is here: The National Assembly must never again be allowed to get away with stealing public funds

    According to Abayomi who has been fighting this oddity since 2002 and has a
    case in court about it,  there is nothing like constituency project since the National
    Assembly has NO power, whatever, to insert any project in a budget.

    Whoever hasn’t seen the CHANGE in town will not recognise a cyclone if he sees one. Isn’t it the saying that there is honour even amongst thieves? When was it Nigerians ever saw anything like this hurricane convulsing the House of Representatives?  Apparently, even with all the emphasis on CHANGE during the Buhari campaign, our legislators never believed that a new Sheriff had hit town. How would they, with Saraki riding roughshod, not only over the APC but significantly insulting the president in the process?  Nor had Dogara a whiff of it either, but he was smarter, and a lot more respectful. So he soft-pedaled and aligned with the party. But collectively, they believed that what Ndume called their internal mechanism – read chop and clean mouth – would still be the order of the day.

    So  off they went,  padding  and padding, believing they could make the Buhari budget in their own image and,  like in President  Jonathan’s  days, every machete was out, cutting slices of a budget that  they knew was going to be funded through massive external  borrowing. But who cares?  If you believe the Dogara side of this roforofo fight, you will have the following: “For reasons that were not noble and not in the Public Interest, Hon Abdulmumin had initially inflated the Budget by adding about N250b more to the total figure as submitted by Mr President. This, the NASS leadership out rightly rejected as a form of financial recklessness and inability to appreciate the dwindling resources available to government necessitating that we act prudently” I can hear Nigerians asking  these con artists  when exactly they started being, not only  so  people -friendly, but  caring and  responsible. If they were half as considerate in an economy where so many are hurting, they would long have stopped being amongst the highest paid legislators in the world as I would show below. Confident that  they would successfully pad  the Buhari  budget,  change or no change, since this has been a  long running practice in the National Assembly,  dating back to the  Obasanjo era  when  that President hauled some  of them  before the  courts,  Abdulmumin alleged that the House leadership “fraudulently shortchanged  the House by taking away N40 billion out of the N100 billion allocated for constituency projects and distributing same to  themselves even   without  the approval of the House”. It did not stop there as, according to Jibrin, “10 standing committees of the House inserted over 2000 projects worth N284 Billion”, into a budget President Buhari was agonising over its funding. Rationalising this public odium, however, hear how the Chairman, House Information Committee, Abdulrazak Namdas insulted Nigerians. According to him “given the workings of the budget process, the House cannot be accused of padding because there is nothing like that.’ In his puerile explanation, this same man, who Tunji Abayomi, a doctorate degree holder in Law. recently  took through a learning process on budget making on Channels TV, said  the following: “Section 4 empowers the National Assembly to make laws for the good governance of the federation while Section 59 confers on the Legislature final say on the budget. “Section 80 (4) on the other hand, which confers on the legislature absolute power of control over public funds, states: “No money shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly”. And the cheek of it: “The word manner confers absolute legislative discretion. “When, therefore, the National Assembly appropriates funds in the budget, it can never under any circumstances or guise be deemed or regarded as tinkering or padding’. What impudence, what banality, both anchored on a stultifying ignorance!

    If this fellow was not such a poor student, he should not have forgotten the most elementary of what Dr Abayomi taught him: simply, that Budget making is an EXECUTIVE function and that it is the ONLY subject about which the Nigerian constitution specifically specifies the modus. According to Abayomi who has been fighting this oddity since 2002 and has a case in court about it,  there is nothing like constituency project since the National Assembly has NO power, whatever, to insert any project in a budget. Therefore, the only way legislators can help their constituencies is by lobbying the Executive branch to have projects inserted in the budget. To do otherwise, I hope they now know, is to sleep walk to jail.

    A stitch in time…

  • Power: Senator seeks special consideration for Niger state

    The senator representing Niger South in the National Assembly, Mustapha Sani Mohammed, has called for special treatment and consideration to be given to Niger state in the allocation of power to the state.

    Expressing dismay over the state of total electricity blackout in in the state, the Senator called for the implementation and full take-off of the Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPADEC).

    He supported the Governor’s demand for 13 per cent derivation allocation of electricity to the state adding that it will go a long way in addressing the incessant power blackout in the state.

    In a statement signed by the Senator, he described the governor’s demand as “judicious” said this is necessary especially when power used in the country is being sourced from the state.

    “Niger state is the country’s source of power. Shiroro, Jebba and Kainji dams, where power is being generated for the country, are all located in the state, hence it is with utmost dismay that, all over the years, that no special treatment or consideration is given to the state both in terms of allocation of power from the national grid and in terms of power revenue.

    “13 percent derivation is being enjoyed by the Niger Delta region because of the challenges meted on the people and the environment by oil exploration; that is fully judicious, but if the same treatment isn’t given to Niger state in terms of power, justice isn’t served, for many Niger’s communities, too, are endangered, constrained and disadvantaged because of power generation.

    “It is against the backdrop of this that I declare my support for my Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello’s recent demand that 13 percent of the power generated in the country be given to the state beside its normal share.”

    Mohammed then called on the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to expediently fix the fault causing total blackout in Niger state calling on the people of the state to eschew violence as a result of the blackout, as the governor and other stakeholders are leaving no stone unturned to see that power becomes normal.

    It would be recalled that Sani Bello demanded that 13 percent of power be given to Niger state beside its normal share from the national grid during a stakeholders’ meeting held as a result of almost total blackout that is being witnessed in the state for almost three months.