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Tag: national assembly

  • National Assembly raises hope on PIB

    National Assembly raises hope on PIB

    The National Assembly has raised hope on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

    Its Committees on Gas Resources, Upstream, and Downstream at the Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja, said they were holding technical sessions on the bill to pass it into law. They spoke during a discussion on the ‘’Petroleum Industry Bill, its Passage and implementation- How will it move the Nigerian oil and gas sector to the next level? ’’ at the just concluded Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja.

    They were represented by their Chairpersons, Nkechi Nwogu (Gas Resources, Senate), Emmanuel Paulker (Upstream, Senate) and Muraina Ajibola (Upstream, House of Representatives) at the session.

    The sessions, they said, were looking at the interests of stakeholders, such as the indigenous operators, International Oil Companies (IOCs), oil producing communities, impact and evaluation programmes, to move the industry forward.

    Nwogu said the sessions were examining issues hindering the passage of the bill, as well as helping to address them. She said the three committees were analysing the bill, improving its contents to boost performance of the industry.

    She said: “The bill has gone through public hearing and second reading. We, the (Chairmen), have gone to our different committees to hold technical sessions. In my committee, we are trying to see whether the contents of the gas are good enough or not. We are comparing the developments in the gas sector to what the government has proposed to be the best practices.

    “We are looking at gas production and exploration, and what PIB is talking about it. How would investors choose Nigeria as gas market’s destination ahead of other countries, is one of the questions we are asking ourselves at the committee. PIB is everybody’s concern since it is the only way of redefining the oil and gas operations. We would try and pass the PIB, even though there are other important issues waiting for approval. One of them is the issue of 2014 budget.’’

    Ajibola said a sub-committee had been constituted by the House to hold a technical session on PIB, adding that the Committee was looking at the upstream as it relates to PIB.

    He said the interests of local operators would be galvanised when the bill is passed.

    ‘’By paying attention to technical details of the bill, we hope to come out with a bill that Nigerians would be proud of; a bill that would protect and promote investment in the oil and gas sector and further ensure Nigeria is in a good position in Africa.

    “We know that oil and gas investments are at a standstill because the bill has not been passed. We are aware that Ghana, Benin Republic and Uganda are joining the league of oil producing nations soon. They have just discovered oil. The development is going to have a far-reaching consequence on Nigeria in the future if we address the problems in the industry and pass the bill.’’

    According to Paulker, the PIB is of importance to the National Assembly, going by the efforts being made to ensure its passage.

    Paulker said the Senate would do everything possible to pass the bill and further re-define the oil and gas.

    He said with the technical session in progress, Nigeria is getting to a level where the bill would be passed.

  • National Assembly raises hope on PIB

    The National Assembly has raised hope on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

    Its Committees on Gas Resources, Upstream, and Downstream at the Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja, said they were holding technical sessions on the bill to pass it into law. They spoke during a discussion on the ‘’Petroleum Industry Bill, its Passage and implementation- How will it move the Nigerian oil and gas sector to the next level? ’’ at the just concluded Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja.

    They were represented by their Chairpersons, Nkechi Nwogu (Gas Resources, Senate), Emmanuel Paulker (Upstream, Senate) and Muraina Ajibola (Upstream, House of Representatives) at the session.

    The sessions, they said, were looking at the interests of stakeholders, such as the indigenous operators, International Oil Companies (IOCs), oil producing communities, impact and evaluation programmes, to move the industry forward.

    Nwogu said the sessions were examining issues hindering the passage of the bill, as well as helping to address them. She said the three committees were analysing the bill, improving its contents to boost performance of the industry.

    She said: “The bill has gone through public hearing and second reading. We, the (Chairmen), have gone to our different committees to hold technical sessions. In my committee, we are trying to see whether the contents of the gas are good enough or not. We are comparing the developments in the gas sector to what the government has proposed to be the best practices.

    “We are looking at gas production and exploration, and what PIB is talking about it. How would investors choose Nigeria as gas market’s destination ahead of other countries, is one of the questions we are asking ourselves at the committee. PIB is everybody’s concern since it is the only way of redefining the oil and gas operations. We would try and pass the PIB, even though there are other important issues waiting for approval. One of them is the issue of 2014 budget.’’

    Ajibola said a sub-committee had been constituted by the House to hold a technical session on PIB, adding that the Committee was looking at the upstream as it relates to PIB.

    He said the interests of local operators would be galvanised when the bill is passed.

    ‘’By paying attention to technical details of the bill, we hope to come out with a bill that Nigerians would be proud of; a bill that would protect and promote investment in the oil and gas sector and further ensure Nigeria is in a good position in Africa.

    “We know that oil and gas investments are at a standstill because the bill has not been passed. We are aware that Ghana, Benin Republic and Uganda are joining the league of oil producing nations soon. They have just discovered oil. The development is going to have a far-reaching consequence on Nigeria in the future if we address the problems in the industry and pass the bill.’’

    According to Paulker, the PIB is of importance to the National Assembly, going by the efforts being made to ensure its passage.

    Paulker said the Senate would do everything possible to pass the bill and further re-define the oil and gas.

    He said with the technical session in progress, Nigeria is getting to a level where the bill would be passed.

  • Group advises National Assembly on budget

    Group advises National Assembly on budget

    The coalition of civil society organisations yesterday urged members of the National Assembly not to play politics with the 2014 budget that is currently before them.

    The coalition which is made up of various youth groups in a statement issued in Abuja and signed its president,Bassey Etuk said, the lesgislators must be guided by national interest.

    “We will like to call on our politicians to know that they should not play politics with everything. As a matter of natural justice, there is limit to everything. Playing politics with the economy, especially the appropriation bill is very bad and dangerous.

    “As you all know, the budget is so important and sensitive that no nation can move forward without adequate budgeting and timely approval of such. Apart from running of government that depends on budget, private businesses also depend on the nation’s budget and as at today, such private businesses have not been able to adequately plan their activities for the year,”

    The statement stated that in view of the reasons identified above and many others, the House of Representatives should rise up to the occasion by fast tracking the passage of the 2014 appropriation bill.

  • Nigeria’s bad luck party?

    Being the incumbent should, ordinarily, stand President Goodluck Jonathan in good stead in the run-up to next year’s presidential election but at the moment he is not even sure of having a strong, united party behind him.

    At the president’s inauguration three years ago, the governing People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which he heads, had a comfortable majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.

    He could have any bill passed into law, notwithstanding opposition parties’ views. That is no longer the situation.

    Floor-crossing by its legislators has wiped out the PDP’s majority in one chamber – the House of Representatives.

    Although the party retains its dominance in the other chamber – the Senate – the president cannot pass any bill into law without co-operation by opposition party members.

    This is one reason why this year’s federal budget is sitting unattended in the assembly.

    This time last year the ruling party had 19 of the 36 state governors.

    By the end of the year, five of them had formally defected to the main opposition party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), and more may be waiting to do so.

    This means that, because the governors control their legislatures, President Jonathan cannot get through any amendments to the constitution – under Nigeria’s federal system, two-thirds of state parliaments must approve any such changes.

    It also means the president will have to work harder for votes in those states next year, should he run for president.

    This leads on to why the ruling party is now in a crisis situation.

    The major cause is the president’s undeclared intention to run for another term in office next year.

    This is why the tenure of the party’s national chairman, Bamanga Tukur, became a problem for many party leaders, who accused him of arrogance and failure to consult.

    He has now resigned after months of pressure; his opponents, angered by his perceived support for President Jonathan’s re-nomination, had been demanding his removal.

    While the storm within the party was gaining momentum, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, political benefactor of Mr Jonathan and a strong influence within the party, wrote a damning letter last month cataloguing alleged personal shortcomings of the president and his style of governance.

    The letter was more devastating than if it had been written by the leader of the main opposition party.

    President Jonathan replied, denying all the allegations.

    He said that the former president had done him “grave injustice” with the public letter.

    He accused Mr Obasanjo of trying to incite the populace against him.

    His supporters within the PDP leadership and his political aides fired a barrage of denunciations against Mr Obasanjo but the resultant controversy has not helped the president.

    Yet another political bombshell was delivered by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    He alleged that nearly $50bn (£30bn) was unaccounted for from crude oil receipts taken by the national petroleum corporation.

    Official denials followed shortly afterwards but in the end it was admitted that about $10bn was yet to be accounted for.

    There was a report last week that the president directed the central bank governor to resign because his letter had been leaked, but that the governor refused, apparently calculating that it would be difficult for the president to muster the two-thirds majority in the Senate needed to sack him.

    It seems the president has dumped Mr Tukur in the hope this can save the party, which has won every election since the end of military rule in 1999.

    His own political future remains uncertain.

    It is not only raining over President Jonathan, it is like a deluge falling on him.

    He may have to draw on all the luck of his first name to sail through.

     

    Culled from BBC

     

  • Big brother Jonathan?

    Big brother Jonathan?

    •FG lacks authority to monitor emails, sms, calls, etc.

    The report that President Goodluck Jonathan has forwarded an executive bill to the National Assembly for a law to enable security agencies record electronic communication between individuals and seize data from internet providers and mobile networks is alarming. The bill will enable security agencies to order telecommunication companies to conduct surveillance on individuals and release user data to authorities. It will also allow the agencies in ‘cases of verifiable’ urgencies to intercept and record electronic communications, without a warrant.

    Considering the level of impunity, private individuals and perceived opponents suffer in the hands of the power elites, this bill will do more harm than good. The potential chances for abuse, should this bill become law, will heighten as the political parties engage themselves in the run-down to a general election. Again, with our security agencies finding the pull to engage in partisanship difficult, there are possibilities that they will be used to abuse such a law. As events across less democratically developed states have shown, the less authoritative the state is, the more authoritarian it seeks to become.

    As partisans may ask, is this bill one of President Jonathan’s administration’s counter attack on the nationwide tectonic political movements? We urge the legislators to seek answers to this question from the executive as they debate the necessity and nature of such a law. The legislature must also bear in mind the possibility of abuse, where such an extensive security dragnet is entrusted into the hands of partisan interests, as we have seen with the abuse of the police in Rivers State. So, in treating that bill, the National Assembly should take apart all its provisions and examine its potential for abuse, one by one.

    The legislature must also be mindful of the provisions of such a tendentious bill considering the clear provisions of the 1999 Constitution on fundamental human rights. They must bear in mind that Nigerians will readily test any law that tends to limit the rights guaranteed to them under the constitution; and it is their duty not to pass any law that will impede the constitution. For their guide, section 37 of the 1999 constitution provides: ‘the privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby guaranteed and protected’. It is hoped that the proposals in the executive bill before the National Assembly, respect this fundamental law.

    It is also important that our country should learn from the case of the United States of America and her estranged citizen Edward Snowden, now a fugitive in Russia. The grouse of Mr. Snowden, a villain or model citizen, depending on the commentators’ leaning, has substantially put the government of United States on a severe test over her claim to egalitarian democracy. Snowden, we recall, humiliatingly exposed his country as a hypocrite, which snoops on the social networks of friends and foes alike, in the name of national security. With her back to the wall, the world’s most advertised democracy was forced to re-swear to oaths of allegiance to her major allies; and despite her best efforts, the image of America as an honest dealer has diminished.

    So, our legislators must be wary of handing the executive the power to turn Nigeria to a police state, in the guise of fighting terrorism or other vices. Even scarier, is that the current power brokers have not shown the capacity to exercise power judiciously. We therefore doubt if the run-down to a major national election is an auspicious time for such law.

  • ‘National Assembly’s assumption of Rivers Assembly’s functions illegal’

    ‘National Assembly’s assumption of Rivers Assembly’s functions illegal’

    A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday said it is unconstitutional for the National Assembly to take over the law-making functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

    Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed made an order of injunction restraining the Senate, its President, the House of Representatives and its Speaker from assuming the law-making functions of Rivers Assembly.

    The judge faulted the National Assembly’s directive that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) redeploy the Rivers State police commissioner.

    Justice Mohammed declared that by the provisions of Sections 11(4) and (5) of the Constitution, the Senate, its President, the House of Representatives and its Speaker “cannot assume the law-making functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly when there are no facts that the House of Assembly is unable to carry out its functions”.

    The judge also declared that there were no facts that the Assembly was unable to carry out its functions, as provided under the constitution.

    Justice Mohammed upheld the plaintiffs’ argument that after the July 9 fracas in the Rivers Assembly, the House reconvened under the former Speaker and passed the state’s 2013 budget.

    The judge believed the plaintiffs’ averment that the House still conducted some businesses after the purported impeachment of the Assembly’s Speaker, which resulted in the fracas, because the defendants failed to specifically deny this averment.

    Justice Mohammed, in faulting the directive for the redeployment of the Rivers State police commissioner, declared that by the provisions of Sections 215(2) and (3) of the Constitution, the Senate, its President, the House of Representatives and its Speaker did not have the power to direct the IGP to redeploy the police commissioner or any other officer under the command of the Nigeria Police Force.

    The judge also declared as unconstitutional the Senate’s resolution, which mandated the Senate Committee on States and Local Government Areas to investigate the sticky situation between Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Police Commissioner Joseph Mbu and the crisis in the Assembly.

    The suit filed by two lawyers – Tamunoteim Asobari and John Kpakol – has the Senate, its President, the House of Assembly and its Speaker, the IGP and Senator Kabiru Gaya (Chairman, Senate Committee on States and Local Government) as defendants.

    The plaintiffs had prayed the court to decide whether the Senate, in exercising its oversight functions as provided for in Section 88 of the Constitution, could conduct an investigation into the manner in which the police commissioner discharge his official duties.

  • Iyabo Obasanjo lies low

    Iyabo Obasanjo lies low

    That Senator Iyabo Obasanjo lost her bid to return to the upper chamber of the National Assembly in 2011 is no longer news. What seems to be of concern to her admirers is the rate at which the once ubiquitous former Ogun State commissioner for health has rolled back into political oblivion.

    Since the embarrassing loss of her seat in the Senate in 2011, she has been absent from the political and social scenes.

    The veterinary doctor turned politician and eldest daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo was once a recurring feature on the social scene when her father held sway as President. By virtue of her father’s position, she became a well sought after acquaintance of many. Not only was she appointed a commissioner by the Otunba Gbenga Daniel administration in Ogun State, she was always on the road attending one inauguration ceremony after the other.

    The ex-senator whose marriage to Jimi Bello crashed many years ago, could not secure a ministerial appointment under President Goodluck Jonathan as earlier rumoured. She then relocated abroad for further studies, hoping to get from academics the certificate she could not get from INEC.

    As 2015 draws closer, it is not yet clear which direction Iyabo Obasanjo will go.

  • National Assembly restricts workers as Jonathan presents budget today

    National Assembly restricts workers as Jonathan presents budget today

    National Assembly workers got yesterday a strange holiday gift from their employers. They are to stay at home today till after the presentation of the 2014 budget by President Goodluck Jonathan to a joint session of the National Assembly.

    Jonathan is expected to present the 2014 financial plans to the lawmakers by noon.

    Director, Personnel Management of the National Assembly, Dr. Ishaya Habu Sarki, in a statement on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasua, directed staff on Salary Grade Levels (SGL) 1 – 14 to resume work for the day by 2pm.

    He warned that any worker who flouts the order would be made to face “strict disciplinary action”.

    The President is expected to conclude his presentation before 2pm.

    Although no reason was given for the stay-at-home order, sources said it was meant to ensure a hitch-free presentation.

    The sources noted that the order may also not be unconnected with threats by some workers to create a scene during the presentation over welfare issues.

    The source added that to assuage the workers, the management constituted a 10-man welfare committee to respond to their agitations and grievances.

    National Assembly, Deputy Clerk O. Adejokun, in a statement announcing the committee, said: “As a way of improving on staff welfare matters, it has become imperative to have a standing committee to address welfare issues as they arise.

    “Consequently, the Clerk has approved the established of Staff Welfare Committee, under the chairmanship of Mr. O.O Adelami, Director, Procurement and Supplies.

    “Members are Dr. Ishaya Habu, Director of Personnel Management, Mr. Jerry Okorodudu, Deputy Director Accounts, Mrs R. Bira, PASAN Chairman, representative of Senate, Hajia Ramatu Ahmed, Deputy Director, House of Representatives, Austin Adesoro, Ifemoagba Osigwe Stanley and Tahir Sani.

    The terms of reference of the committee according to the statement dated 7th November, 2013, include: “To collate staff welfare issues with a view to making appropriate recommendation to management within the ambit of extant rules and approved budget.

  • National conference: What role for National Assembly?

    National conference: What role for National Assembly?

    Whether the Constitution mentioned the words “National Conference/DialogueLike Adams said, there is no provision where the words “National conference/dialogue” have been expressly mentioned. However, a Constitution has its letters and its spirit. Although the words have not been expressly mentioned by the Constitution, they are contained in the spirit of the Constitution. Of course, there is no constitution anywhere in the world that contains expressly all the words, actions or activities of those it regulates. What is important is that the spirit of the Constitution should contemplate such words or activity by any means of interpolation or extrapolation. This is the reason the law has provided various rules of interpretation of statutes to include literal rule, golden rule, ejusden generis rule, mischief rule, and the various maxims. Lest we forget, the 1999 Constitution is an implied Act of the National Assembly, an existing law under section 315 of the 1999 Constitution, and forms the Schedule to Decree No. 24 of 1999. Therefore, it can be subjected to any of these rules of interpretation, where the court finds it necessary.

    Constitutional provisions supporting convocation of a national conference

    Sovereignty belongs to the People: Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution provides:

    “It is hereby, accordingly, declared that-

    (a) sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government through this Constitution derives all its powers and authorities.”

    This provision makes it explicit that sovereignty belongs to the people. It, therefore, follows that the people can decide to exercise their sovereign powers in any manner allowed by the Constitution. The Constitution seems to have placed the custody of this sovereign power on the National Assembly.

    Section 40 of the Constitution guarantees every person the fundamental right to assemble freely and associate with other persons throughout Nigeria. In particular, the person may form “any other association for the protection of his interests…” It is hence not unconstitutional for the President to form an “association” on National Dialogue to discuss the affairs of Nigeria.

    Why we cannot bypass the National Assembly in toto.

    The legislative powers of the Federation are vested in our bicameral National Assembly. Section 4 (1) of the Constitution, which gives fillip to this position provides that: “Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state to be known by the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    Section 4 (2) of our Constitution further provides:

    “The National Assembly shall have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Federation or any part thereof with respect to any matter included in the Exclusive Legislative List set out in Part 1 of the Second Schedule to this Constitution.”

    Pursuant to this provision, Items 67 and 68 of Part 1, Second Schedule of the Constitution gives the National Assembly powers to legislate on:

    Item 67: “Any other matter with respect to which the National Assembly has power to make laws in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.”

    Item 68: “Any matter incidental or supplementary to any matter mentioned elsewhere in this List.”

    A fortiori, the National Assembly should exercise its legislative power to pass into an Act, any decision of the Conference that touches on any matter in the Exclusive Legislative List, including matters contained in the Concurrent Legislative List. A major issue is whether the National Assembly has power to legislate on the dismemberment of Nigeria, since compromising the “unity” of Nigeria is not listed anywhere as an item capable of being legislated upon. More so, section 15(1) of the Constitution provides that “The motto of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.” With a greater force, Section 2 (1) of the Constitution provides that: “Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state to be known by the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” This may be the reason some commentators have said that the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable.

    One sure way of adding or removing any provision of the Constitution, including “the unity of Nigeria”, if the Conference tinkers with it, is to rely on section 9 of the Constitution, which in subsection (1) allows the National Assembly to alter “any of the provisions of the Constitution.” For the avoidance of doubt, section 9 (1) of the Constitution provides that:

    “The National Assembly may, subject to the provisions of this section, alter any of the provisions of Constitution.”

    In line with the position of Senator Ita Enang, section 58(1) of the Constitution provides that “The power of the National Assembly to make laws shall be exercised by bills passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives and, except as otherwise provided by subsection (5) of this section, assented to by the President.” In essence, the outcome of the Conference shall be brought before the National Assembly as a bill or as bills, as the case may be.

    Even the funds required to prosecute the Conference will require the input of the National Assembly as mandated by the combined provisions of section 59(1) and section 81(4) of the Constitution. Section 59 (1) of the Constitution provides:

    “The provisions of the section shall apply to-

    (a) An appropriation bill or a supplementary appropriation bill including any other bill for the payment, issue or withdrawal from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation of any money charged thereon or any alteration in the amount of such a payment, issue or withdrawal.”

    On the other hand section 81(4) of the Constitution states that:

    “If in respect of any financial year it is found that-

    (a) the amount appropriated by the Appropriation Act for any purpose is insufficient; and

    (b) a need has arisen for expenditure for a purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by the Act,

    a supplementary estimate showing the sums required shall be laid before each House of the National Assembly and the heads of any such expenditure shall be included in a Supplementary Appropriation Bill.”

    From the constitutional provisions referred to, it will be extremely difficult to ignore the National Assembly unless those canvassing such position want extra-constitutional steps to be taken, and that will be an infraction of section 1 of the Constitution, which provides as follows:

    “(1) This Constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    (2) The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be governed, nor shall any person or group of persons take control of the government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

    (3) If any other law is inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution, this Constitution shall prevail, and that other law shall to the extent of the inconsistency be void.”

    Why president Jonathan will take the outcome of the conference to the National Assembly

    The position of President Jonathan is a creation of section 5(1) of the Constitution, which provides that: “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the executive powers of the Federation:

    (a) shall be vested in the President and may , subject as aforesaid and to the provisions of any law made by the National Assembly, be exercised by him either directly or through the Vice-President and Ministers of the Government of the Federation or officers in the public service of the Federation; and

    (b) shall extend to the execution and maintenance of this Constitution, all laws made by the National Assembly and to all matters with respect to which the National Assembly has, for the time being, power to make laws.”

    Furthermore, the President took the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office of President, contained in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. The Oath of Allegiance provides:

    “I, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, do solemnly swear/affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So help me God.”

    On the other hand, the Oath of Office of President provides thus:

    “I, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, do solemnly swear/affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I will discharge my duties to the best of my ability, faithfully and in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the law, and always in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well-being and prosperity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that I will strive to preserve the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;….”

    One thing common to both Oaths is that the President swore to be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Considering the principle of separation of powers, which is the hallmark of the presidential system of government, it will be incongruous for President Jonathan to raise a group of persons to make laws outside the purview of the National Assembly.

     

    The way forward

    The legal framework for the convocation of a National Conference should be sent as a Bill to the National Assembly for passage into an Act. The Bill will provide for a National Conference Commission to midwife the conference.

    Part of the contents of that Bill should be that the National Assembly would be bound to amend the Constitution to incorporate any decision on a matter approved by not less than 60 per cent of the membership of the National Conference.

    The National Assembly can subject resolutions of the Conference which sails through by simple majority to public hearing before passing them. The parameters of the Conference should be determined ab initio to avoid delving into a political cul de sac. The members of the National Assembly should synergise with the Presidency to give Nigerians the long-expected change. This is a golden opportunity to have an autochthonous constitution. This is time to touch the so-called “no go” areas. It is not a time for grandstanding by the National Assembly members in order to prove their ultimate relevance. This is a time for sober reflection. We have come to a time to make Nigeria great again by cutting off the umbilical cord of serial failures in constitutional making.We can make all these happen by give-and-take from the two schools of thought. And it is possible to have a refined constitution from the ashes of the 1999 Constitution. I think I have merely scratched the surface of the matter, leaving other dimensions for other writers to provide illumination.

     

  • NASS proposes increased funding of water sector

    NASS proposes increased funding of water sector

    …budgets 92bn

    THE National Assembly has proposed an increment of the budgetary allocation for the water sector to N92billion.

    Senate President David Mark, said the proposed increment was imperative to achieve sustainable growth and development.

    He also stated that the increment will help to strengthen the operations of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), which Nigeria is part of.

    He spoke in Abuja at the Conference of parliamentarians, focal ministers and ministers of finance of the Niger Basin Authority at the weekend.

    He stated that there had been a feasible increase in budget allocations for the sector to carry out projects over the years.

    Mark, who was represented by Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Water Resources, Sen Abdullahi Sankara, said the National Assembly will continue to call for improved funding of

    the sector.

    He also explained that the renovation of Kainji dam when completed will complement government’s efforts to increase energy production.

    The Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe, said the federal government will meet its financial obligation to the Niger Basin Authority by committing N150m to the body.

    She also called on member countries to remit their contributions to reduce its financial constraint.

    According to her: “The Niger Basin will be adequately managed

    and allocated in a way that everybody benefits from it.

    “The Niger Basin catchment areas are richly endowed with the waters of the River Niger, which we can use for agricultural purposes, water supply, and hydro power generation.

    “If we make the best use of these resources, definitely we will be able to tackle the issue of poverty in the region head on.”