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Tag: Nicholas Ossai

  • Reps probe NNPC over N100b under-remittance to CRA

    The House of Representatives has launched a comprehensive investigation into the earnings of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) from January 2018 to date.

    The lawmakers said that the ambiguities surrounding the corporation’s activities made it imperative to ascertain the volume of production of oil within the period under review.

    In addition, to ascertain the country’s earnings for that period,  an ad hoc panel will also find out the status of cash calls involving joint venture operations including the template used in arriving at the sharing formula.

    Also, the House will be looking at the exchange rate during the period due to the fact that NNPC sells its crude in dollars but remits to the Consolidated Revenue Account (CFA) in naira.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a matter of urgent national importance by Nicholas Ossai  (PDP, Delta), who said the failure of  NNPC to remit  about N100b into the CFA threw States and Local Governments that depended on the montjly allocation into a financial challenge that affected the payment of their June salaries.

    He said  the development was frustrating as it was not the first time such under – remittances would be made by NNPC.

    “Such under-remittance at a time when oil price is high and stable calls for an investigation because if not addressed, NNPC would just inform the nation one day that it has nothing to remit to the CRA from its crude oil sales.

    “One organizations cannot be allowed to make a black spot on Nigeria”, he added.

    Read Also: NNPC: Depot fire will not affect petroluem supply

    Dennis Amadi (PDP, Enugu) regretted that the country’s commonwealth is  being mismanaged by NNPC, lending credence to allegations in the past on how the organization is being managed.

    According to him, the corporation’s head was being alleged to have disbursed $5b for oil prospecting, constructing highways in other countries as a well as payment of oil subsidies without due process.

    “NNPC seems to be higher than everyone but there’s a need to pressure it into doing what is right”, he said.

    Aminu Shagari (APC, Sokoto) was however wary of the outcome of the proposed investigation saying previous investigative reports on the same subject have not seen the light of the day.

    “What happened to reports of committees set up on same subject in previous Assemblies?

    “This ad hoc Committee might not have the nerve to say what is actually happening. I will rather advise the Committee members to watch closely because NNPC will pick members one after the other and you see member speaking from both sides of their mouths”.

    Uzoma Nkem-Abonta(PDP, Enugu) explained that previous investigative  reports on NNPC that were not implemented was due to legislative procedural errors.

    “Why we dont see the result of past investigations is because we don’t we debate most of such reports immediately they were laid which mean that the recommendations are not in public domain.

    “Notwithstanding, the House must still carry out its duty because oil is the country’s  major revenue generator. The major source of our revenue should not be allowed to decline”.

    Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC, Kano), who said the issue of under remittance by NNPC is a national security issue, stressed the need for the investigation to be comprehensive.

    According to him, in order for the committee not to be embarrassed by running round in circles, a holistic approach to the issue whereby the period under review would be stretched back to January 2018 from the two months of May and June initially proposed by the mover of the motion.

    He also said in order to be objective, the Committee must look at other indices such as level of production, cash calls, template used for the cash calls, exchange rates used by NNPC for its sales and remittances during the period.

    The motion was unanimously adopted and the ad hoc Committee to be chaired by the Deputy Minority Leader Chukwuka Onyema was given two weeks to carry out the investigation.

  • Impeachment threat: Jibrin back to Ethics Committee 

    …House investigates Gudaji for addressing the press on joint session

     

    Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin ( APC, Kano ) and Mohammed Gudaji ( APC, Jigawa ) are to face the Ethics and Privileges committee of the House of Representatives for daring to voice their views on the impeachment threat issued against President Mohammadu Buhari at an emergency joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

    Jibrin, returned recently from a 180 legislative days suspension on account of bringing the House to disrepute with his comments on 2016 budget.

    His suspension was later nullified by the court.

    Read Also:Senators, Reps give Buhari conditions to avoid impeachment

    This followed the adoption of a motion on breach of privilege by Sunday Karimi (PDP, Kogi) and Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta).

    Karimi, who first raised a point of order on the breach of his privilege by Jibrin said the account given by his colleague to the media was incorrect.

    Karimi would face the Ethics and Privileges Committee for mentioning some of his colleagues as sponsors of the impeachment moves.

     

    Details later …

  • 2018 Budget: Lawmaker defends NASS over delay

    A member of House of Representatives, Mr Nicholas Ossai ( Delta-APC ), on Wednesday urged Nigerians to hold the Executive accountable for the delay in the passage of 2018 Appropriation Bill.

    He told News men in Abuja that apart the Bill being late November, 2017, Ministries, Departments and Agencies ( MDAs ) had refused to go before relevant committees of the legislature to defend their budgets.

    Ossai, therefore, said that it was unfair for the Executive to blame the lawmakers for delay in passing the budget, insisting that it could not be approved without MDAs defending their needs as contained in it.

    According to him, the National Assembly cannot address issues regarding the Appropriation Bill in a hasty manner, particularly when the Executive that made the inputs in the budget are reluctant to come and defend them.

    On the intended January – December fiscal year, the lawmaker said “I don’t really agree with the executive’s assertion, whether budget year or not budget year.

    “The most critical issue is that the budget was brought late November, and so there was no way the National Assembly could have addressed the matters in the Bill in one month.

    “January to December is not supposed to be an issue but bringing the private sector to bear when budgeting is the issue.

    “This is because the economy is run not only from the public sector but also the private sector.

    “The executive ought to bring the budget in the first week of October to give three months for the legislature to address the issues critically, looking at the books and performance of preceding budget.’’

    “Sometimes you blame the executive because you invite them to come and expatiate on the budget items and they find it very difficult. I don’t know what they are hiding from the legislature.

    “The Constitution has given us power to be able to look at the Bill; we are representatives of the people and the executive is to implement what the people have prescribed.

    “I think to some extent, the National Assembly has been dutiful enough to its job by creating value for money because without scrutinizing, you won’t be able to see value for money,” Ossai added.

    According to him, if certain amount is budgeted, it is also necessary to know how it is utilised based on the prescription of the national assembly.

    “If you are the executive and have budgeted a sub-head of N10, you should be able to feed us that the N10 we gave you last time, you used it and to what extent.

    Read Also: Akerele urges NASS to review gender rights bill

    “If you can defend that very effectively, then there is no reason why the National Assembly cannot prescribe further N10 or even give more depending on what you have presented.

    “But, in a situation where the executive budget performance is eight per cent or sometimes, 20 per cent and you are bringing a higher figure in a new budget, the National Assembly will ask questions.

    “Those are the reasons why our constituencies want to know why most of the budgets are not well implemented, especially when revenue generating agencies have met their target according to approval.

    “So, these are the issues we want to know and critically examine so Nigerians can get value for money,” he said.

    Ossai said that though implementation of 2017 budget was quite low at the end of the year, it had gone up to about 50 per cent due to queries by the legislature.

    “Today, I can tell you that over 50 per cent of the 2017 budget has been implemented.

    “This is because of the critical assertion by the House of Representatives in particular; the executive had to rush and hasten implementation of the budget.

    “You can see that the representation of the people counts a lot in a democracy; without being critical about the last year’s budget, there was no way the executive would have implemented it.

    “So, Nigerians should be patient with the National Assembly; we are trying to create value for money,” he said.

    NAN

  • Reps move to check smuggling, illegal emigration

    The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to come up with stringent polices that would check illegal smuggling and emigration in the country.

    In a unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Rotimi Agunsoye (Lagos-APC) at plenary on Tuesday, the chamber said it was worrisome that the country’s land and sea borders had become quite porous.

    In the motion earlier, Agunsoye said that it was regrettable that the borders allowed unlawful goods and immigrants into the country.

    According to him, shops, markets and stores are adorned with smuggled goods, including clothing materials and food items.

    “Roads in the country have been taken over by smuggled cars and the anti-smuggling unit and other formations of the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) are not able to stem the tide.

    “The NCS has failed in its duty to stop smuggled goods into the country.

    “The organization now resorts to harassing innocent citizens who have purchased vehicles and other goods off the shelves,” he said.

    The lawmaker said that the failure of government agencies to check smuggling of substandard and harmful goods was posing socio-economic threat to the existence of the country.

    He listed some of the smuggled goods as plastic rice, Genetically Modified Foods, expired drugs and high radiation mobile phones.

    The legislator regretted that foreigners who had gained entry into the country without immigration papers or whose visas had expired, were still in the country competing with citizens and enjoying tax payers money.

    He said that it was imperative for the country’s borders to be guarded and monitored to reduce the spate of smuggling.

    He also said that the NCS and the Nigerian Immigration Service were operating below expectation.

    Contributing, Rep. Emmanuel Orker-Jev (Benue-APC) pointed out cases where Nigerians had been killed by foreigners.

    He said that the herdsmen unleashing mayhem in the country had always been referred to as foreigners.

    Orker-Jev called for documentation of movement of persons across the borders in spite of the ECOWAS free trade zone policy.

    Rep. Nicholas Ossai (Delta-PDP) said that there was need to ascertain if the NCS and other services were well funded to do their job.

    He said that the Government of United States of America was committing enough funds to build border walls to enable security agencies checkmate movement of hoodlums.

    “What is the budgetary allocation for border monitoring?

    “If the executive has failed to do that, we are the representatives of the people and I move that this 8th Assembly should make provision of N1 trillion in the 2017 budget to guard our borders,” he said.

    The Deputy Speaker of the House, Rep. Yussuf Lasun (Osun-APC) described Nigeria as a very unique country.

    He said that the Yoruba race, for instance, had their kinsmen in Cotonou, Ghana, Liberia just like the Fulanis in Niger and up to Libya.

    According to Lasun, building walls will amount to disconnecting the people from their kinsmen in the neighbouring countries.

    He, however, advocated deliberate policies that would protect the economy and clearly differentiate between foreigners and citizens of the country.

    In his ruling, Speaker of the house, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, mandated the Committees on Customs and Excise and Interior to organise a public hearing on the matter and report to the house for further action.

     

  • Reps move to decongest prisons

    Reps move to decongest prisons

    • Pass Criminal Justice Act Amendment

    A reprieve may be in the offing for people who are awaiting trial in prisons across the country following the Wednesday consideration for the bill on Criminal Justice Act Amendment at the House of Representatives.

    This is as Lawmakers expressed support for the bill that strengthens the Criminal Justice system as it went through consideration at the committee in the Whole.

    The bill which amends the Criminal Justice (Release from custody) (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. C40, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, with the view to decongest and reduce the number of pretrial inmates in Nigerian prisons and for other related matters was co-sponsored by Nicholas Ossai and Ochiglegor Idagor.

    It seeks to “order the release of a person detained in custody pending trial where the prosecution fails to commence after the person had spent one-third of the maximum sentence prescribed for the offence.”

    Figures released by the United Nation’s Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in August 2016, states that  out the 63,000 inmates spread across 240 prisons in the country, 17,897 are convicted while 45,263 are awaiting trial.

    Idagor while arguing for a positive consideration of the bill said its “embarrassing and worrisome State of Nigerian prisons, where over 70% of inmates are awaiting trial, has made it imperative for us to apply extra LegislativeBudget measures to decongest our prisons and further strengthen the criminal justice system.”

    He further states: “Our society is one in which innocence until proven guilty has been thrown into the wind, as Nigerians are made to spend months and years in incarceration even without being proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

    “We can no longer continue living in the dark age where  people’s rights are constantly abused while the government stands aside and watch. We all know that in the 240 prisons spread across Nigeria, the innocent who were wrongly accused, wrongly detained and are awaiting trial constitute 70% of the Nigerian prison population.

    “It has also been revelead that 95% of riots, escapes and jail breaks are perpetuated by this category of inmates.”

    The lawmaker stated that the bill seeks to cure the age long problem of awaiting trial persons languishing in various prisons as well as saddle an awaiting trial perons with powers to apply to a Judge within the judicial district for unconditional release from custody.

    This he said is especially in a situation where the person has been in custody for a period longer than the maximum period of imprisonment which he could have served had he been convicted of the offence in respect of which he was detained in the execution of a court or Tribunal duly constituted by law.

    According to him, the Judge on receipt of the application will summarily release the inmate if satisfied that the person has been in custody longer than the maximum period the person would have served had he been convicted.

    The lawmaker states that the bill is beneficial in the sense that there is reduction in monetary expenses spent on feeding and upkeep of inmates across the country, reduction of Staff workload and stress, manageability of prisons/improved prison regime, reduction in prison overcrowding rate, improved sanitary and living conditions in prison and reduction of lack of discipline, disturbances and aggression in prison.

    He said the passage of the bill into law will help in reducing unnecessary violation of individual’s right to liberty, prevention of the negative effects of incarceration such as psychological stress to the prison, financial, psychological and social stress faced by the  families, opportunity for better preparation of their cases and prevention of criminal socialisation of those innocent by the more serious and sophisticated offenders.

    However, an observation by the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, that it requires amendment of section 35 of the 1999 Constitution to run the bill through, made the Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun who presided to referred it to the House Committee on Rules and Business for further advise.

  • Why I didn’t attend Ethics Committee Hearing- Jibrin

    The former Chairman of the House of Committee on Appropriation,  Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC, Kano) has said that the reason for his absence at the Committee on Ethics and Privileges was because the Chairman, Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta) had  demonstrated  his biases in  words and action.

    The House had on Wednesday 21st sent Jibrin’s case to the Committee for investigation following a motion by the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business,  Emmanuel  Orker-Jev.

    Jibrin, at a press briefing on Tuesday said: “Ahead of the resumption of the House I wrote a 17-page letter to all members and one of the issues I raised is that I was finding it difficult to write to the committee on Ethics and Privileges because I do not believe that he has the ability of being impartial. He has made a couple of public statements that show clearly that he has become an interested party in the matter.

    “I cited the instance where clearly he made a public statement that budget fraud (also known as padding) is not an offence. And of course, there are instances where he mentioned me as a person that in the whole of this matter, I am wrong.

    “Right from the beginning, I have my doubt. After the House referred the matter to the Ethics Committee, he called me. And when he called me, I told him that I will appear on the condition that the proceedings would be made public. And I was clear to him that the media will be there, both print and electronic.”

    Jibrin said Ossai called him again and agreed that he will do as he requested and will even put it in writing. He said contrary to his request, he got only a 2-paragraph letter devoid of their agreement.

    He said the letter was also ambiguous and did not itemize how he breached the privileges of members.

    Jibrin said that legislative privileges does not include corruption, and exposing corruption does not constitute breach of privileges.

    “And in the next few days, if the chairman of the Ethics and Privileges does not concentrate on the issues of allegations I raised against the Speaker and three other principal officers, and the abuse of the privileges of Nigerians, I will take it upon myself to expose how some members have abuse their privileges. I will do it.”

    While answering questions on the possibility of his being suspended said: “If I’m suspended, it’s illegal. But if they insist they will suspend me, it’s fine. I will step out of the House and continue my crusade and of course, the court will take a position on the contempt that has been done.

    He however said if the Ethics Committee recommends his suspension, he will contest it.

    “I will contest it if I am suspended because the case is before the court, but if they insisted, I will remain suspended.

    “As matter of fact, that will afford me ample time to concentrate on activism especially on fighting corruption in the House from outside.

    “It means that I will then have enough time to collaborate with civil society organizations and other like-minds.

    The report of the Ethics and Privileges Committee might be laid today.

    Recalled that at its last sitting on Monday, the Chairman, Nicholas Ossai had said that Jibrin’s absence amounted to his defense and that the Committee would submit its report within the one week period given to the Committee to carry out its assignment and submit its report.

     

  • Sex scandal: Dogara to meet U.S Ambassador Thursday

    Sex scandal: Dogara to meet U.S Ambassador Thursday

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, will on Thursday meet the outgoing United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, over the allegation of sexual misconduct levelled against three members of the House.

    Investigative public hearing on the scandal begins on Thursday and Entwistle is expected to provide video clips of the incident.

    The incident allegedly occurred during the International Visitor Leadership Programme held in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S, between April 7 and April 13 and attended by 10 members of the lower chamber.

    The Chairman of House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Nicholas Ossai, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the committee did not invite management of the hotel where the alleged misconduct occurred.

    According to him, we decided not to extend invitation to the hotel management since the Ambassador who broke the information through a letter to the speaker has documentary evidence against the three lawmakers.

    The three lawmakers involved in the allegation are Mohammed Gololo (APC-Bauchi), Samuel Ikon (PDP-Akwa Ibom) and Mark Gbillah (APC-Benue).

    They allegedly solicited sex from prostitutes and grabbed hotel housekeeper in a bid to rape her.

    Ossai said the committee had also invited the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) and National Human Rights Commission.

    He said the committee did not carry out any secret investigation, urging anyone with useful information to submit same to the committee on or before commencement of the hearing.