Tag: Reps

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, said on Thursday that members of the House have contributed approximately N704.9 million from their salaries over the past five months to support vulnerable Nigerians.

He said the initiative followed a resolution during plenary for lawmakers to donate half of their salaries as a response to the hardships caused by the removal of fuel subsidies and rising poverty levels in the country.

Speaking at the resumption of plenary, Speaker Abbas revealed that the funds collected would be handed over to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to assist Nigerians in need.

He said: “If you recall, about five months ago, we decided to contribute half of our salaries to address the critical needs of the Nigerian people. I am happy to inform you that so far, we have contributed N704, 907,578.82.

“On the 31st of December, I will lead a delegation of leadership to handover the money to the President for the exclusive use of the vulnerable Nigerians who really needs it. 

“The contributiona you made highlights the steadfastness and dedication of members to addressing the critical needs of Nigerians.”

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Following a motion by Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, the House, in July resolved to donate half of their salaries to meet the hunger need of Nigerians as part of efforts to stop the end bad governance protest. 

While moving the motion, Kalu said: “This government is doing its best but one year is not enough to address the challenges of this country. I want to plead with our colleagues to sacrifice 50 per cent for a period of six months.

“Our salary is N600,000 a month. I want to plead that we let go of 50 per cent of our salary for a period of six months.”

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the non-delivery of approximately 2,000 tractors, implements, and 100 combined harvesters, valued at $70,041,733.80 and N2,981,739,134.30 respectively, under the Presidential Food Security Initiative and Renew Hope Agricultural Mechanization Drive.

In adopting a motion sponsored by Saba Ahmed Adam (APC, Kwara), the House instructed its Committee on Agricultural Production and Services to probe the procurement and distribution of farm implements under the Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA) within the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

During the debate, Rep. Adam noted that shortly after his inauguration, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a state of emergency on food security and introduced a large-scale agricultural mechanization program aimed at boosting food production across the nation. 

The declaration was in response to ongoing food inflation, which has led to hunger and starvation in Nigeria.

He explained that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security had signed an agreement with John Deere Tractors to supply 2,000 tractors, implements, and 100 combined harvesters annually as part of the Renewed Hope initiative. 

A contract for a tractor assembly plant in Nigeria was also signed, with the total agreement worth $70,041,733.80 and N2,981,739,134.30.

The agreement, he said included actual equipment and delivery costs, sales, after-sales services, spare parts, and training for mechanized service providers.

He said further that pursuant to the Presidential Food Security Initiative (PFSI), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security entered into another five (5) years agreement with AFTRADE DMCC for establishment of a tractor assembly plant to produce 9,022 agricultural implements and 2,000 Belarus tractors annually estimated to cost Nigeria about $684,190,433.00 and N138,613,486,965.00 as actual equipment cost and delivery/assembly cost, respectively;

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According to him, both agreements were laden with benefits to accrue to Nigeria if implemented, which include increased agricultural production, technology transfer, and reduction of the foreign currency expenditure on the purchase of ready-made equipment due to the growth of local production.

The Lawmaker said that a year after the agreements were signed by the National Agricultural Development Fund and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, no single tractor or implement has been received in Nigeria despite the huge public funds involved in these transactions.

He expressed concerned that the non-delivery of these tractors and implements is a setback to the Renewed Hope Agenda in Agricultural mechanization and this poses challenge to Nigeria’s food sufficiency ambition, as two farming seasons have been lost since the signing of the agreements.

He said there was the need to investigate the non-delivery of the tractors, implements, and combined harvesters for over one year after the agreements were signed and the status of the tractor assembly plants contemplated by the agreements.

…pledge support for NUJ

Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun), Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, has called for increased participation of women in governance at all levels in Nigeria. 

Salam made this remark during a courtesy visit by Grace Ike, the first female Chairman of the FCT Council, and other members of her Executive. He emphasized that Nigeria must improve in terms of women’s inclusivity in governance, drawing inspiration from other African nations. 

He highlighted the examples of Rwanda, where 60% of parliamentarians are women, and Kenya, which has nearly 50% female representation in parliament.

Salam noted that these countries achieved this through deliberate efforts, including constitutional amendments and party policies that ensure women’s inclusion. 

The chairman further stated that merit and the capacity to deliver should not be gender-specific.

He also assured the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) of his support and collaboration in areas such as welfare and capacity building for its members. 

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Salam commended journalists in the FCT for electing a female chairman and encouraged them to continue upholding the core values of the profession. 

He also commended the Grace Team for engaging in an issue-based campaign.

Chairman of Council, Grace Ike said her leadership of the council is committed to strengthening the relationship between the media and the legislature, adding that the visit is a testament to the commitment and our desire of the council to collaborate with the Public Accounts Committee in promoting transparency and accountability in governance.

She said the NUJ recognize the critical role that the House Public Accounts Committee plays in ensuring that public funds are utilized judiciously while journalists are committed to holding those in power accountable for their actions.

She pledged the support of the NUJ FCT Council to ensure that the efforts of the public accounts committee in promoting transparency and accountability, saying, “We believe that a strong and independent media is essential to a functioning democracy, and we are committed to playing our part in promoting good governance”.

At the House of Representatives Press Corps, the Chairman expressed appreciation for the support and assured that his leadership would pay attention to the welfare of members while urging them not to turn their back on the Union. 

The House of Representatives has asked the federal government to as a matter of urgency set up a private sector-driven Trust Fund that will mobilize funds for the TB response in Nigeria.

The House also asked the federal government to ensure that TB treatment services and basic TB diagnosis equipment are made available in all the 774 Local Government Areas of the Country. 

Adopting a motion sponsored by Amobi G Ogah, Abubakar Baba Zango, Billy Osawaru, Ibe Okwara, Princess Chinwe Onuoha, Victor Abang, and Midalla Bala Usman, the House said the Federal Ministry of Health, through the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) Nigeria should advocate for the immediate increase of Global Disease Split to 35% in favour of TB.

It also wants the government to increase local funding for TB to ensure Nigeria abides by all commitments towards ending TB by 2030 while asking the House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy, and Malaria Control to present a bill that will address the abuse of rights of those infected with TB.

Presenting the motion on behalf of the other sponsors, Ogah described Tuberculosis (TB) as a disease caused by a bacterial infection (Mycobacterium Tuberculosis) that affects the lungs.

He said even though TB is curable and preventable, it kills more people than HIV and Malaria combined globally and is the leading cause of death in Nigeria. It is associated with HIV/AIDS, undernutrition, non-communicable diseases as well as stigma, discrimination, and other human rights abuses.

According to him, Nigeria currently ranks first in Africa and sixth in the world accounting for about 4.6% of the global TB burden, adding that according to World Health Organization (WHO), about 11 million people get infected with TB and 1.8 million die each year from the disease, making it the world’s top infectious disease killer.

He stressed that significant progress has been made in the fight against TB globally resulting in the reduction of deaths by 38% and new cases by 23% which is driven by an increase in TB case detection rates with over 1 million more people being diagnosed in 2022 than 2017 according to WHO Global TB Report, 2023.

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He said major gaps still exist as almost a third of people with TB still miss out on diagnosis each year and just one-third of people with TB being tested, in addition to vulnerable and marginalized populations, with more than half of children under the age of 5 and three-quarters of children with multidrug-resistance TB never being diagnosed and reported to National TB Programs.

He expressed concern that funding for TB is grossly inadequate both locally and globally and that an increase in the number of people being diagnosed and treated requires an increase in the TB budget, especially for vital commodities.

He said nearly 70% of countries supported by the Global Fund are projected to face deficits in their budgets next year, with ten countries alone facing a combined USD$600m shortfall for 2025.

He said the Global Disease Split (GDS) for Global Fund investment for country grants to each of HIV, Malaria, and Tuberculosis has remained largely unchanged over the last decade, with TB receiving approximately 18% of available funding compared with 50% for HIV and 32% for Malaria.

He disclosed that on September 26, 2018, heads of state and governments from around the world including Nigeria met in New York at the United Nations high-level meeting on TB and agreed on a set of commitments to end TB by 2030 and on September 22, 2023, the United Nations member states including Nigeria came together for a second united nations high-level meeting on tb to review progress and agree on new sets of commitments to end TB by 2030.

The House of Representatives has called on the federal government to authorize the immediate release of funds from the Service Wide Votes to the Nigeria Arabic Language Village, enabling the procurement of essential items required for the resumption of its operations and academic activities.

The institution, located in Maiduguri, Borno State, was severely affected by floods earlier this year, disrupting its operations.

Acting on a motion presented by the House Committee on University Education and ten representatives from Borno State, the House also urged the government to allocate substantial funding for the development of the permanent site of the institute in the 2025 budget. 

It also recommended provisions for the maintenance and operation of the current temporary site until the permanent facility is completed and handed over.

The House further mandated its Committee on University Education to investigate the extent of the flood damage and assess the requirements needed to restore the institution to full functionality.

Presenting the motion, chairman of the House Committee Abubakar Hassan Fulata said the recent flood disaster that submerged Maiduguri and environs as well as neighboring Local Government Areas, caused unimaginable loss of lives, livestock, and property worth billions of naira. 

According to! Him, the flood disaster affected, among others, government institutions, including the Nigerian Arabic Language Village, which was originally located in Ngamburun Ngala but was forced to relocate to its Liaison Office in Maiduguri as a result of Boko Haram insurgency before this unfortunate incident occurred. 

He said the Arabic Language Village, which is one of the four Inter-University Centers established by the Federal Government with the aim of offering Arabic and such other related courses to Nigerians by promoting Arabic Immersion services to undergraduates of Universities and Acculturation services to students from Colleges of Education. 

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Fulata maintained that the Arabic Village fosters cooperation and ties with other countries, particularly in Arabic speaking and cultural exhibitions, bridging language barriers in the Comity of Nations. 

He disclosed that the flood submerged the Arabic Language Village, destroying computers, ICT appliances, books, journals, offices, library, furniture, and fittings, adding that Boko Haram insurgency complicated the situation with the center’s strategic roles in immersion and acculturation programs have been suspended due to the flood. 

He said Students undergoing a one-year compulsory program in the Village will be stranded pending rehabilitation and replacement of damaged books, equipment, computers, and teaching aids for Arabic and academic activities. 

He said the paucity of funds and the fact that the Borno State Government that has been assisting the village is itself in dire need of assistance in view of the fact that it is also overwhelmed by the flood disaster, hence, Craves Tor financial and all forms of assistance to ameliorate the sufferings of its citizens, thus can no longer render any assistance to the village. 

The House of Representatives on Tuesday asked its relevant committees to conduct an investigative hearing to ascertain the level of compliance with the Flared Gas (Prevention of Waste and Pollution) Regulation, 2018, by oil and gas operators in the country.

The investigation is to determine the level of operational safety standards and protection of local communities to the flared gas.

Adopting a motion sponsored by Harrison Anozie Nwadike, the House asked the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to intensify monitoring and enforcement of safety measures to ensure strict adherence to established safety standards.

The House also asked the Federal Ministry of Environment to assess the environmental and health impacts of gas flaring in oil-producing areas and recommend appropriate remediation measures.

Nwadike reminded the House that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) is tasked with enforcing health, safety and environmental standards in line with National and International Best Practices, as stipulated in Section 20 (3) of the Flare Gas (Prevention of Waste and Pollution Regulations) 2018.

He said the regulations mandate producers and permit holders in connection with Tiare Gas to adopt operational safety measures to minimize the negative impact of gas flaring, including limits on heat, smoke, and noise while ensuring the operational safety and health of individuals at gas flare sites.

He said despite these regulatory frameworks, gas flaring remains prevalent, adversely affecting the health and livelihoods of communities in oil-producing areas, as envisaged under Section 104 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

He also said that despite the effort of the Ad–hoc Committee on Gas Flaring, its report indicates noncompliance with safety standards, leading to increased environmental degradation, health issues, and socio-economic hardships in affected areas.

He expressed concern that non-compliance with Section 20(3) of the Flare Gas (Prevention of Waste and Pollution) Regulation, 2018, not only endangers the health and safety of oil-producing communities but also exacerbates environmental degradation, leading to long-term ecological damage and loss of biodiversity.

According to him, the lack of adherence to operational safety standards, including limits to heat, smoke, and noise generation, continues to expose workers and nearby residents to severe health risks such as respiratory diseases, increased rate of tonsillitis infection in children, cardiovascular issues, and increased cancer risks due to prolonged exposure to toxic emissions.

He stressed that the inadequate enforcement and monitoring of the regulations by the relevant authorities have led to a culture of impunity among oil and gas operators, who prioritize profits over the safety and well-being of affected communities and employees.

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Contributing to the debate, Julius Pondi (PDP, Delta) said gas flaring in the Niger Delta has inflicted hardship on the people leading to loss of lives and means of livelihood, impacting lives negatively.

He said that it is disheartening that companies engaged in gas flaring in Nigeria do not engage in such practices in other countries where they operate.

He called for thorough monitoring of gas flaring activities by oil companies in the country, adding that there is no better time to do this.

Also speaking, Mark Essex (PDP, Akwa Ibom) said the penalty for gas flaring should be death because such activities threaten the lives of people and the environment, adding that the House should ensure that all companies involved in gas flaring are made to face the law.