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Tag: Reps

  • JUST IN: Reps ask CBN to halt retirement of 1000, staff pending investigation

    JUST IN: Reps ask CBN to halt retirement of 1000, staff pending investigation

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to halt the implementation of the retirement of 1,000 staff and the associated payoff scheme until the conclusion of an investigation.

    The House resolved to probe the mass retirement of over 1,000 CBN staff to assess the criteria, process, and legality of the exercise. 

    It also aims to scrutinise the N50 billion payoff scheme to ensure transparency, accountability, and proper use of funds.

    An ad hoc committee will be formed to engage with CBN leadership to evaluate the potential economic and institutional impacts of the retirement on Nigeria’s financial sector.

    Adopting a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Kama Nkemkama (LP, Ebonyi), the House asked the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to ensure that the rights of the affected staff are protected in accordance with Nigerian labour laws.

    Leading the debate on the motion, Nkemkama drew attention to a media reports indicating that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) plans to retire over 1,000 staff across various levels as part of its restructuring process under the Acting Governor’s leadership.

    According to him, the CBN reportedly announced a N50 billion payoff scheme to compensate the affected staff, as part of its human resource reorganisation strategy, with claims that the process will ensure fairness and equity.

    He expressed concern that the sudden mass retirement of over 1,000 staff, including directors and senior management, raises critical questions about the criteria for selection, transparency, and adherence to due process in line with public service guidelines and labour laws.

    Read Also: Why we postponed debate on Tax reform bills, by Reps spokesman

    He said such a significant decision has socio-economic implications for the affected individuals, their dependants, and the broader economy, potentially leading to increased unemployment and public dissatisfaction.

    He said the reported payoff scheme amounting to N50 billion may lack sufficient accountability and oversight mechanisms, posing risks of mismanagement and abuse of public funds in a sector vital to Nigeria’s financial stability.

  • Reps to continue consultations on Tax Reform Bills

    Reps to continue consultations on Tax Reform Bills

    After more than two hours of a closed-door discussion on Thursday, the House of Representatives decided to extend its consultations on the tax reform bills proposed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. 

    The President had previously presented four tax bills to the parliament for consideration. However, northern leaders and the governors of the 36 states have called on the President to withdraw the bills to allow for further discussions and consultations. 

    However, the Presidency has insisted that the bills be allowed to go through the usual legislative process, stressing that any suggestion or opposition to any of the bills can be done during a public hearing.

    However, at Plenarybon Thursday, November 28, the House went into an executive session which lasted for over two hours to discuss the issues surrounding the tax reform bills.

    When the issue of the bills was not listed for discussion, The Nation gathered that some members had insisted that the issue be discussed by the lawmakers.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Reps confirm Oluyede as Chief of Army Staff

    After the over two-hour closed-door meeting, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu who presided over plenary said the decision at the meeting was to allow room for further consultations on the bills.

    He said: “What we did was to continue our consultation which we promised the House on the tax bills and the agreement at that session was to continue that conversation. This consultation is going to continue from now till Tuesday when we will hold a special session when we will invite these resource persons to be here in the House to engage us.

    “Thereafter, we decide which way to go. This is to make sure that it is well documented that we did our consultation in the form of an executive session and we are continuing that consultation till next week Tuesday.”

  • Reps advocate use of local languages for teaching in schools

    Reps advocate use of local languages for teaching in schools

    The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Ministry of Education to commence a pilot programme in selected schools across the country to assess the feasibility and benefits of utilising local languages as a medium of instruction and teaching.

    This followed the adoption of a motion on notice sponsored by Kalejaiye Adeboye Paul (APC, Lagos) on the need to promote local languages as a medium of instructions in primary and junior secondary schools.

    The Lagos State lawmaker said Nigeria boasts of an extraordinary linguistic diversity, reflecting the rich cultural tapestry of the nation, while the current educational system primarily employs English as the medium of instruction, which has rendered the local languages like Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, ineffective and almost extinct.

    He said teaching in the mother tongue often leads to stronger teacher-student connections, creating a conducive learning environment and positive classroom dynamics.

    Read Also: Fire razes property worth millions of naira at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital

    According to him, engaging local communities in the education process is more effective when language aligns with the culture and fosters active participation and support for children’s education.

    He said that encouraging indigenous languages in Nigerian primary and junior secondary schools is a crucial step in promoting inclusive and culturally sensitive education, improving the educational experience for children across the country.

    He said that prioritising local languages bridges education-culture gap, ensuring no child is left behind due to linguistic barriers, fostering academic success, empowering communities and strengthening nation fabric.

  • Reps pass 2025 MTEF, peg exchange rate at N1400 to the dollar

    Reps pass 2025 MTEF, peg exchange rate at N1400 to the dollar

    The House of Representatives has approved the 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) submitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, paving the way for the presentation of the 2025 budget.

    The MTEF/FSP provides the key parameters for preparing the annual budget. 

    The report on the framework was presented for consideration by the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, who informed members that it was the result of a joint meeting between both the House and Senate Committees, alongside relevant government agencies.

    The MTEF retained the government recommendation of N1400 exchange rate to the dollars, subject to review in the new year and an oil production of 2.06 million barrel of crude per day, with 75 dollar per barrel of crude price. 

    The House approved a projection of 15.75 percent Inflation rates and a GDP growth rate of 4.6 percent for 2025.

    It also approved the Promissory Note Programme and Bond Issuance to settle outstanding claims and liabilities of Federal Government owed to States, high priority judgments as well as liabilities incurred by Federal Ministries, Department and Agencies on behalf of Government. 

    In addition, the House approved the recommendation that a quarterly investigative hearing with revenue generating agencies to track their compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act and punish those in clear contravention of the Act. 

    Read Also: Bill to strengthen government investment agency scales second reading at Reps

    It also asked the Committee on Finance to conduct a review and initiate inquiry into the implementation of the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) Act, specifically focusing on the inspection and monitoring of oil and gas exports by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure effectiveness, compliance, and oversight mechanisms under the Act, identify gaps or challenges, and enhance revenue for the Government, through transparency, accountability and efficiency of export supervision in line with national economic objectives. 

    Details shortly…

  • Reps to probe CNG cylinder explosion in Edo, call for legislation to regulate sector

    Reps to probe CNG cylinder explosion in Edo, call for legislation to regulate sector

    The House of Representatives has announced an investigation into the CNG cylinder explosion in Edo State, which resulted in the tragic loss of lives and severe injuries. 

    The investigation aims to determine the causes of the incident and prevent future occurrences.

    In addition, the House has called for the establishment of legislation to regulate the production, installation, and use of CNG tanks and systems in vehicles. 

    This legislation would ensure that these processes comply with internationally recognized safety standards and prevent the manufacture of substandard CNG tanks by unqualified individuals.

    Following the adoption of an urgent public importance motion sponsored by Fuad Kayode Laguda (APC, Lagos), the House urged the relevant departments of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) to collaborate in enforcing strict certification standards for CNG tank production and installation. 

    They also emphasized the need for only qualified and accredited workshops to be authorized for CNG vehicle conversions.

    The House directed the Nigerian Institute of Welding (NIW) and other relevant agencies to develop training and certification programs for local artisans and workshops involved in CNG tank fabrication and installation to ensure that only certified professionals handle such highly sensitive tasks. 

    It advocate for the creation of a mandatory inspection and certification program for all vehicles using CNG, including periodic integrity checks of both the CNG cylinders and the vehicles on which they are mounted, thereby preventing dangerous failures. 

    It directs the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to work in conjunction with relevant government bodies to monitor and enforce environmental safety standards in the manufacturing and usage of CNG tanks. 

    Also, it direct the Nigerian Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) to establish clear guidelines for the safe conversion of vehicles to CNG use and ensure that these guidelines are adhered to by all workshops and vehicle conversion centers. 

    It said the Presidential Committee on CNG Initiatives should arrange frequent sensitization programs and exercises nationwide. 

    The House said this initiative will significantly enhance public awareness of the conversion process, safety regulations and maintenance procedures, adding that through consistent engagement and education, the risk of accidents and safety violations can be minimized, a more informed citizenry will not only adhere to safety regulations but also contribute to a safer, more efficient energy sector. 

    Leading a debate on the motion, Lagunda said the House must act swiftly to protect the lives of Nigerians and ensure that the adoption of CNG technology remains a safe and viable alternative for the country. 

    He recalled that the Federal Government’s Presidential CNG Initiative seeks to promote the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) as a cleaner, more affordable alternative to petrol and diesel in vehicles, thereby reducing dependence on imported fuel, lowering emissions, and making transportation more cost-effective for Nigerians. 

    According to him, the Presidential CNG initiative is a component of the Palliative intervention of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration intervention program to cushion the resultant hardship effects of the fuel subsidy removal. 

    He argued that CNG has proven to be a sustainable and viable alternative fuel for transportation in many countries worldwide, but its safe use hinges on proper manufacturing, installation, and inspection of the CNG tanks and systems used in vehicles. 

    He expressed concern about the recent tragic incident in Edo State, where an explosion of a locally fabricated CNG cylinder, in a bid to cut corners, resulted in the loss of lives, numerous injuries, and property damage, has highlighted the critical need to address the safety and integrity of CNG tanks produced and used in Nigeria. 

    He said the lack of regulatory standards and legislation governing the local fabrication, installation, and inspection of CNG cylinders is causing a surge in the production of substandard tanks by unqualified artisans, leading to avoidable explosions and loss of lives. 

    Read Also: Reps align with Senate’s call on Tinubu to sack CCT Chairman Umar

    He alleged that many CNG conversion workshops and artisans are operating without proper technical certification or oversight, creating unsafe conditions that endanger the lives of vehicle owners and passengers. 

    He said without immediate legislative intervention to regulate the production, testing and certification of CNG tanks and installation processes more Nigerians will continue to face the risk of similar explosions, injuries, and fatalities.

    He stressed that the use of substandard materials, faulty installations and inadequate testing of CNG cylinders before their deployment in vehicles could undermine the success of the Presidential CNG Initiative and lead to widespread public mistrust in CNG technology. 

  • Bill to strengthen government investment agency scales second reading at Reps

    Bill to strengthen government investment agency scales second reading at Reps

    The House of Representatives has advanced a bill to the second reading stage aimed at strengthening the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), the investment arm of the Federal Ministry of Finance.

    Established in 1959 by an act of parliament, MOFI was intended to serve as the sole custodian of federal government assets across the country. 

    However, the institution has struggled to fulfill its mandate due to widespread mismanagement, abandonment, and abuse of federal assets over the years.

    Leading the debate, Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos), the bill’s sponsor, highlighted that the original 1959 Act comprises only six sections, lacking the provisions necessary for MOFI to function effectively in a modern economy. 

    The proposed legislation introduces a robust framework with 49 sections to enhance the management, governance, and custodianship of federal assets.

    Kuye, who chairs the House Committee on Public Assets, explained that the new law would revitalize MOFI by establishing a comprehensive institutional framework, improving corporate governance, and solidifying its organizational structure.

    He stressee that the law will create strong legal backbone for the emergence of a truly national corporation that will manage, account for and optimize the use of over N300 trillion worth of Federal Government Assets by granting MoFI certain powers and ensuring that the board is properly incentivized.  

    He said further that the law will empower MOFI to identify and enumerate all assets and investments of the Federal Government, to hold and manage all the assets and investments of the Federal Government to ensure productivity and sustainability, to develop and implement a National Asset Management strategy, to act as the investment vehicle and sole manager of all Federal Government’s assets, and to act as the adviser to the Federal Government on all matters relating to its assets and investments.

    He said the Bill major responsibility is to empower MoFI to enumerate and value national assets, most of which have been abandoned, unused, and redundant for decades throughout the federation, adding that some of these assets are being used by individual with out payment or recourse to the federation. 

    Read Also: Reps align with Senate’s call on Tinubu to sack CCT Chairman Umar

    In addition, he said currently, MOFI has only N18 trillion registered as value of assets in its portfolio, while the bill proposes a national assets register, a comprehensive census of Federal government assets, including holdings in multilateral agencies will increase this figure to an estimated N350 trillion, putting the economy in good standing. 

    He said the bill will enhance economic Growth and job creation which will lead to a more robust portfolio of Federal government assets managed by an empowered MoFI which will facilitate economic growth, attract investors and international partnership that will stimulate and diversify the economy and create more jobs. 

    He said that with the proposed corporate governance structure and powers, MoFI will attract the best of investments in assets, that will ensure the turnaround of redundant FG assets and the needed footprints in the global business landscape. 

  • Reps advocate use of local languages for teaching in schools

    Reps advocate use of local languages for teaching in schools

    The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Ministry of Education to commence a pilot programme in selected schools across the country to assess the feasibility and benefits of utilising local languages as a medium of instruction and teaching.

    This followed the adoption of a motion on notice sponsored by Kalejaiye Adeboye Paul (APC, Lagos) on the need to promote local languages as a. Medium of instructions in primary and junior secondary schools in Nigeria.

    The Lagos lawmaker said Nigeria boasts of an extraordinary linguistic diversity, reflecting the rich cultural tapestry of the nation, while the current educational system primarily employs English as the medium of instruction which has rendered the local languages like Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, ineffective and almost extinct.

    He said teaching in the mother tongue often leads to stronger teacher-student connections, creating a conducive learning environment and positive classroom dynamics.

    Read Also: Reps to investigate abandoned regional water resource project in Ogun

    According to him, engaging local communities in the education process is more effective when language aligns with the culture and fosters active participation and support for children’s education.

    He said that encouraging Indigenous languages in Nigerian primary and junior secondary schools is a crucial step in promoting inclusive and culturally sensitive education, improving the educational experience for children across the country.

    He said that prioritizing local languages bridges the education-culture gap, ensuring no child is left behind due to linguistic barriers, fostering academic success, empowering communities, and strengthening the nation’s fabric.

  • Reps to investigate abandoned regional water resource project in Ogun

    Reps to investigate abandoned regional water resource project in Ogun

    The House of Representatives says it would investigate the abandoned fishing and hydroelectric power HEP optimization regional water resource project at Owiwi in Ogun state.

    The House also asked its Committee on Housing and Habitat to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to fix the lack of credible, scientific, and verifiable data on the state of housing in the country and ensure access to decent and affordable housing.

    This followed the adoption of two separate motions by the House at plenary on Tuesday.

    The House also asked the Federal Ministry of Power to harvest the potential of the regional water resource project in the in-built 6 Mw Hydro Electric Power HEP generation; while the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security should utilize the 98 km of land in Ewekoro Local Government Area for agricultural and agro-processing opportunities.

    Adopting a motion by Ibrahim Isiaka (APC, Ogun), the House also asked the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to complete the first phase of the regional water resource project at Owiwi in Ewekoro Local Government of Ogun State, saying each segment of the project should be captured in the 2025 budget.

    Moving his motion, Isiaka said the Owiwi Multipurpose Regional Water Resource Project was abandoned in 2011 with all the derivatives and deliverables that ought to have been implemented, the earth/concrete dam is a purposely designed facility for irrigation, fishing, water supply, and 6 MW hydroelectric power (HEP).

    He expressed concern that a 17 m high, 900 m length soil gravity dam, with a reservoir capacity of 22.5 m, a water treatment plant, and an irrigation system with a surface area of about 10 km, water storage capacity of 22.5 million per cubic meter, HEP generation capacity of 6 MW, and capacity to irrigate 1500 hacter of land (based on the then wasteful available irrigation methods), huge tonnage of freshwater fish harvestable could be abandoned.

    He said years down the lane of the project, partial delivery, the end users have not benefited from the usage, and as such the huge investment is wasted, thereby requiring a quick intervention that would make for the value chain benefits of the project through mitigation of health and other associated risk issues.

    Read Also: Reps urge Interior Ministry to provide adequate security for transmission towers

    He said the partial delivery of the project has led to wasted investment and requires immediate intervention to mitigate health and associated risk issues, ensuring the project’s value chain benefits.

    In his own motion, Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo said data is one of the crucial factors considered in the planning and execution of projects, whether at federal or sub-national levels, adding that the housing sector in Nigeria, with a huge deficit, lacks veritable data for planning and execution of housing policies and strategies.

    He said records from wthe orld population review have it that over 24 million people in Nigeria are homeless, with no appropriate access to proper dwelling with some basic social amenities, saying Nigeria is among the top 10 countries with homeless populations, leading with 24 million, followed by Pakistan, Egypt, Syria, and Congo.

    He said Nigeria relies on the World Bank report for housing data as well as a market that works efficiently and provides decent shelter for its citizens.

  • Reps urge Interior Ministry to provide adequate security for transmission towers

    Reps urge Interior Ministry to provide adequate security for transmission towers

    The House of Representatives has urged the federal government through the Ministry of Interior to urgently provide adequate security for transmission towers across the country to avoid vandalism.

    The House mandated the Committees on Interior and Power to ensure compliance.

    These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent importance on the need for the federal government to provide adequate security for transmission towers in Rivers and Bayelsa States as well as the country in general.

    The motion was sponsored by Hon Oboku Abonsizibe Oforji.

    The House noted that on July 29, 2024, residents of Yenagoa and Bayelsa State, in general, woke up to a total blackout occasioned by the collapse of a Transmission Station between Emezhi and Mbaima in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State and three others between Igbogene and Nedugo Agbia in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    It also noted that the Bayelsa State Government in collaboration with the Transmission Company of Nigeria, swiftly swung into action to address these challenges that have culminated in the dwindling of socio-economic activities in the state.

    The House was saddened that on the 19th of November, 2024, just as the work was nearing completion, at Ula-Akpata, in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, some hoodlums went and vandalised a section of the lines.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Reps remove Umar as CCT chairman

    It was disturbed that by this development, the woes of the residents of Bayelsa State still subsist for one or two days because as we speak the people of the State are in total blackout, this has been the situation for over 4 months.

    The House said it was cognizant that the efforts of the Bayelsa State Government in mobilising financial and material resources to support the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is highly commended.

    However, it said, proactive measures must be taken to forestall future occurrences of vandalism of these Transmission Towers.

    ‘As a representative of my people this brings to mind the provisions of Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) which talks about our economic and social rights as citizens, which I believe should not be taken for granted by the government,” Oforji’s motion reads.

  • JUST IN: Reps ask Tinubu to sack CCT chairman Umar

    JUST IN: Reps ask Tinubu to sack CCT chairman Umar

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday, November 26, asked the President to sack Danladi Umar, the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), for misconduct.

    The House resolution at plenary agreed with the position earlier taken by the Senate on the matter.

    Acting on the provisions of paragraph 17 (3), PT 1, Fifth Schedule to the Constitution (as amended) and section 22 (3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap C15 LFN, the Senate recently passed a resolution asking the President to remove Umar as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

    The law requires the parliament to forward an address, supported by a two-thirds majority of the Senate and House of Representatives, which shall be acted upon by Mr. President for the removal of Mr. Yakubu Danladi Umar as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal for misconduct.

    The motion to support the position earlier taken by the Senate was moved by the House Leader, Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo).

    Ihonvbere said the Code of Conduct Tribunal is one of the key components of Federal Institutions in the country, saying, “It is saddled with the statutory responsibilities of maintaining high standards of morality in the conduct of government business and ensuring the actions and behaviours of public officers conform to the highest standards of public morality and accountability.”

    He said that a Statutory Institution of such magnitude is expected to be an epitome of moral rectitude and virtues of integrity, probity, and accountability, however, the official conduct of Mr. Yakubu Danladi Umar, chairman of the tribunal, has fallen short of the requisite standard of a public officer to conduct the affairs of such a tribunal.

    Read Also: Senate okays sack of CCT Chairman over alleged misconduct, corruption

    He said the conduct of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, who recently engaged in a public brawl with a security guard at the Banex Plaza Shopping Complex, necessitated an invitation from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.

    The House Leader said that after his first appearance, during which he admitted to having been involved in the brawl, he refused to attend subsequent sittings, thereby frustrating the committee’s efforts to investigate the allegations against him

    He stressed that by the provisions of section paragraph 17 (3), PT 1, Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and section 22(3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap C15 LFN 2004, Mr. President is mandated to act on an address supported by a two-thirds majority of the Senate and House of Representatives and praying that the Chairman be so removed for misconduct.

    He argued that the invocation of the aforementioned constitutional provision in this circumstance seems to be the only way out to safeguard the sacred image of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, in line with the resolution of the 10th National Assembly