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Tag: Reps

  • Reps to investigate Nitel, Mtel sale

    Reps to investigate Nitel, Mtel sale

    The House of Representatives is to investigate the sale of the Nigerian Telecommunication Limited (NITEL) and its mobile subsidiary, Mobile Telecommunication (Mtel).

    The lawmakers said the process leading to the sale of the two national carriers for $252million to a consortium named NATCOM, was flawed.

    They also said the two national carriers were worth more than the amount generated for them by the government.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Henry Nwawuba  (PDP, Imo), who regretted that it was the failure of the National carriers to live up to the expectations of Nigerians that led to their privatisation and subsequent sale in December 2014 to NATCOM for $252.3m

    He said: “We should be concerned that since the sale and subsequent take over by NATCOM, lots of controversies have been raised about the process leading to the sales, particularly on the alleged under-valuation of the companies prior to the sales.

    “The sale should be more worrisome when viewed against the huge revenue potentials of communication companies, especially with Nigeria’s huge population of over 170 million and also its capacity to generate employment for the teeming unemployed citizens.

    “We are also cognizant of the fact that there is every need to resolve the issues surrounding the sales and takeover of the National carriers by the NATCOM consortium.

    The Minority leader, Leo Ogor in his conttibution, said the enormity of the subject matter, especially on capital flight must be appreciated by Nigerians, stressing that the  privatisation policy of government failed regarding NITEL considering the fact that it has infrastructural facilities all over the country.

    He said the privatisation policy was not only abused, but also not well managed which allowed some phoney foregn companies to syphon the country’s money.

    He urged the investigation panel to reveal the truth about the transaction.

    Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta), opined that from  security point of view, NITEL and Mtel should not have been sold in the first place.

    Citing the recent penalty slammed on a mobile communications service provider, Ossai explained that NITEL has the capacity, with its nationwide facilities to provide the services required of it by security agencies without prejudices.

    On his part, Simon Arabo (PDP, Kaduna), who noted that there was something inimical about the sale noted that NITEL’s critical assets alone are worth more than what it was sold for.

    Emmanuel Oghene (PDP, Lagos) however warned that the  privatization policy should not confused with the NITEL sale.

    According to him, privatization policy is desirable but the reason behind the cheap sale of  the national carrier should be the main focus of the investigation.

    Dickson Tarkighin (APC, Benue)backed Oghene saying NITEL’s  landed property alone can raise the money it was sold for.

    He said all those involved in the sale of the national carrier should not be spared from prosecution if Cound culpable.

  • Reps, NERC disagree over N2.7bn alleged severance pay

    Reps, NERC disagree over N2.7bn alleged severance pay

    Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Power and the National Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) were at loggerheads Tuesday over the alleged approval of N2.7 billion as severance for the Chairman and commissioners in the establishment.

    The drama occurred during the investigative hearing into the alleged plan by board members to pay themselves N2.7 billion as severance package at the end of their five- tenure expiring end of December.

    While the committee headed by Daniel Effiong insisted that the NERC breached the Act establishing it and other laws including the Pension Act, Sam Amadi, the Chairman of NERC insisted that they did the right thing as the Act establishing the NERC gives them the prerogative to set their renumeration including severance for staff.

    The House had on Wednesday 4th November mandated its Power Committee investigate the planned payment of N2.7 Billion severance to NERC board members.

    The lawmakers said NERC board fixed its enumeration package for commissioners and staff without the input of National Salaries, Income  and Wages Commission, adding that besides this, the organisation fixed an upward review of its enumeration package for commissioners and staff unilaterally even beyond the scope of the Income  and Wages Commission’s benchmark.

    The committee members wanted know why N2.7 billion was immediately transferred on the 5th of May after a board resolution on 16th of April 2015 from Unity Bank. And why NERC now sent a letter to PENCOM in October for guidance for an act executed in May.

    “Do staff earn severance? Where is the money from? Is it a monthly contribution?” Committee members wanted to know.

    Amadi lamented that the issue of a N2.7 billion severance package was caused by a case of “reckless reportage” by a newspaper, adding that they would be suing the paper for libel.

    “Some reckless reporting has created the situation. Its libelous. We did not approve to pay ourselves 2. 7 billion,” he said.

    He said the amount was the total amount for 131 staff plus seven commissioners. “The amount is the evaluation of what we need to put in the sinking fund. Right now, only 11 members have benefitted.”

    The lawmakers also wanted to know the genesis of the upward review of the gratuity of retiring members of NERC board from a 2006 benchmark of 300 percent of basic salary to 120 percent of gross overall earnings in 2014.

    They demanded to know the amount board members would be paid at the end of their five year tenure.

    But Amadi declined to publicly declare the answers saying its in the document before the lawmakers.

    However, Richard Egbule, chairman of the National Salaries, Income  and Wages Commission, compounded Amadi’s case when he declared to the  committee that his commission did not approve the introduction of a severance package for NERC board members.

    He said NERC board members, according to the Act which guides the Wages commission, are not qualified for severance packages.

    However, as the session was ongoing, the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola appeared before the Committee briefly.

    The committee members however granted his request for more time to make a proper presentation on the oversight functions of the Ministry on NERC since the un-bundling of the power sector.

    Fashola, who was earlier represented by Bolanle Laditan, Director of Electricity Reform Coordination, told the lawmakers that heads of agencies and departments within the ministry were still briefing him on issues affecting the ministry.

    He was given a week by the committee to represent the position of the ministry.

  • Reps to CBN: reduce interest rates on lending

    Reps to CBN: reduce interest rates on lending

    The House of Representatives yesterday urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to reduce interest rates on lending to small and Medium enterprises within the nation.

    The Green Chamber also mandated its Hon. Jones Onyereri-headed Committee on Banking and Currency, to liaise with the CBN, so as to arrive “at measures that will reduce lending interest rate to a single digit and report back to the House within four weeks.”

    The resolution was sequel to the passage of a motion sponsored by Hon. Bode Ayorinde and titled: ‘Call for regulatory lending rate charged by commercial banks.”

    Ayorinde, in his argument noted that the 21 licensed banks in Nigeria to serve as financial intermediaries between those who have surplus funds and those who require borrowings for various purposes.

    He said the banks charge astronomical high interest rates ranging from 23 per cent and 28 per cent on lending, against 2 per cent to 3 per cent interest on savings.

    Ayorinde expressed displeasure over the five per cent to 10 per cent monthly interest rate charged by microfinance banks, which he said  translates to 60 per cent and 100 per cent per annum on loans and overdrafts.

    His words: “Commercial banks use the benchmark interest rate otherwise known as the Minimum Rediscount  Rate, as the basis for fixing the lending rates to their customers, while the CBN is accountable to Nigerians for the 13 per cent benchmark interest rate, the licensed banks achieve their super profits by whatever percentage they add to the 13 per cent.”

    He said businesses that are largely dependent on credit, such as SMEs, are adversely affected due to rising production costs which significantly constrain output and growth, adding that consumers have had to pay to higher prices as businesses have lost the capacity to generate employment opportunities and facilitate economic growth.

    Ayorinde noted that the benchmark interest rate in some countries of the world as at July 2015 according to the Trading Economic website is as follows :

    Italy 1.56 per cent, Candidate 0.05 per cent, Japan 0.00 per cent, South Korea 1.50 per cent, Switzerland 0.75 per cent, UK 0.50 per cent, USA 2.5 per cent, Australia 2 per cent, China 4.85 per cent,  Turkey 7.5 per cent, Indonesia 7.5 per cent, India 7.25 per cent and South Africa 6 per cent and wondered why Nigeria’s case should be different..

    The motion was supported by members when the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara called for a voice vote, and subsequently refered to the House Committee in Banking and Currency for further legislative imput.

  • Reps seek action against container-carrying trailers

    Reps seek action against container-carrying trailers

    The House of Representatives has decried the menace of articulated long vehicles that carry container on Nigerian roads.

    The lawmakers have tasked the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on being more proactive about its responsibilities of managing heavy duty trucks on Nigerian roads.

    The Commission was also urged to actually perform its functions of a professional road safety organization.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Nkiruka Onyejiocha (PDP, Abia), who noted that safety of lives and property of Nigerians is critical following numerous accidents around the country involving trailers conveying containers

    While recalling a recent accident where a container-ladden trailer skidded off the Ojuelegba bridge in Lagos and landed on two vehicles, killing more than 10 persons instantly,
    the lawmaker regretted that the incidence triggered multiple accidents, with fleeing motorists and commuters sustaining varying degrees of injuries.

    She said: “We are aware that an ongoing operating code named ‘Operation Scorpion’ which aims at arresting trailers with unlatched containers, however this has not yet yielded the desired benefits for commuters

    “In other jurisdictions, there are proactive road safety management schemes in place such that trucks are barred from plying the roads during the daytime, especially where there are alternative routes.

    “However, there is no such scheme in place.

    “It is also of concern that despite seeming efforts by relevant agencies involved in providing safety for road users, lives and property are still being lost as a result of the menace by some trailer drivers who do not follow existing rules, thereby jeopardizing lives.”

    The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.

  • Reps ‘fight’ in National Assembly

    Reps ‘fight’ in National Assembly

    There was tension yesterday in the National Assembly, as fight allegedly broke out between two lawmakers.

    The two legislators, Herman Hembe (APC Benue and chairman, FCT Committee) and Magaji Aliyu (APC Jigawa and a Femi Gbajabiamila loyalist), allegedly exchanged slaps at the lobby over issues related to committee distribution.

    Hembe is in Speaker Yakubu Dogara’s camp.

    Although what caused the fight could not be ascertained, The Nation learnt that the two lawmakers were at the lobby discussing in two groups and Hembe allegedly said he could die over “this particular matter.”

    Aliyu reportedly replied that why should Hembe say he wanted to die over an issue.

    Hembe then told Aliyu that he was not talking to him.

    Aliyu gave a hurtful response, which allegedly prompted Hembe to slap him. He was said to have retaliated.

    Other legislators were said to have intervened, preventing the situation from degenerating.

    The Deputy Speaker, Yussuf Lasun, who arrived at that time, convened a reconciliation meeting in Hearing Room 1 between the lawmakers.

    It was later attended by members of the APC caucus.

    There has been bad blood among members over the constitution of committees’ leadership.

    While some members said APC has been shortchanged in the distribution of committees, others, who have got committees, are reluctant to fight for the party or relinquish their committees.

    This has polarised APC members in the House of Representatives.

     

  • Reps criticise INEC for not creating more constituencies

    Reps criticise INEC for not creating more constituencies

    The House of Representatives has berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for failing to comply with the constitution by creating more constituencies in a number of states.

    The lawmakers said there were inconsistencies in the number of seats in some state legislatures and House of Representatives in relation to the number of constituencies.

    They urged INEC to begin the process of correcting the anomalies by creating additional constituencies.

    Creation of additional constituencies, the lawmakers said, would ensure increase in number of seats in the legislatures and House of Representatives.

    The lawmakers’ position followed the adoption of a motion by Francis Uduyok (PDP, Akwa Ibom).

    Uduyok noted that Section 91 of the 1999 Constitution states that “subject to the provision of this constitution, a House of Assembly of a State shall consist of three or four times the number of seats which the state has in the House of Representatives divided in a way to reflect as far as possible nearly equal population: provided that a House of Assembly of a State shall consist of not less than 24 and not more than 40 members”.

    “It is, however, disturbing that people of some states may not be well-represented at the moment going by the requirements of fairness in sections 91, 112 and 114 as in several states, such as Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Imo, Jigawa, Kogi, Ogun, Ondo, Rivers and Sokoto.

    “The constitutional provisions, which make it mandatory that a House of Assembly shall consist of three or four times the number of seats which the state has in the House of Representatives, is not being complied with,”he said.

    The lawmakers, in their resolution, urged other government agencies concerned to ensure the creation of constituencies to comply with the provision.

    The motion was referred to the Committee on Electoral matters for further action by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, after it was unanimously adopted in a voice vote.

  • Reps to probe NERC’s N2.7b proposed severance pay

    Reps to probe NERC’s N2.7b proposed severance pay

    THE House of Representatives yesterday resolved to investigate plans by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) chairman and six other board members to pay themselves N2.7 billion severance package.

    The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion brought under urgent public importance by a member, Mohammed Gololo, titled:  “Need to halt the planned payment of N2.7 billion by the board of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to its members”.

    Gololo alleged that the board had decided to pay N400 million to the chairman and N380 million for each of the six members. The approval of the payment of the severance package was in conflict with the recommendations of the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission and  thus offends section 42 (1) (a) and (b) of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, he said.

    The lawmaker added that the planned payment “is intended to cover, among other things, upfront salaries of two years for each member of the board pursuant to Section 36 (2) of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, which bars a member of the board from working in the power sector for a period of two years after leaving office”.

    “Members of the said board are not entitled to the payment of upfront salaries of two years since section 36 (2) of the Act does not bar them in any way from working in non-power sectors during the period,” Gololo said.

    The motion was unanimously supported by members when put to vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.

  • Reps to probe Jonathan’s airport projects

    Reps to probe Jonathan’s airport projects

    THE House of Representatives has decried the state and  status of the nation’s airports.

    The lawmakers regretted that there was little to show for the huge investment made into the aviation sector by the Federal Government.

    The House consequently directed its Committee on Aviation to investigate the N400 billion appropriated for the expansion, modernisation and management of 17 domestic and five international airports by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

    The mandate of the committee is to ascertain the factors responsible for the “damning and embarrassing” status of Nigerian airports and report back in two weeks.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Garba Datti  (APC, Kaduna), who noted that with the whopping sums injected into the aviation sector for the upgrade of airports, rather than turn out to be symbols of national pride, they have become objects of condemnation.

    He said: “Nigerians should be worried about a recent report put together by Cable News Network (CNN), World Airports Survey that rated three of our airports namely; Port Harcourt, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Murtala Mohammad International airports among the 10 worst in the world with Port Harcourt leading the pack.

    “I wonder why the Federal Ministry of Aviation, after it obtained a $1 billion Chinese loan to improve facilities such as toilet, conveyor belts, avio bridges buses, software infrastructure and security in general would not live up to it responsibilities.

    “It should also be of concern that in the last five years, the National Assembly has appropriated over N400 billion for the expansion, modernisation and management of 17 domestic and five international airports; none of these is yet to be felt.”

    The motion was adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun.

     

  • N1tr forfeited funds: Reps seek ICPC’s probe of EFCC

    N1tr forfeited funds: Reps seek ICPC’s probe of EFCC

    Non-remittance of cash alleged

    Where is the N1trillion forfeited cash with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)?

    Has the cash been remitted into government coffers? Was it diverted?

    These were some of the posers raised by the House of Representatives yesterday following a motion moved by Minority Leader Leo Ogor.

    Ogor is seeking an investigation into the whereabouts of the recovered loot in line with the war against corruption.

    A businessman, George Uboh, had petitioned the Federal Ministry of Justice on the matter, accusing EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Lamorde of diverting the cash.

    The ministry has directed EFCC to probe its chairman based on Uboh’s petition.

    At plenary yesterday, the House directed its Committee on Financial Crimes to investigate the alleged non-remittance of the funds by EFCC.

    The lawmakers also urged the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, to re-assign the investigation of Uboh’s petition to either the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) or the Police.

    Moving the motion titled: “Urgent need to investigate the non-remittance of court-ordered forfeited funds and properties by the EFCC into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation and for other related matters”, Ogor opposed the Solicitor-General’s directive  that EFCC should investigate Lamorde.

    According to him, Section 88(i) of the 1999 Constitution confers powers on the House to investigate the diversion of funds by Lamorde and other past EFCC chairmen.

    He said there was a subsisting petition by Uboh against the present and past EFCC leaders on alleged funds diversion, noting that  the House “should  thoroughly investigate the allegation of diversion of this huge sums of monies -trillion of naira; other members of staff of the EFCC must be investigated.”

    Ogor added: “The EFCC is not the only agency of government charged with investigations that border on diversion of funds by public officers; the EFCC itself cannot be a judge in its own case.”

    Funds worth billions of naira, he said, should have been paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation as stipulated under Section 31(2, 3) of the EFCC establishment Act of 2004.

    In the wake of Uboh’s  allegation, the EFCC commissioned KPMG to audit its financial accounts.

    The issue is also before the Senate and the audit report is expected to be laid before the Senator Samuel Anyanwu-led Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

     

  • Seven bills scale first reading in House of Reps

    Seven bills scale first reading in House of Reps

    SEVEN bills yesterday scaled through first reading in the House of Representatives.

    They were Nigeria Ports and Harbour Authority Bill, 2015 (HB.50), Public Officers Protection Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB.54), National Agency for Training and Regulation of Vocational Trades (Establishment) Bill, 2015 (HB.55), National Youth Service Corps Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 80) and National Youth Service Corps Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 82).

    Other bills that went through first reading were the National Council for Elderly Persons (Establishment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 84) and Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill, 2015 (HB.86).

    Five motions slated on the Order Paper could not be taken because of the adjournment.

    The House thereafter adjourned plenary to this morning to enable the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, attend the Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa.

    Deputy Speaker Yusuf Sulaimon Lasun, who would have stood in for the Speaker, is attending the International Parliamentary Union’s (IPU’s) meeting  in Geneva, Switzerland, as head of the Nigerian delegation.

    According to him, the deputy speaker was not available because he was in Switzerland on a national assignment.

    Yisa Orker-Jev (Benue-APC), who chairs the Ad Hoc Committee on Rules and Business, noted that the adjournment was in order and necessary to enable Dogara represent the legislature at the meeting.