The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Senate

  • Sexual harassment offences bill scales second reading in Senate

    Sexual harassment offences bill scales second reading in Senate

    A Bill which aims to commit randy lecturers at tertiary institutions to a minimum of five years in jail, scaled second reading Tuesday in the Senate.
    The Bill sponsored by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta-Central) and 57 others received overwhelming support especially from female senators who saw it as an opportunity to voice out the frustration and abuse of female students by their teachers.
    In his lead debate on the bill, Omo-Agege regretted that unlike universities abroad, tertiary institutions in the country were permissive of sexual harassment on campuses.
    He urged the Senate to accelerate the passage of the Bill into law in order to tackle the menace.
    Senators Theodore Orji, Biodun Olujimi, Stella Oduah, Binta Garba Masi and other senators who contributed to the Bill, sought stiffer penalties for errant teachers.
    They were also of the opinion that the scope of the bill should be widened to cover all areas of abuse of female students.
    The lawmakers said that the bill was timely to curb the menace of sexual harassment in the institutions of higher learning.
    But Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi) cautioned that targeting a section of the society to make a law would be counter productive.
    Abdullahi said that people were only talking about sexual harassment in tertiary institutions because the institutions are open society.
  • Senate to debate state of economy Wednesday

    Senate to debate state of economy Wednesday

    The Senate Tuesday resolved to debate the dwindling economic fortune of the country Wednesday.

    This followed a motion of urgent national importance by Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (Akwa Ibom North East).

    Senator Akpan informed the Senate that the release by the Bureau of Statistics which was confirmed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the state of the country’s economy was so weighty that it should be taken seriously.

    He noted that the release said that the country’s economy has gone into full recession.

    He prayed the Senate to devote a session, as soon as possible, to debate the issue with a view to proffering necessary solutions in the interest of the country.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki sought the leave of the Senate to step the matter down till Wednesday.

    Senators unanimously endorsed that the matter should be stepped down till Wednesday.

     

  • NGO raises alarm over alleged smuggled bill

    A Non Governmental Organisation, the Network Against Impunity (NAI), Tuesday warned the leadership of the Senate over attempts by the upper legislative body to hurriedly pass a bill allegedly smuggled into the chamber by some vested interests.

    The group which raised the alarm, noted that the controversial bill, entitled: Federal Audit Service Commission Bill was a self perpetuating move by some forces to enable present Auditor General for the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura to stay in office.

    The group said that Ukura, who was appointed Auditor General in 2010, is due to retire on June 5, 2016 when he will be attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.

    The National Coordinator of NAI, Comrade Yakubu Adagba, in a statement widely circulated in Abuja, said if passed, the bill will entitle Ukura to remain in office till he clocks the age of 65 years.

    Section 17 (5) of the bill states that, “The Auditor General shall be appointed to serve for four years and may be reappointed to serve for another four years and no more”

    Section 19 (6) of the bill further states that, “A person holding office as Auditor General shall hold office until he attains the age of 65 years, or he has served in the public service of the federation for 35 years, depending on which comes first”.

    Section 29 (50) of the bill states that, “The appointment of the Auditor General and the existing staff of the Office of the Auditor General shall remain valid upon coming into force of this bill”.

    Adagba noted that the implication of the passage of the bill is that “Auditor General Ukura would be entitled to remain in office beyond June 5, 2016 when he is expected to retire from service.”

    The NAI Coordinator alleged that the Senate intends to hurriedly pass the bill any moment from now, to enable Ukura continue in office.

    He claimed that Ukura is also being primed to head the envisaged Federal Audit Service Commission.

    Curiously, the bill has never been debated on the floor of the Senate and there was no record of any public hearing conducted on the bill by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Senator Andy Uba.

    Findings showed that the House of Representatives had passed the bill in similar fashion a few weeks ago.

    The Senate is said to be “moving speedily to give concurrence within the next few days.”

    Comrade Adagba who pointed out the dangers posed by the eventual passage of the bill, noted that “it’s quite disheartening to see supposed representatives of the people attempting to smuggle such a bill through the backdoor. “

    The statement said, “The Nigerian public should compel the Senate and the House of Representatives to make public the legislative proceedings and processes leading to the passage of the bill.

    “There were no inputs by the Executive arm, the relevant government agencies or existing professional bodies.

    “The Senate should also show proof of a single public hearing conducted on this bill.

    “It is sad to see an otherwise hallowed institution like the parliament swimming from one controversy to another, even as issues on the integrity of some of its leaders are still being raised before the law.

    “At the right time, we shall expose the rotten underbelly of this bill and the sinister motives of the sponsors and their collaborators, both within and outside the federal legislature.

    The Audit Service Commission Bill is a huge joke taken too far. Like in the case of the obnoxious anti social media bill, the sponsors of this bill and their collaborators will soon discover that they are only being clever by half.”

    Comrade Adagba who urged President Muhammadu Buhari to be wary in appending his signature to the bill should it get to his desk, vowed to mobilise other Civil Society Organisations to ensure that the bill dies a natural death.

    He said, “In saner democracies, this act of legislative heist attracts the harshest of sanctions because it amounts to a subversion of the will of the people and a breach of the article of faith.

    “For a country that is still struggling with the after effects of impunity of the recent past, it is a tragedy that our lawmakers would rather choose to expand the frontiers of illegality in the system.

    “We have made presentations to President Buhari and the relevant federal agencies detailing the sinister intentions of the bill and the warped imagination of the sponsors. Thankfully, we are told that our presentations were receiving attention.

    “We also wrote to the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki a few weeks ago, cautioning him on the implications of passing the bill and how the passage could amount to a subversion of the will of the Nigerian people.

    “Our lawmakers are attempting to bury a corpse in a shallow grave and the limbs are already sticking out. Integrity is being called to question here and this latest act of impunity must not go unchallenged.

    “This bill is a product of iniquity about to be foisted on the Nigerian people with unbridled impunity.”

     

  • Photos: Labour meets Senate over subsidy strike

    Photos: Labour meets Senate over subsidy strike

     

    NLC Sarak

     

    NLC Saraki

  • Senate eulogizes Oba Erediauwa

    The Senate on Wednesday eulogized the late Oba of Benin, Omo N’oba N’edo Uku Akpolokpolo.

    This followed a motion by Senator Matthew Urhoghide (Edo south) and two other Senators from Edo State.

    Senator Urhoghide urged the Senate to note with grief, the death of His Royal Majesty, Omo N’oba N’edo Uku Akpolokpolo, the Oba of Benin, as announced by the Iyase of Benin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe, on April 29.

    He said that Oba Erediauwa reigned for 37 years.

    He observed that upon ascending the throne, Oba Erediauwa quickly established himself as a wise manager of human affairs in the huge Benin Kingdom and his astuteness earned him respect and admiration of virtually every segment of his vast domain and beyond.

    The lawmaker noted that the greatest characteristics of the late Oba were the friendship he cultivated across religion, ethnic and tribal divide throughout his reign.

    The period of the late Oba, he said, witnessed phenomenal changes in the economic, socio-political and educational infrastructure of the Benin Kingdom.

     

  • Fuel price strike: Senate to interface with FG, NLC

    The Senate Wednesday resolved to interface with the Federal Government and the organised labour on an early resolution of the industrial action by a faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the fuel price hike.

    The upper chamber mandated its Committee on Labour to interface with both the Federal Government and the organised labour to ensure that issues that led to the strike are quickly resolved.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, announced this after about 30 minutes closed session.

    Ekweremadu said that the Senate in the closed session deliberated on the nationwide strike by organised labour.

    He noted that the intervention of the Senate became necessary in order to find ways and means of resolving the issues that led to the strike to avoid inflicting untold hardships on Nigerians.

    He added that “We also mandated the committee on Labour under the chairmanship of Senator Mohammed Nasif, to continue to interface with both government and labour for an early resolution of all the matters.”

    Meanwhile the upper chamber adjourned plenary till Tuesday May 24, 2016.

    Although Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, claimed that the adjournment was informed by the need to enable standing committees to works on bills referred to them, insiders said that the adjournment was actually to allow Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senators time to prepare for their national convention holding in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital on Saturday.

     

     

  • Senate seeks palliative for Nigerians

    Senate seeks palliative for Nigerians

    After over one hour closed session, the Senate yesterday supported the controversial increase in the pump price of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol.

    The Federal Government increased the pump price of petrol from N86.50 per litre to N145 per litre due to paucity of funds and the massive corruption associated with the fuel subsidy regime.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who read the resolutions of the lawmakers, noted that “the Senate, in a closed session, deliberated on the increase in the pump price of PMS by the Federal Government.”

    Ekweremadu also said they deliberated on the “threats by the organised Labour to embark on a nationwide strike over the matter.”

    He said the Senate resolved to “sympathise with ordinary people of Nigeria on the hardship they are going through”, following the increase.

    He added that Senators resolved to “engage the Federal Government to find sustainable ways of improving the welfare of the people of Nigeria”.

    Ekweremadu said they resolved to “call on government to continue to engage the organised labour and other stakeholders to resolve issues in order not to ground the system and impose more hardship on our people”.

    The Senate, he said, resolved to urge the Federal Government to “immediately start implementing palliatives or palliative measures contained in the 2016 Appropriation Act passed by the National Assembly”.

    A source said there was a heated argument for and against the fuel price increase during the closed session.

    He noted that “many senators spoke passionately about the incredible suffering ordinary Nigerians are going through and the skyrocketing prices of goods and services while others canvassed that Nigerians should be convinced to see reason with the government that the fuel price increase became necessary to save the country”.

    Senate Committee on Police Affairs Chairman Abu Ibrahim had on Monday urged unions to shelve their planned industrial action in the interest of the country.

    Senator Ibrahim told reporters in Abuja that the increase in fuel price became necessary because oil subsidy had not been beneficial to Nigerians and should be done away with.

    The Katsina South lawmaker noted that fuel subsidy had continually been mismanaged and stolen by few privileged Nigerians.

    Ibrahim, who said that it was obvious that subsidy had become a drain pipe on the economy, noted that in spite of the government’s efforts, scarcity of products remained unabated.

    He said over $1 billion was being paid monthly on fuel subsidy when it was obvious that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration met an empty treasury.

    He added that it is a fact that no where in the country, apart from Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt that Nigerians buy fuel less than N100 per litre.

    Committee on Media and Public Affairs Vice Chairman Ben Murray-Bruce, who read the resolutions of the Senate at a press conference, said the N145 pump price will not hold, especially as the dollar rate continues to rise.

    To Murray-Bruce, the way to go is for the Federal Government to immediately come up with a mass transport policy.

    He said: “I am fully aware why there should be an increase. I am also aware of the incredible hardship Nigerians are going through.

    “If they deregulate, the cost of food should not rise. Diesel has already been deregulated and most trucks use diesel. So if they deregulate, transportation should not go up by 100 per cent.

    “The solution to this problem is simple. If you deregulate why should a truck driver charge more for a product that is not his business. Most trucks go with diesel that has been deregulated.”

    Murray-Bruce urged the Federal Government to negotiate with Niger Delta militants “so that they don’t cripple the economy of the country”.

     

  • Senate withdraws anti-social media bill

    Senate withdraws anti-social media bill

    The Senate yesterday withdrew the controversial bill for an Act to prohibit frivolous petitions popularly called anti-social media bill 2016.

    The withdrawal was sponsored by Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, representing Kebbi South, following the presentation and consideration of the report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

    Chairman of the committee Senator David Umaru who presented the report, said the committee observed that the bill was intended to check the upsurge in multiple, anonymous frivolous petitions and publication in the social media, especially since the emergence of democratic experiment in the country.

    He said stakeholders at the public hearing on the bill opposed its passage into law as it was perceived as a step backwards for the country, especially now that the world has become a global village.

    Senator Umaru also said the committee observed that the use of the words “petitions,” “complaints,” “statements,” “investigations,” “inquiry,” and “inquest,” in the bill are too open-ended and appeared to have unwittingly extended the scope of the prohibition imposed by the bill to all complaints and reports (written or oral), made to law enforcement agencies and other government institutions that have powers to investigate or make inquiries (including internal administrative inquiries relating to staff) or inquest.

    He noted that in a democratic society, any law that is perceived to obviate or is capable of unduly abridging the fundamental rights of the citizens to privacy and free speech, should be jettisoned and/or modified by the legislature so as not to unduly restrict the hard-earned freedom, guaranteed by the Constitution.

    Umar said the committee further observed that the bill seems to oppress persons who have grievances to complain against, or to give information, which could be helpful to security agencies and anti-crime agencies in the fight against terrorism and corruption.

    He noted that the bill tacitly imposes on the petitioner the duty of conducting investigation before reporting any crime.

    He said that the committee members were convinced that the passage of the bill into law will conflict with some provisions in some of the country’s extant Acts, which make provisions for whistle-blower protection.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, put it to question whether the bill should be withdrawn as recommended and it was overwhelmingly supported.

    Ekweremadu said the beauty of their action was that not all bills that came to the floor of the Senate should be deemed passed.

    He said the Senate should be given the benefit of the doubt to treat every bill based on merit.

     

  • Finally Senate throws out anti-social media bill

    The Senate on Tuesday withdrew the controversial bill for an Act to prohibit frivolous petitions popularly called anti-social media bill 2016.
    The withdrawal of the bill, sponsored by Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, representing Kebbi South Senatorial District, followed the presentation and consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, that worked on it.
    Chairman of the Committee, Senator David Umaru who presented the report, told the Senate that his committee recommended that the bill be withdrawn.
    Senator Umaru said that the committee observed that the intendment of the bill is to check the upsurge in multiple, anonymous frivolous petitions and publication in the social media, especially, since the emergence of democratic experiment in the country.
    He informed the Senate that majority of stakeholders at the public hearing on the bill vehemently opposed the passage into law of the bill, as it is perceived as a step that will take the country back, especially now that the world has become a global village.
    Senator Umaru also said that his committee observed that the use of the words “petitions,” “complaints,” “statements,” “investigations,” “inquiry,” and “inquest,’ in the bill are too open ended and appeared to have unwittingly extended the scope of the prohibition imposed by the bill to all complaints and reports (written or oral) made to law enforcement agencies and other government institutions that have powers to investigate or make inquiries (including internal administrative inquiries relating to staff) or inquest.
    He noted that in a democratic society, any law that is perceived to obviate or is capable of unduly abridging the fundamental rights of the citizen to privacy and free speech, should be jettisoned and or modified by the legislature, so as not to unduly restrict the hard earned freedom, guaranteed by the constitution.
    He said that the committee further observed that the bill seems to oppress persons who have grievances to complain against, or to give information, which could be helpful to security agencies, anti-crime agencies in the fight against terrorism and corruption.
    He noted that the bill tacitly imposes on the petitioner the duty of conducting investigation before reporting any crime or matter.
    He said that the members of the committee were convinced that the passage of the bill into law will conflict with some provisions in some of the country’s extant Acts, which make provisions for whistle-blower protection in the country.
    When Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who presided put it to question whether the bill should be withdrawn as recommended by the committee, the recommendation was overwhelmingly supported.
    Ekweremadu said that the beauty of what they did was that not all bills that came to the floor of the Senate should be deemed passed.
    He said that the Senate should be given the benefit of the doubt to treat every bill on its merit.

  • Senate backs fuel price hike

    After over one hour closed session, the Senate on Tuesday gave a tacit support to the controversial increase in the pump price of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) other known as petrol.

    The Federal Government increased the pump price of petrol from N86.50 per litre to N145 per litre due to paucity of funds and the massive corruption in the fuel subsidy regime.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who read resolutions of the upper lawmakers, noted that “the Senate in a closed session deliberated on the increase in the pump price of PMS by the Federal Government.”

    Ekweremadu also said they deliberated on the “threats by the organised Labour to embark on a nationwide strike over the matter.”

    He said the Senate resolved to “sympathise with ordinary Nigerians on the hardships they are going through,” following the increase

    He added that they resolved to “engage the federal government to find sustainable ways of improving the welfare of Nigerians.”

    Ekweremadu said they further resolved to “call on government to continue to engage the organised labour and other stakeholders to resolve issues in order not to ground the system and impose more hardships on the people.”

    The Senate, he said, urged the government to “immediately start implementing palliatives or palliative measures contained in the 2016 Appropriation Act passed by the National Assembly.”

    A source said that there was a heated argument for and against the fuel price increase during the closed session.