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Tag: Senate

  • State of emergency: Minister, Service Chiefs brief Senate

    MINISTER of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada and Service Chiefs briefed the Senate yesterday on the ongoing state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

    The Service Chiefs were led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, to the meeting with the Senate Joint Committee on Defence and Army, National Security and Intelligence, Navy, Air Force and Police.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Senator George Thompson Sekibo, chaired the over two-hour closed door session.

    Before the meeting went into closed door, Sekibo noted that the Senate in Plenary on May 21 discussed and debated the state of emergency declared by President Goodluck Jonathan in the three states and accordingly, adopted all clauses of the President’s proposals.

    He said it meant that at the end of the plenary, the Senate gave its full support for the declaration of the state of emergency in the affected states.

    He added that the Senate is aware that to operate a state of emergency, the Defence Headquarters and perhaps, all the service chiefs will be involved.

    He said: “From that May 21, these committees were given the mandate to closely monitor the progress being made in this declaration and then also, to report back to the Senate.

    “This meeting is part of the fulfillment of that Senate resolution.

    “Here present are members of the Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Senate Committees on National Security and Intelligence, the Navy, Air Force and the Police.

    “This team would be monitoring the performances and progress being made in the state of emergency in the states.

    “So, this meeting is to get briefing from you from that May 21, when the state of emergency was declared till now, how far you have gone.

    “We believe that you have been there for about three weeks. We gave you enough time to master the environment and then invite you to give us the briefings.”

    Obada thanked the joint committee for the invitation.

    The Chief of Defence Staff did not say anything until reporters were asked to leave the venue of the meeting.

     

     

     

     

  • No new states, says Senate

    No new states, says Senate

    Proponents of state creation seem to have lost the battle. The Senate yesterday foreclosed the emergence of new states as part of the ongoing amendment of the Constitution.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu said although the Senate was desirous of creating states — in line with the agitation by many Nigerians— all those demanding new states have failed to meet up with the constitution’s requirement.

    He said the Senate Committee on Constitution Review would submit its report this week.

    He said: “I believe that, God willing, by this week, we should be laying the report of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review on the table.”

    Ekweremadu is hopeful that the amended Constitution would be ready by next month.

    He added: “Even if we are going to miss it, it will not be too long behind the mark.

    “We tenaciously followed our programme and timeline regarding constitution amendment. I am happy to say that, we have achieved our objectives in terms of the timing.

    “So, hopefully, we are going to start the next phase which is proper legislation regarding the Constitution amendment.”

    He stated that despite Senate’s support for agitations for state creation, the constitutional requirements were not met.

    He said: “People think they will come to Abuja and submit memoranda and the National Assembly will deliberate on it and then subsequently announce that so and so states have been created.

    “Unfortunately that is not the case. What happens is that you have to receive request pursuant to Section 8 (1) of the Constitution.

    “That Section 8 (1), I will like all of you to go and read it because it is going to be a major debate by the time we start debate on the amendment of the Constitution.

    “When we receive a request, that request must as a matter of constitutional requirement have the signature of the two-thirds of the local government councils of the affected area requesting for the state.

    “So, that include the councillors and the chairmen of the council from the area requesting for the state.

    “And you must know these must be elected councilors and chairmen because the Constitution did not envisage caretaker arrangements.

    “If it is found out that they are not elected chairmen, that means that they have not fulfilled that obligation.

    “Furthermore, there must be signature of the two-thirds of the state assemblies from those respective areas requesting for a state. Then, there will be two-thirds signature of the National Assembly.

    “What has happened now is that, our traditional rulers, out of the love for their people, quickly signed the request for creation of state and submitted in Abuja without looking at what the Constitution says.

    “They are not the ones who should be signatories, it has to be parliamentarians.

    “My own understanding of the Constitution is that, it is not just going to be parliamentarians but serving parliamentarians, that is, sitting members, not those who were members in 1960.

    “That is one of the details people have avoided in making these requests. So this is one of the constraints.

    “But for us, we support creation of states. But you have to follow the procedure laid down by the Constitution which most people are trying to avoid.”

    Speaking on the politics of his Enugu home state, Ekweremadu said there was no zoning arrangement for elective offices in the State ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    Ekweremadu’s position is contrary to media report that the governorship position in the state has been zoned to Enugu North Senatorial District by the State Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said he has no governorship ambition.

    The Deputy Senate President said he would be glad if somebody from Enugu North becomes the governor of the State in 2015, “but not on the basis of zoning.”

    Ekweremadu said: “There is no zoning in Enugu. I am not aware and nobody is aware.

    “I have been in politics in Enugu since the beginning of this particular dispensation.

    “People from every part of the state have vied but somehow, somebody would win.

    “So, I am sure that our brothers from Nsukka understand that clearly. I stand to be challenged.

    “I want anybody to tell me a document or a meeting where the governorship of Enugu has ever been zoned since 1999.

    “I will be happy if somebody from Enugu North becomes governor but not on the basis of zoning.

    “Probably they are the only one that has not produced the governor of the state but like I said, it has nothing to do with zoning. There is nothing like zoning in Enugu as at today.

    “Until zoning is done, I don’t think anybody who wants to run from other parts of the state can be stopped. But for me, I am not running for governorship.”

     

  • Democracy Day: Senators promise ‘pro-poor legislation’

    Democracy Day: Senators promise ‘pro-poor legislation’

    As the country celebrates the 2013 Democracy Day, senators on Wednesday urged Nigerians to be patient as they pledged to enthrone a “pro-poor legislation.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government had declared May 29 each year as the country’s democracy day.

    The former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), handed over power to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29, 1999.

    Obasanjo later declared May 29 as a public holiday to enable citizens mark the day by taking stock of the performance of the democratic system of governance.

    Commenting on the development, the Senate Leader, Mr. Victor Ndoma-Egba, told NAN in Abuja that democratic process was an enduring and tedious project which had moved slowly.

    He said that democracy was not a destination or a milestone, but an endless journey requiring citizens to be patient and optimistic of reaping the benefits.

    Ndoma-Egba said: “Democracy is an endless journey and that is why countries that have practiced it for centuries are still looking for ways to improve what they are doing.’’

    The senate leader maintained that the fact that Nigeria had remained under democratic rule for 14 years at a stretch was in itself something worth celebrating.

    “Nigerians yearned for democracy, if you ask the average Nigerian now whether he will want to go back to the days of totalitarianism he will tell you no.

    “So the fact that we have had it for 14 years is something to celebrate, the fact that the country is still one in spite of the challenges is something to celebrate.’’

    According to the lawmaker, Nigerians are looking for the quick delivery of tangibles but in a democracy, the process is more important than outcome.

    “In a democratic rule you must follow the process and procedure and not necessarily the outcome, and these processes and procedures are designed to ensure good governance and certain standards and certain values,’’ he said.

     

     

  • N2.94tr pension fund cash in danger, says Senate

    N2.94tr pension fund cash in danger, says Senate

    Senate President David Mark yesterday lamented that about N2.94trillion that has accrued to the pension fund was not yielding any direct benefit to the nation’s economy due to poor management.

    The followed the second reading of a bill to Repeal the Pensions Reform Act 2004 and enact the Pension Reform Act 2013 in the Senate in Abuja.

    In the proposed law, employees contribution will be reviewed upwards.

    The Federal Government’s and the Federal Capital Territory’s contribution would be charged on the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federation and that of the FCT respectively.

    Mark noted that the present administration of the nation’s pension fund, was superintended over by people without the requisite experiences.

    He said, “I think the problem we have is that we have all sorts of rookies, people who have no idea about managing funds, let alone very huge pensions fund, going to manage our pension fund; and I think it is a very specialised area where you cannot just wake up tomorrow morning and be appointed to manage the pension fund, you will mismanage it.

    “That is what I suspect has happened. The national budget is N4.9trillion; and we have money in the pension fund up to N2.9trillion; so you can imagine the amount of money at the disposal of few individuals who are not properly supervised, who had no training in the management, and who dipped their hands into it as and when they feel like.

    “I think the essence of this reform is to make sure that people who are properly trained are put in charge of the pension fund and properly managed. There is hardly any pensioner in this country who is not going through hell.

    “He makes all his contributions, when it is time for him to receive his pensions, then they don’t recognise him anymore. When he was paying the contributions he is a very lovely boy or girl, he is a welcome person, everybody is petting him until he retires and when he should now enjoy his pension, then the nation forgets him.”

    Mark also insisted that in withdrawing funds from the consolidated revenue fund of the federation and the inclusion of states would require an amendment of the Constitution, since the National Assembly don’t make laws for the states.

    He stated that the said that the issue of whether employees should pay more should be left to experts in economic matters and could be addressed at the public hearing.

    In his lead debate, Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), said there were inadequacies in the extant law such as non-remittances of pension contributions to the pension fund administrators by ministries, departments and agencies; delayed payment and sometimes non-payment of gratuities and pensions to retirees; under payment of retirement benefits, withdrawal of some security agencies from the scheme.

    According to him other challenges include, “Corruption, misappropriation and outright embezzlement of pension funds. Even the Pension Reform Task Team set up to bring some sanity to the system and ensure that pensioners received their pensions as and when due, rather worsened their plight and ended up with confounding sleaze, corruption, degeneracy and stealing so much that the ‘Team’ has become a euphemism for kleptomania.”

    Ndoma-Egba said the new law would cover employees of the public service of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, states, local governments and private sector organisations with as little as three employees or less.

    “Such funds can be channeled into financing infrastructural projects and creating employment opportunities. As at September 2012, the estimated accumulated pension funds stood at about N2.94trillion.

    “One can only imagine the impact of such funds in the economy if channeled properly. Therefore, everything necessary should be done to strengthen and sustain the contributory pension scheme.”

    The bill which was read for the second time was committed to the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service for further legislative work.

  • Senate to pass PIB

    Senate to pass PIB

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Oil and Gas Resources, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, has said the Upper Chamber would pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) before the end of the legislative year.

    The bill has not been passed because of the fears expressed by Northerners about its contents.

    Senator Nwaogu, speaking with reporters in Aba, Abia State, said consultations are ongoing with senators and stakeholders from the North to address the issues that have kept the PIB from being passed into law.

    She said: “At present, we are doing a lot of consultations with our colleagues, especially those saying the document did not address the frontier persons in the North.

    “I am optimistic that with the PIB before the National Assembly, it is expected that the gas sector will be unbundled. It will be more transparent. The process of entering and exiting from the gas sector will be very glaring when PIB is passed into law.”

    According to her, an attempt made by any section of the country to hinder the passing of the bill into law would be tantamount to doing Nigeria’s economy more harm than good and “shooting ourselves in the foot.”

    The lawmaker said the slow pace of gas development in the country should worry Nigerians due to its economic implications, stressing that the country needed to revamp the petro-chemical industry to increase its revenue generation base.

    Her words: “Investors cannot put in their money and sell their gas to the power sector at a dollar per thousand billion cubic feet. Whereas, the same volume of gas can still sell for $18.

    “We need to open up the sector so that investors can come into it. The executive arm of government should review the gas pricing policy in Nigeria to attract investors to the gas sector.

    “We are told that Nigeria in 2015 can earn over N15 trillion in gas if we apply the incentive measures. As it was done when the Nigeria Liquefied and Natural Gas (NLNG) came to being in 1989, the executive should look into the gas pricing policy and provide investors with mouth-watering incentives, such as tax shield, tax holiday and allow the investors to have a portion of processed gas exported, because right now, they are not allowed to export as we are trying to satisfy the domestic market.”

     

     

  • Senate opposes NITEL liquidation

    Senate opposes NITEL liquidation

    The Senate on Thursday asked the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) to discountenance any plan to liquidate the moribund Nigeria Telecommunication (NITEL).

    Instead of “guided liquidation” of NITEL BPE is pursuing, the upper chamber said that NITEL should be concession or run under Public Private Partnership (PPP).

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatization, Senator Gbenga Obadara, stated this at press conference in Abuja.

    Obadara (Ogun Central) said that members of the committee told the management of BPE and National Council on Privatization (NCP) to drop the idea of liquidating NITEL and Mtel.

    He said that BPE informed members of the committee that NITEL owed the Federal Government and others the sum of N351 billion.

    The lawmaker added that they were surprised that the BPE or NCP could not say the worth of NITEL.

    He said that their concern is how BPE intend to liquidate a concern whose value was not known.

     

  • Senate should move closer to Reps on Emergency Powers Act

    Senate should move closer to Reps on Emergency Powers Act

    The National Assembly is set to begin work on a harmonised version of their assent to President Goodluck Jonathan’s State of Emergency Proclamation (2013). The Senate, reports indicate, has unanimously endorsed the president’s proposals, of course, after noting very grandly the need to nurture democracy and retain democratic structures. It is obvious that the upper chamber, which has made some variations in the proposal, took cognisance of massive, but probably uncritical, public endorsement of the president’s proclamation of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States. The House of Representatives also, in response to public sentiment, endorsed the president’s proposal, but with significant modifications. As both chambers prepare to inaugurate a conference committee to harmonise the two versions, it is important they balance the public mood, which is decidedly, if not fanatically, in favour of unreserved assent, with their onerous and constitutional responsibility to make laws that will stand the test of time.

    That the National Assembly is generally in favour of emergency is not in doubt. That majority of Nigerians endorse emergency is also not in doubt. But it is at times like this, when the country seems to single-mindedly embrace a point of view, that there is need for a pause to reconsider the fateful steps we are about to take, even if those steps turn out to be right. It is precisely when the public mood is impatient and fiercely intolerant of dissent, when there is a general absence of rigorous debate, and when the national mind seems completely made up, that a devil’s advocate is needed. The House of Representatives’ consideration of the president’s request for emergency powers comes closest to the ideal legislative undertaking. Yes, the situation the country faces is dire; but if democracy is to be saved, the country has a historic duty to anticipate and check any tendency for executive excesses, for the threats we face do not emanate from militants only but also from those who purport to fight militancy. The end, history teaches, is as important as the means.

    The modifications the Reps have proposed are in fact not revolutionary or subversive of peace, but are significant and indicative of an admirable measure of caution necessary to improve and sustain qualitative legislative work. In the Reps version, Section 2 of the Emergency Powers Act has been modified to make it very clear that the executive branch in state and local governments could not be subordinated to the president or his designee in the emergency states. This modification may be minor, but it is nonetheless significant, for if it had remained, the promise the president made not to tamper with the tenure or powers of the governors and local government chairmen in the affected states would have been of no effect. Section 2 (3) of the Act makes a provocative provision to directly bind the governor and LG chairman to obey the president’s order. Though the Reps modified it to limit its applicability to peace, order and security, it really should have been expunged, for clauses 1 and 2 could be vitiated by clause 3.

    Hardball had last week feared that given the huge cost of executing emergency, the federal government might be tempted to utilise a part of the allocations of the other two tiers of government in the three states. The Act in fact makes such a provision under Section 3(2e) empowering the president to utilise state and LG funds. Mercifully, however, the Reps have reportedly tinkered with that provision and barred the federal government from touching those funds. If the lower chamber had not had the foresight to do that, that provision could have opened a dangerous window into arbitrariness, if not extension of the period of emergency. There are a few more changes the Reps made to the Act.

    While the details of the modifications made by the Senate have not been published, it is important that during harmonisation, the Senate should move closer to the Reps position. It must be reiterated that while the country is passing through a very troubling time, the legislature must keep a presence of mind that enables it to check executive contrivances. That presence of mind must never be subordinated to the often explosive and unregulated public mood.

     

  • Nigeria spent N228.5b on sugar import – Senate

    Nigeria spent N229 billion on sugar importation in the last three years, the Senate said on Wednesday.

    Also, over 10,000 workers lost their jobs during the period as a result of waivers the Federal Government granted to selected major sugar importers into the country.

    It was further revealed that the 10 per cent of government funds which accrued to the Sugar Levy Account had been spent for other purposes other than the purposes for which it was meant.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Investment, Nenadi Esther Usman, stated these while leading a debate on a Bill for an “Act to amend the National Sugar Development Council Act Cap N78 LFN 2011 and for other matters connected there with” in Abuja.

    Senate President David Mark described the federal government’s waivers policy as a “classic example of policy failure.”

    Usman said: “The funds in the Sugar Levy Account are dedicated for a specific purpose but over the years, monies have been withdrawn from the account for other purposes not related to sugar sector development.

    “These amendments are required to ensure council’s direct access to its funds and prevent the fund’s use for unintended purposes.

    “Beginning from around 2004, when the first sugar refinery started operating in the country, the money accruing to the Sugar Levy Account has witnessed a steady decline.

    “This is due mainly to the fact that most imports now are raw sugar, which currently enjoys waiver on the payment of the 10 per cent sugar levy.

    “Nigeria currently consumes some 1.3 million metric tones of sugar annually but produces only 30,000 to 50,000 tonnes, which is less than five per cent of its annual consumption.

    “The huge supply gap is bridged through imports of sugar, mainly from Brazil.

    “Nigeria spent N53.6 billion, N73 billion and N101.9 billion respectively in 2009, 2010 and 2011 on sugar importation in order to meet the nation’s requirement.”

  • Senate endorses emergency rule in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa

    Senate endorses emergency rule in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa

    The Senate yesterday unanimously endorsed the Presidents’ proclamation of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

    Though there was no debate by Senators, the deal to approve Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s contentious action in the three northeast states was sealed at a closed session of the upper chamber that lasted about one hour.

    Senate President David Mark announced conclusions and decisions reached in the closed session.

    After laying what could be called the background to the state of emergency, Mark announced that “at the end of the day, we would like to support the Federal Government in this proclamation of state of emergency in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.”

    The seeming tension in the Senate gallery evaporated immediately Mark declared the support of the upper chamber for the proclamation.

    He noted that the lawmakers were conscious of the fact that there was mayhem in the troubled states.

    The Senate President noted that 100 of the 109 senators approved the proclamation.

    He said the summary of their discussion was the fact that the democratic structures in the states would remain in place.

    Mark said: “We want to emphasise very emphatically that all the democratic structures must be left in place and must be allowed to operate fully and actively and they must also be involved in all the efforts that the Federal Government is putting up to bring this ugly situation to an end.

    “We also would like to emphasise that the Armed Forces are issued a proper code of conduct where they are humane and benevolent and make sure that all citizens are treated with utmost respect so that they do not lose their respect as human beings.”

    Mark said the Senate stressed the need to fund the operations adequately, and provide relief and all medical materials “as quickly as possible”.

    To the Boko Haram insurgents and “terrorists”, a plea was sent.

    “It is still not too late to cooperate with the forces that are there in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe so that we can bring this to a logical conclusion as quickly as possible,” Mark said.

    “We must emphasise that at the end of the day, a military solution is not the final solution to the problem on ground; it is to win the minds and hearts of the citizens in the states that are affected and indeed, in the whole country that we see a final solution to the problem as we see it today.

    Besides, he stressed the need for an enduring solution, saying: “We believe that when the whole military operation is over, that the Federal Government will ensure that development gets to these areas as quickly as possible.

    “We implore the Federal Government to use the carrot and stick policy to ensure that this is brought to a logical conclusion as quickly as possible,” Mark said.

    “Mark asked whether what he announced is the true reflection of what happened in the close session.

    There was a thunderous “yes” by Senators.

    The Senate President added that the Federal Government’s measure was aimed at bringing normalcy to the affected states “because the situation was completely out of control in some of the local governments where the insurgents and the terrorists hoisted their own flags, were collecting tax and were running a government as if they were not part and parcel of the country. That is totally unacceptable.

    “We were a total of 100 senators seated today. So, we have only nine Senators who were out on essential duties.

    “Our requirement to pass this is 72.”

    Chairman, Senate Committee on information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, at a news conference, said the Senate adopted the voice vote method to approve the proclamation to protect some Senators from possible harm from some misinformed people.

    Abaribe noted the Senate rule empowered them to regulate their conduct as necessary.

    He said: “We looked at the whole situation and we believe that we should protect some of our colleagues from any harm from some people who are misinformed.”

    He noted that it was obvious to all Senators that “we should first have a corporate entity called Nigeria before any other consideration”.

    Abaribe also said that the Senate had not received any request for additional funds for enforcement of the state of emergency.

    He said that if such a request was made, it would be considered.

    The leadership of the Senate, led Mark, entered the Chamber by 11.10 am.

    After initial pleasantries, Mark proceeded to say the prayer for the day’s business to begin.

    Senator Victor Lar (Plateau South) moved for the adoption of the votes and proceedings May 16.

    He was seconded by Senator Atai Idoko (Kogi East).

    There was a single item on the Order Paper entitled “Motion: State of the Nation” slated against the name of the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba.

    Mark read a letter from Mr. President containing a gazetted copy of the state of emergency proclamation 2013 for necessary action by the Senate.

    The letter has two items-the declaration of state of emergency in three states, Borno, Yobe and Adamawa and the retention of the administrative structures in the states.

    President Goodluck Jonathan requested the Senate to accord the memo expeditious consideration.

    Ndoma-Egba moved that the Senate should go into a closed session to consider the presidential memo.

    He was supported by the Minority Leader, Senator George Akume.

    Visitors who swarmed the Senate gallery in their numbers were shut out by 11.36 for the commencement of closed session on emergency proclamation.

  • Senate attributes terrorists’ activities, human trafficking to porous borders

    Senate attributes terrorists’ activities, human trafficking to porous borders

    The Senate yesterday blamed increasing rate of terrorists’ activities and human trafficking on the country’s porous borders.

    The upper chamber attributed the high rate of human trafficking in the border communities to the inability of the government to meet the social needs of the residents.

    Senate President David Mark said this when he inaugurated a public hearing on a bill for an Act to amend the Border Communities Development Agency Act Cap B10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and for related matters, 2013.

    The bill, sponsored by Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (Oyo South), seeks to strengthen the agency to make it perform its functions.

    The agency has the responsibility of improving the social and economic lives of Nigerians living in settlements, villages and towns spread across 96 local governments in 21 states along Nigeria’s borders.

    The Act, enacted in 2004, was first amended in 2006 to reposition the agency to cope with operational inadequacies.

    Lanlehin said despite the amendment, the condition of the border communities was yet to improve.

    Mark, who was represented by Senator James Manager, noted that the problem has deteriorated, especially with the influx of mercenaries, terrorists and other armed groups through the country’s porous borders.

    The situation in the border communities, he said, is worsened by the fact that the dearth of basic amenities, such as good schools, hospitals, markets and water, make inhabitants of the communities to cross to neighbouring countries to enjoy the amenities.

    He noted that it is the intendment of the amendment bill to provide a very convenient ground to enable the agency function adequately and efficiently, to improve the lives of the residents of the border communities and tighten security.

    Mark hailed the sponsor of the bill and the Senate “for giving voice to the needy.”

    Lanlehin noted that Nigerians in the border communities, who had suffered prolonged and systematic neglect and continued deprivations in the hands of successive governments, heaved a sigh of relief when the pioneer Governing Board of the Border Communities Development Agency was inaugurated in December 2009.

    The expectation, he said, was that the agency would champion and address the need for infrastructural development in the border communities.

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) lawmaker noted that the affected communities lacked social amenities that could qualify them as human settlements in the 21st century.

    He said: “The inhabitants travel by feet on narrow trails, which often involves crossing rivers – small and large- and such risky crossings result in loss of human lives and those of livestock, particularly in the rainy season.

    “Schools, basic health facilities, potable water and electricity are either non- existent or grossly inadequate, making their lives miserable in this supposedly wealthy country of ours.

    “Regrettably, a decade after the Border Communities Development Act was passed and signed into law and almost four years after the pioneer Governing Board of the agency was inaugurated, the condition of our people in the border communities has not improved as envisaged, due partly to poor funding of the agency.”

    Senator Lanlehin said the funds allocated to the agency were insufficient to meet the needs and aspirations of Nigerians in the border communities “and are getting smaller each year, culminating in the paltry sum of N436million for 2013.”