The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Senate

  • Maina: Senate to summon IGP

    Maina: Senate to summon IGP

    The Senate is set to summon the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, for failing to arrest the Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT) Abdulrasheed Maina.

    Chairman, Senate Joint Committee on Establishment and Public Service and State and Local Government Administration, Senator Aloysius Etok, confirmed the development to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Etok said: “The Senate President, who is the number three citizen in this country, signed a warrant of arrest and the Inspector-General of Police ignored the order.

    “This is very unfortunate. The Senate is left with no other option than to invite the IGP to come and explain why he could not arrest Maina.

    “We want to know if Maina is above the law of the land. The IGP must tell us his own fear and whether it is beyond his power to arrest Maina. We are seeking to know all these from the IGP.”

    The lawmaker added that “In our committee’s report that was submitted to the Senate in June last year which was adopted by the entire Senate, we said the continued existence of Maina’s task force is illegal and should be discontinued immediately because nowhere does any task force exist beyond six months.

    “This was affirmed by the former Head of Service who appointed Maina, Chief Steve Oronsaye. Former Head of Service, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi also said this. Likewise the incumbent Head of Service, Bello Sali as well as the Minister of Finance.

    “We also said that Maina is a bad example in the public service and should be relieved of his appointment and prosecuted. “

     

  • Senate queries alleged $1.5b NNPC loan

    The Senate yesterday said it was unaware of a $1.5billion (about N240billion) loan allegedly obtained by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to offset debts to international fuel marketers.

    The loan, according to reports was provided by some Nigerian and international banks and brokered by the Standard Chartered Bank.

    The NNPC is believed to have put up 15,000 barrels per day of its oil production as collateral for the facility which is to be repaid in over five and half years.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said the National Assembly did not approve the loan.

    Abaribe said: “Under the law, no government agency can borrow money without the approval of the National Assembly. We have to know if that was done first, but then the question to ask under the circumstance is, what happened to the N161billion supplementary appropriation that was approved by the National Assembly for government to take care of the shortfall in the fuel subsidy budget, particularly to ensure steady supply of petroleum products during the yuletide.”

    Again, Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Magnus Abe said there is no record of the deal before the Upper Chambers.

    Abe said the committee was still trying to confirm the loan from the authorities of the oil giant.

    He lamented that the committee has received several calls from Nigerians seeking to know whether the National Assembly approved the loan.

    Abe said: “As at this (yesterday) afternoon, there’s no record of the loan deal before us.

    “We are still trying to confirm the loan from NNPC.

    “The committee read about the loan deal on the pages of newspapers like other Nigerians and we have had concerned Nigerians calling to ask whether the National Assembly approved the loan.”

    Replying a question, the lawmaker said: “We have no record of such before us.”

    A financial expert who spoke on condition of anonymity said not all Federal Governments loans are supposed to be approved by the National Assembly.

    He said: “It depends on the type of loan. If it is a loan from the Paris Club and London it has to go through the National Assembly. “If it is a concessionary loan, it may or may not go through the National Assembly for approval.

    “But an investment loan may not require the endorsement of the National Assembly because the agency that obtained the loan must have worked out how to repay the loan.”

    He, however, added that since the corporation is the “cash cow” of the Federal Government and considering the volume of cash involved it ought to seek the approval of the National Assembly.

     

  • Senate to ‘override’ Jonathan’s veto on Budget

    Senate to ‘override’ Jonathan’s veto on Budget

    The Senate on Friday vowed to override President Goodluck Jonathan’s veto if he fails to assent to the 2013 Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly within the next one month.

    Already there are fears that the Presidency may withhold assent to the N4.98 trillion budget passed by both arms of the National Assembly on December 20 following the increase in crude oil benchmark.

    The lawmakers had in a conference raised the oil benchmark from $75 to $79.

    The Senate said if the President refuses to sign the budget into law, they will invoke necessary constitutional provisions and pass the 2013 Appropriation Bill into law.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who spoke to our correspondent in Abuja on the row said the law was clear on what the National Assembly should do if the President decides to withhold assent to any Bill.

    Abaribe said: “The law will take its course. Yes. And what the law says is that any Bill that is not assented to by the President after one month, then the National Assembly will override the veto. The law is clear.

    “The National Assembly will follow the Constitution which says we can override the veto.

    “I mean, the matter is always very clear. It is not something that is subject to any other interpretation. We will follow the dictates of the Constitution.”

    On whether there will be option for a political solution between the National Assembly and the Presidency, Abaribe said: “Well, let me say that the agreement between the House and the Senate does not give room for any other maneuver because the rules of the National Assembly is that once you have a difference and you go to conference and you resolve that difference, you have no other room to bring it back again.

    “Except you now want us to review the whole document called the budget that has already been passed and I don’t think anybody is willing to do that.”

     

  • Senate and PIB

    Senate and PIB

    •The Senate should not delay the passing of the bill on political grounds

    Last week, the Senate, rather disappointingly, stood down the Petroleum Industry Bill earlier listed in its Order Paper for December 17. All entreaties by Senate Leader Victor Ndoma Egba to get members to kick-start the process of its passage into law failed to persuade the members. In a session marked by acrimony, the upper house rejected a motion for the commencement of the debate on the general principles of the bill; it also resolved to shelve the debate to a later date.

    It was a perfect execution of filibuster by a group of senators from the North. Officially, the excuse given on the floor was that the Senate was in no mood to consider the Bill. They cited the tragic incident of the air mishap of the preceding weekend which claimed the lives of Governor Patrick Yakowa, former National Security Adviser Andrew Azazi and four others. Another group came up with the excuse that they needed more time to peruse the document – an elegant way of sending the bill to the cooler!

    For a bill that has been lying in the shelves of the National Assembly since July 17, last week’s development is perhaps a foretaste of the difficulties ahead. Earlier on July 20, the National Assembly had deferred consideration of the bill on the excuse that it came on the eve of their annual recess. That recess ended September 17.

    Unexpected as it may appear, the filibuster would seem the least of the obstacles which await the bill, given the North’s increasingly vociferous opposition to it. Whereas the region’s lawmakers are adamant that the bill forebodes no good for their region, the Northern Governors Forum has long held on to the view that the PIB is a recipe for further impoverishment of the region. Latest development obviously signals the resolve of the region’s political leadership to do battle.

    This newspaper on Sunday reported on the provisions considered by the leaders as particularly noxious. These are the institutional structure being proposed for the oil and gas industry; the planned divestment of equity in the proposed National Oil Company (the argument here is that the process could lock out the people of the region from ownership of oil and gas resources). There is also the proposed Host Community Fund –which they contended will grant more funds to the oil-producing communities – in addition to the 13.5 percent Derivation Fund –at their expense.

    They further argue that the PIB does not create a framework for effective exploration of hydrocarbons in the frontier acreages of the nation’s six sedimentary basins. Four of these basins are located in the North. Finally, they questioned the discretionary powers granted the petroleum minister in the proposed law.

    Now, these concerns may well be legitimate; only that we do not accept that they should constitute grounds for stalling the consideration of the bill. Indeed, we see them as issues that a robust engagement with relevant stakeholders can help resolve. The point here is that there is no such thing as a perfect piece of legislation. A law is, after all, as good as the lawmakers who made it.

    So, the idea of killing the bill apriori –that is, before it gets a mention on the floor of the Senate is unhelpful as it is defeatist. What the situation requires is demonstrable commitment by the lawmakers to the principles and ideals of justice and fair-play; willingness by all parties to compromise will also help. After all, there is nothing – at this time – to suggest that the interests of contending groups in the polity are necessarily irreconcilable.

     

  • Senate queries NOSDRA, Mobil over oil spills

    Senate queries NOSDRA, Mobil over oil spills

    The Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology yesterday queried the National Oil Spill Detection and Regulatory Agency (NOSDRA), Ministry of Environment and Mobil Oil Company over two oil spills in Ibeno and Idoho, Akwa Ibom State.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Bukola Saraki, said it was worrisome that within the last one month, there have been reports of two oil spills within close proximity of the Mobil Producing Nigeria operations with no official report made to the committee.

    Saraki, in a statement in Abuja, decried the frequency of oil spills and the lackadaisical attitude of NOSDRA, Ministry of Environment and Mobil Nigeria by not providing information to the committee to assist it in carrying out its oversight function.

    He said it has become a matter of urgency to pass the NOSDRA Amendment Bill to encourage the parties take extra care in reducing oil spills in Nigeria.

    The statement reads: “Senator Saraki, while announcing the resolution of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, said NOSDRA should furnish it with information on the aforementioned spill areas including but not limited to the following:

    “The initial report on the incidents and responses made so far to clean-up and contain the spill.

    “Preliminary findings as to the cause of the spills and the volume.

    “Preliminary findings as to the responsible party.

    “Preliminary findings as to the action of the responsible party to re-mediate the environment.

    “Preliminary findings as to action plan to caution the impact on the areas affected.

    “Preliminary findings as to the impact on the livelihood of the communities so impacted.”

  • Setback for PIB at Senate

    The Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) suffered another set back yesterday in the Senate.

    Senators rejected a motion for the commencement of debate on the general principle of the Bill.

    Lawmakers, mostly from the North refused to allow Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba to lead the debate on the Bill.

    Ndoma-Egba’s lead debate would have signaled the opening of the second reading of the Bill.

    But some Senators insisted on postponing of the consideration Bill indefinitely, although it was listed on the Order Paper.

    Ndoma-Egba reminded his colleagues of the importance of the Bill, especially the fact that it has been listed for consideration.

    He also told his colleagues that the Senate through its Chairman on Rules and Business, Senator Eta Enang, had told Nigerians that the Bill would be taken yesterday.

    The Senate Leader reminded his colleagues that shelving debate on the Bill will send a wrong signal to Nigerians who may see the Senate as not being committed to passing the Bill.

    The Bill is considered key to far-reaching reforms in the oil and gas sector.

    The pleading by Ndoma-Egba to allow him lead the debate after which the Senate will adjourn and take full debate today, fell on deaf ears.

    Those opposed to initiating debate of the Bill claimed that the mood of the nation did not warrant it after a motion on the death of Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa and former National Security Adviser Gen. Andrew Azazi had been adopted.

    Observers saw the stiff opposition as a prelude to what would happen when the Bill is eventually slated for debate.

    There is also apprehension that some oil majors want to kill the Bill.

    There was indication yesterday that the 2013 budget would be passed by the Senate on Thursday.

     

  • Senate to probe Yakowa’s, Azazi’s death

    Senate to probe Yakowa’s, Azazi’s death

    THE Senate yesterday became the fifth body to indicate interest in investigating the cause of Saturday’s air mishap that claimed the lives of former Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa, former National Security Adviser, (NSA) Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi and four others.

    It adopted a motion mandating its Committees on Navy, Air Force and Aviation to investigate the frequency of air mishaps in the country with a view to finding a permanent solution.

    The motion entitled: “Urgent need to investigate the recent crash of Naval Augusta 109 Helicopter in Bayelsa State” was sponsored by Senator Chris Anyanwu (Imo East).

    The Presidency, Navy, Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and the House of Representatives have all served notices to probe the circumstances surrounding the crash of the naval helicopter in Bayelsa State.

    Senator Anyanwu, who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, chronicled the incidences of air mishap in the country.

    She urged the upper legislative chamber to note that on December 15, an Augusta 109 helicopter, belonging to the Nigerian Navy crashed at Okoroba community in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, killing everyone on board, including a serving Governor, Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State, the former National Security Adviser, General Andrew Owoye Azazi, two naval pilots and two aides.

    She also urged the Senate to note that in 2007 and 2011, there had been two crashes of similar Augusta helicopters owned by the Navy.

    The Senate, she said, should be worried at the seeming recurrence of air mishaps not just in civil aviation but also in the Nigerian military, despite public outcry.

    She noted that the Senate should be aware that between March and October 2011, there were three reported cases of air mishaps by the Air Force at different locations in the country, and that the causes of the crashes remained unknown.

    She said the Senate should be further aware that on March 21, 2011, one F7-N1 Fighter Jet, belonging to the Nigerian Air Force that was on a routine training programme crashed in Kano, killing the flight instructor.

    She said: “Between March and October 2011, there were three reported cases of air mishaps by the Air force at different locations in the country and the causes of these crashes remain unknown. The F7 fighter jet, which was reported to have come from Makurdi for a two-week training, was delivered to the Air Force by the manufacturers in China only a few days before the incident.

    “Not quite two months after, on May 11, 2011, the same hideous incident occurred again at Makurdi when another F7-N1 fighter belonging to same Nigerian Air Force, crashed into a Community Secondary School in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.

    “The investigating panels set up by the Air Force to ascertain the causes of the crashes were yet to produce their reports when another Air Force L-39 trainer jet, which was on a routine training mission from Calabar to Uyo crashed barely five months from the last crash.”

    The lawmaker said that on September 17, 2006 in Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, an 18-Seater Dornier 228 Airforce Transport Plane, carrying senior army officers and three crew members crashed, leaving only three survivors.

    The victims of the crash, she said, were members of a committee set up by the government to reposition the army and were en route Obudu Cattle Ranch where the Officers were to hold the retreat.

    She urged the Senate to be concerned that “the resurgence of air mishaps in the country is suggestive of a deep-seated systems problem that must be unearthed and resolved to avert further unnecessary loss of lives and heavy financial losses to the nation.”

    She said the most recent air mishap has robbed the country of its prominent and valued citizens, who have given long service to the country.

    She urged her colleagues to “condemn the resurgence of air mishaps in Nigeria and the seeming inability of government to unravel the causes of the incidents; “to mandate the committees on Navy, Air Force and Aviation to investigate the frequency of air mishaps with a view to finding a permanent solution; and to observe a one-minute silence in honour of the victims of Saturday’s air crash in Bayelsa State.

    The lawmakers also urged relevant authorities to stop further use of military air craft for civil purpose.

    Senator Ahmed Makarfi, who seconded the motion, urged the Senate to take a decision on whether it would continue to allow frequent occurence of air crashes.

    Makarfi noted that civil and military air craft in the country have not proved to be air worthy.

    He said the Presidential air fleet might not be better, even as he urged the executive to conduct thorough investigation aimed at halting frequent air mishaps.

    Senator Ganiyu Solomon paid tribute to the victims of the air crash.

    He noted that the rate military aircraft crash in the country has put question mark on the capability of the country’s military.

    Solomon called for the stoppage of the use of military air craft for civil matter.

    Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi (Ekiti North) wanted to know who authorised the use of the naval helicopter for use.

    Adetunmbi said: “When the lives of ordinary Nigerians don’t matter, it takes a situation like this for a nation to wake up.”

    He said the government should be held responsible for the death Yakowa, Azazi and others “because government failed to do what it ought to do.”

    Senator Babafemi Ojudu blamed the crash on corruption.

    “If we don’t kill corruption in this country, corruption will kill us,” Ojodu said.

    Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (PDP-Bayelsa) urged the committee to ensure that its investigation was devoid of bias and should not be politicised.

    “We should use this crash to stop others from occurring because this has become embarrassing. So, the committee’s investigation must be total,” he said.

    Senator Danjuma Goje (PDP-Gombe) also advised the committee to make the investigation open and transparent.

    Goje pitched his tent with the position of the Governors Forum that foreign experts should be involved in the investigation.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, said more than 50,000 Nigerians had died in the last two years since the ugly trend of terrorism reared its head.

    Ekweremadu, however, called on the regulatory agencies in the aviation sector to ensure the airworthiness of every plane that took off and landed in the country.

    He also noted the need for the Senate to buckle up and tackle the problem once and for all.

    The Senate set up two committees to pay condolence visits to all the victims of the air crash and observed a minute silence in their honour.

    Ekweremadu said steps must be taken to halt the trend.

  • Senate to probe Yakowa’s, Azazi’s death in crash

    Senate to probe Yakowa’s, Azazi’s death in crash

    … Mandate committee to investigate air mishaps

    The Senate on Tuesday became the fifth body to indicate interest in the investigation of what caused last Saturday’s air mishap in Bayelsa State.

    The accident claimed the lives of Kaduna State Governor, Patrick Yakowa, former National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi and five others.

    This followed the adoption of a motion which mandated its committees on Navy, Air Force and Aviation to investigate the frequency of air mishaps in the country with a view to finding a permanent solution.

    The motion entitled: “Urgent need to investigate the recent crash of Naval Augusta 109 Helicopter in Bayelsa State” was sponsored by Senator Chris Anyanwu (Imo East).

    The Presidency, Nigeria Navy, Nigerian Governors Forum and the House of Representatives had earlier resolved to probe the circumstances surrounding the crash of the naval helicopter in Bayelsa State.

    Anyanwu, who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy in her lead debate, chronicled the incidences of air mishap in the country.

    She urged the Senate to note that “on December 15, 2012 an Augusta 109 Helicopter belonging to the Nigerian Navy crashed at Okoroba Community in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, killing everyone on board, including a serving governor, Yakowa of Kaduna State, the former NSA, Azazi, two naval pilots and two aides.

    She also urged the Senate to note that in 2007 and 2011, there had been two crashes of similar Augusta helicopters owned by the Navy.

    The Senate, she said, should be worried at the seeming recurrence of air mishaps not just in civil aviation but also in the Nigerian military despite public outcry.

    Anyanwu noted that the Senate should be aware that between March and October 2011, there were three reported cases of air mishaps by the Air Force at different locations in the country and that the causes of the crashes remained unknown.

     

  • Terrorism: Why we opted for death penalty – Senate

    Terrorism: Why we opted for death penalty – Senate

    The Senate on Friday said it adopted the death penalty as punishment for acts of terrorism due to Nigeria’s peculiar circumstances.

    The National Assembly at its sitting on Thursday approved the death penalty for acts of terrorism in Nigeria following the recommendations contained in a conference committee report of both houses.

    The report was on a harmonised version of a Bill for an Act to amend the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 and for Other Related Matters.

    The spokesman of the Senate, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, told the News Agency of Nigeria in a telephone chat, that the choice of the death penalty was informed by the existing situation in the country.

    “This is Nigeria and we are going to do laws based on extant things happening in our country. We cannot afford to use what is done in other countries to resolve our peculiarities.

    “So we are adopting this amendment to address the problem that is peculiar to Nigeria,’’ Abaribe said.

    Sen. Victor Lar (PDP-Plateau), who is also a member of the committee, also told NAN on telephone, that the earlier recommendation of life imprisonment was too lenient for such a crime.

    “The life imprisonment sentence as opposed to the death penalty, particularly, for perpetrators of terrorist acts that results in the death of citizens is not decisive enough.’’

    Lar, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, added that prisoners kept for a long time might be granted amnesty while perpetrators of terrorism acts might go scot-free at the end of the day.

    “Take for instance the case of the Libyan terrorists who bombed Lockerbie, they were eventually released and were given heroic welcome.’’

    NAN reports that the Senate version of the amended bill had prescribed life imprisonment for acts of terrorism while the House of Representatives version prescribed death penalty.

    Members of the conference committee deliberated and weighed the advantages and disadvantages of both penalties and eventually adopted the death penalty.

     

  • Senate approves N161.6b for subsidy payment

    Senate approves N161.6b for subsidy payment

    The Senate on Thursday approved N161.6 billion supplementary budget for fuel subsidy payment.

    The approval is coming 17 days to the end of the year.

    President Goodluck Jonathan had on Tuesday, asked the Senate to approve additional N161.6 billion for fuel subsidy for the 2012 fiscal year.

    Over N880.3 billion was set aside for payment of fuel subsidy in the 2012 budget.

    Jonathan said that N7.7 billion left of the N880.3 billion will not be enough for subsidy payment for the remaining days of the year.

    The president explained that given the need to maintain a steady flow of petroleum products, especially in the run up to the festive season, it is his hope that the Senate will accord the request expeditious consideration and approval.

    The lawmakers said the approval is with mixed feelings because they have no choice than to grant the request in order not to be accused of insensitivity by Nigerians.

    While some Senators saw the presidential request as a “blackmail” others tagged it a “set up” meant to create friction between the National Assembly and Nigerians.

    Senate President, David Mark, captured the mood of the lawmakers.

    He said, “Whether it is from the opposition or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, all the contributions are extremely valid and nobody went out of track.

    “There is no gainsaying and it is not a secret anymore to say that there is so much corruption in fuel subsidy management.

    “Whatever system they adopt and I think the nation must take a decision now whether to continue this (corruption) or to stop it.

    “If they cannot eliminate corruption in the industry, then, the other alternative will be to stop the whole exercise of subsidy and we will take the one that is easier and the one that will bring less pain to Nigerians.

    “I thank all of you for taking into consideration the fact that if this is not approved, Nigerians are the ones who are going to suffer.

    “The reason we are in the chambers here is to work for the welfare of the people and anything we can do to alleviate the sufferings of our people would be done and we will continue to do so in the interest of those who have elected us.

    “The nation in my candid opinion must make that decision sooner than later because we cannot carry on like this way.

    “Obviously, they should have anticipated that there was going to be shortfall when they first made this budget at the beginning of the year, but that did not happen, we are now shouldered with the responsibility of this additional approval and we have done so in the best interest of this nation,” Mark said.

    Senator Abdul Ningi in his contribution noted that over N880.3 billion was approved for payment of fuel subsidy for 2012 fiscal year.

    He said that if they turn down the request, the Senate would be seen as hindering fuel subsidy payment.

    Senator Smart Adeyemi also supported approval of the request.