The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Senate

  • Pension funds: Senate orders arrest of task force chairman

    Pension funds: Senate orders arrest of task force chairman

    The Senate on Wednesday ordered the arrest of the Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina.

    This followed the refusal of Maina to honour invitation by the joint Senate Committee probing the management of pension funds in the last five years.

    Chairman of the joint Committee, Senator Aloysius Etok, announced that Senate President, David Mark, has signed a warrant of arrest mandating the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to arrest and bring Maina to the Senate dead or alive on Thursday.

    The Senate had on Tuesday said that Maina failed to account for N195 billion pension funds.

    Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Service, Establishment, Local and State Governments, Senator Kabiru Gaya, disclosed this at the resumed public hearing on the management of pension funds on Tuesday.

    Gaya, who gave breakdown of the missing pension funds, said that in the Head of Service, a total of N139, 056, 523, 955. 20 was released, N100, 641, 106,957. 33 paid to pensioners with a balance of N39, 783, 682, 993. 00 unaccounted for.

    In the Police Service pension office, he stated that N131.5 billion was released in five years but only N58.3 billion was paid to pensioners while the sum of N44. 2 billion is yet to be accounted for.

    In Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension Office, he said that a total of N85, 249, 222, 900. 16 was released, N27, 452, 200, 993.72 billion paid to pensioners leaving a balance of N27, 797, 822, 127. 00 unaccounted for.

    In Military Pension Board, he said that N317, 609, 082, 566. 05 billion was released, N294, 076, 743, 532. 87 billion paid to pensioners with a balance of N23, 532, 339, 034. 00 billion unaccounted for.

    In the Department of State Service Pension Office, Gaya disclosed that N34, 698, 149, 304. 68 billion was released, N9, 413, 090, 416. 00 paid to pensioners with a balance of N26, 121, 394, 662. 63 unaccounted for.

    Before the warrant of arrest was issued, Gaya said: “We have the rule and we have the power to request the Inspector General of Police to arrest and bring Maina here.

    “This committee has been patient to give him fair hearing. Members of the committee have resolved to ask the IGP to arrest him and bring him here tomorrow (today) by 11 am. Maina has to respect the law,” Gaya told the lawmakers.

     

  • N195b pension funds still missing, says Senate

    N195b pension funds still missing, says Senate

    The Senate yesterday said the Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, has failed to account for the N195 billion pension funds.

    Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Service, Establishment, Local and State Governments, Senator Kabiru Gaya, spoke at the resumed public hearing on the management of pension funds.

    He said they have discovered from the submissions by the Accountant-General of the Federation that N195 billion pension funds were not accounted for.

    Gaya noted that in the Head of Service alone, N139, 056, 523, 955. 20 was released, N100, 641, 106,957. 33 was paid to pensioners with a balance of N39, 783, 682, 993. 00 unaccounted for.

    In the Police Service Pension Office, he said N131.5 billion was released in five years, but only N58.3 billion was paid to pensioners, while N44. 2 billion is yet to be accounted for.

    In Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension Office, he said N85, 249, 222, 900. 16 was released, NN27, 452, 200, 993.72 paid to pensioners, leaving a balance of N27, 797, 822, 127. 00 unaccounted for.

    In Military Pension Board, he said N317, 609, 082, 566. 05 was released, N294, 076, 743, 532. 87 paid to pensioners with a balance of N23, 532, 339, 034. 00 unaccounted for.

    In the Department of State Service Pension Office, he said N34, 698, 149, 304. 68 billion was released, N9, 413, 090, 416. 00 paid to pensioners with a balance of N26, 121, 394, 662. 63 unaccounted for.

    Gaya said the releases were made between 2005 and 2011 by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

    He said: “This money belongs to the masses and it is expected that it should be accounted for.

    “If everybody is allowed to grab as much as he could get, what are we going to bequeath to our children?

    “Some people feel that because they have godfathers, that no one can bring them to judgment. They should realise that God is watching.”

    The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Aloysius Etok, expressed concern that Maina had refused to honour the committee’s invitation.

    He gave the PRTT boss till 11 am today to appear before the committee or the committee would go ahead to present its report to the Senate.

    “After the submission of our report, the Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team organised several media fora, where he claimed that he, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, was not given a fair hearing during the investigation of the management of the pension fund.

    “The issue is that we gave him opportunity for a fair hearing, but he refused to appear before the committee until we issued a warrant of arrest.

    “There is no law that states that if one is sued to court and he refuses to appear, the court will not go ahead to deliver judgment.

    “We went out of our way to issue a warrant of arrest before he could appear before the committee.

    “It was as a result of all these that we now decided to invite him again so that he could have the fair hearing.

    “We want to give Maina the last chance and this committee, which represents the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is saying that whosoever is behind Maina’s arrogance should know that his time is up and the masses want him to account for his stewardship.

    “He should appear before this committee tomorrow (today) at 11 am without fail.

    “If he doesn’t come tomorrow (today), the committee will proceed to hold the public hearing and we will take presentations from the Prison Service, Police and other agencies.

    “We will get all the presentations, make up our case and tell the public what we have discovered in the course of our investigations.”

    The committee also invited the Comptroller-General of Customs, Comptroller-General of Prisons, Chairman of ICPC, Chairman of EFCC, Head of Service, Director of Pension and Director of Police Pension Office, Shaibu Tedi, to appear before it today.

  • $7.9b loan: Senate cautions states over reckless borrowing

    $7.9b loan: Senate cautions states over reckless borrowing

    The Senate yesterday warned state governments against reckless borrowing, saying it would not acede to every request.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans, Senator Ehigie Uzamere, gave the warning at the continuation of the defence of a loan of $7.9 billion by the Federal and state governments.

    Uzamere said states which were expecting blanket approval of requests for loans should forget it, because his committee would not grant their requests.

    He stated that approved loans must not be seen by benefiting states as free money that should end up in private pockets.

    “It is sad the way we are going in this country,” he said, adding that states must take loans seriously.

    He noted that the committee would monitor the use of the loans through oversight to ensure that they are not diverted.

    He urged the states that have not submitted their template for loans to do so because the Federal Government was awaiting approval of the loans.

    He insisted that requests by states that fail to submit their template would not be considered.

    A member of the committee, Senator Gbenga Obadara, also warned that there was no reason for any state to “over borrow.”

    He said: “These loans, you are not the ones to repay it. This is how our nation became a debtor nation and we battled to free the nation from huge foreign debts.

    “From what I see, the debt profile will continue to pile up. I don’t want my children to become slave of any nation because of loans. We know the consequences of these loans. You may mean well, but you must be careful how you borrow.

    “Some states have asked for $50 million loan, others asked for more. You begin to wonder how much is the GDP to warrant the huge loans.”

    Delta State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Bernard Okumagba, who defended his state’s request, noted that there was a huge funding gap in the state’s drive to successfully implement some projects.

    Okumagba said the terms for the credit are maturity spanning 40 years, a grace period of 10 years, service charge of 0.7 per cent and commitment charge of 0.5 per cent.

    He said the projects for which the loan are sought included youth empowerment and access to socio-economic services, public financial management reforms and project coordination and implementation support.

    The Commissioner noted that the credit amount negotiated in November 2011 by the Federal Government, participating states and World Bank is $200 million.

    He added that an additional equivalent of $110 million has been approved as grant by European Union (EU) to support project development objectives in the participating states.

    Okumagba said $39.78 million has been tentatively allocated to Delta State based on the original credit and will be scaled up to include the EU grant when the approved amount is released.

    Delta State, he said, is interested in the approval of the project “which is expected to create about 16,100 jobs for youths in the state.”

    He said about 7,500 persons would have access to services, such as basic health, education, water and agricultural extension, supported under the community driven development sub-component in benefiting communities.

  • Senate, House query N58b SURE-P funds for foreign contractors

    Senate, House query N58b SURE-P funds for foreign contractors

    •N2.2b spent on secretariat services

    • Travel bills hit N75m

    The joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) yesterday queried the N58 billion the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) paid foreign railway contractors in four months.

    The joint committee also questioned the N75 million SURE-P claimed to have spent on local travels in four months.

    The lawmakers were also uncomfortable with the N2.2 billion claimed to have spent on secretariat services between July and October 2012.

    The issues were raised when officials of SURE-P led by Chairman of the programme, Dr. Christopher Kolade, appeared before the joint committee to defend the 2013 budget of SURE-P.

    To start the session, Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Magnus Abe, said the desire of the lawmakers was to understand where the SURE-P was heading to.

    He noted that the fund allocated to SURE-P was not the ordinary crude oil money to be shared by individuals, saying nobody should take questions by members of the committee personal, as it was incumbent on them to explain to their constituents the utilization of Federal Government funds

    Kolade explained that whatever they do under the programme is based on transparency, probity and accountability.

    He said there was no reason for them to hide information on what they are doing.

    A member of the committee, Senator Benedict Ayade, wondered why the SURE-P paid N58 billion to multi-national contractors on rail line projects. The lawmaker from Cross River North also questioned the N75 million spent on local travels in four months.

    He said the implication of paying foreign contractors N58 billion in four months was that the money would have been transferred out of the country.

    Ayade said: “I though that the philosophy of SURE-P is creation of jobs for Nigerians. Now that major contracts under SURE-P are done by multi-national contractors, how will SURE-P achieve its philosophy and objectives?

    “Is the philosophy of SURE-P no longer empowerment of Nigerians?”

    Ayade also said it was obvious that SURE-P projects are not evenly distributed across the states, adding that “SURE-P is just going the way of other Nigerian committees.”

    He said money was being recklessly pumped to multi-national companies in the name of fighting unemployment, wondering why SURE-P has taken over the functions of Primary Health Centres in the country.

    The committee wanted to know what the Ministry of Work is doing when SURE-P has taken over payment of contractors.

  • Senate, Reps want SURE-P scrapped

    Senate, Reps want SURE-P scrapped

    The Senate yesterday canvassed the immediate scrapping of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

    It asked the Federal Government to scrap the agency for allegedly spending huge sums of money on moribund projects.

    The lawmakers at a joint session with the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) noted that the SURE-P committee has failed to impact on the lives of Nigerians through clear cut infrastructural provision.

    These observations were made when Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Christopher Kolade, appeared before the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives to defend his 2013 budget proposal.

    A member of the Committee, Hon Peter Akpatason (Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency) noted that all the interventions made by the SURE-P fell into existing projects of the Federal Government being handled by relevant agencies.

    Akpatason added that the SURE-P projects fall within the existing scope of Federal Government responsibilities.

    He said, “Our belief is that road projects, the most prominent like the East-West Road , it is the responsibility of the government.

    “It ( East-West Road ) has been there over the years and funds have been appropriated for that. Why is it that it is the same thing that the ministries have been doing that SURE-P is putting their money into?

    “What is the job of the ministries? If the ministries were that efficient, why are we having this backlog of uncompleted projects?

    “We are of the opinion that either the SURE-P is fully responsible for identifying new projects or participating in the procurement phase to the extent of awarding contracts and financing such projects with their expertise.

    “Otherwise, if they are to continue to finance portions of projects that ministries have been responsible for, then there is no need for it to exist.

    “We are saying that it is either you exist as an independent body that initiates and participates in projects and ensure the completion of the projects or you allow the ministries to do it.

    “The SURE-P fund is the Federal Government’s share of the extra revenue that comes from the increase in petrol price from N70 to N97.

    “These payments are made by individual consumers of the product. So it is money that is coming from the pockets of Nigerians and Nigerians will like to see such monies being spent on visible projects, projects that will impact positively on the lives of the people. For instance, we have been talking about the building of refineries.

    “I do not think that anything precludes the government from spending such money for building new refineries even if they have to privatize them later.”

    Another member of the committee, Senator Danjuma Goje, said that the existence of SURE-P is an indication that the Federal Government has lost confidence on the ability of the ministries to carry out their mandates.

    He said the money given to SURE-P ought to have been given to the ministries.

    He said: “I see confusion somewhere in all these. It is either you give the money to the ministries or you give SURE-P the money.

    It is not good for one person to award a contract and another body comes to pay for it.

    Goje lamented that the SURE-P is another avenue to spend money on overhead even though when there complaint that overhead is taking a larger chunk of the national budget.

    He also accused the Kolade led committee of achieving only about 35 per cent of its 2012 budget.

    In his presentation, Kolade told the lawmakers that the sum of N135billion has accrued to the committee so far being Federal government share of the subsidy.

    He listed some of the projects where the funds have been applied to include social safety nets like maternal and child health, public works for youths, mass transit, vocational training centres and culture and tourism (capacity building) which gulped N16.7billion.

  • Senate accuses NDLEA of victimization

    Senate accuses NDLEA of victimization

    The Senate on Wednesday in Abuja accused the authorities of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of victimization of officers who refused to compromise in their duties.

    This was in reference to a petition by Mr Adamu Magaji for alleged wrongful termination of appointment and victimization for failure to compromise official responsibility.

    Magaji had petitioned the Senate over his alleged unlawful termination and the petition was referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

    Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Ayo Akinyelure (LP-Ondo) said Magaji was sacked for refusing to compromise.

    “Magaji’s termination was a product of his zeal to serve and not wanting to compromise official responsibility and refusal to release a suspect by name Ihenacho to his superior officer.

    Akinyelure said Magaji was a dedicated staff whose appointment was allegedly terminated for fraternizing with a drug baron, Obi Okorie, who he arrested.

    He said a committee was instituted to investigate the said fraternization after which a query was issued to Magaji.

    He, however, noted that since Magaji had never been queried before, a first instance query was not enough to have led to the termination of his appointment.

    The chairman said from the investigation carried out, Magaji’s relationship with Okorie was in the interest of the job and to uphold the integrity of the Agency.

    The Senate therefore adopted the recommendations of the committee that Magaji’s termination be nullified and the officer reinstated.

    The Senate also asked the NDLEA authorities to pay Magaji all his entitlements to date.

    Senate President David Mark said the adoption of the above recommendations was a message to “whistle blowers” that the Senate would protect them.

    Mark also said it was a message to senior officers in the agency who punished whistle blowers within the system that the Senate would stand by the whistle blowers.(NAN)

  • Senate, minister disagree on foreign missions

    Senate, minister disagree on foreign missions

    The Senate and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru, yesterday disagreed on the closing of some foreign missions.

    The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs said some embassies should be shut due to lack of adequate funding, but the minister noted that such a measure would create enemies for the country.

    Instead of outright closure of the missions, Ashiru said the staff strength could be reduced to save funds.

    He spoke when defending the ministry’s 2012 budget performance and the 2013 budget proposal before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

    Members of the committee had earlier bemoaned the poor state of Nigerian embassies, saying they had become a source of embarrassment to the country.

    Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba said the car the Nigerian Ambassador to Rome used many years ago when he (Ndoma-Egba) visited is the one still in use at the embassy.

    “For an embassy as strategic as the one in Rome, it does not speak well of the country that the ambassador has been using the same car for over 15 years,” he said.

    Ashiru attributed the paucity of funds to the “envelope” policy of the Ministry of Finance and inadequate fund releases.

    The minister said the 2012 budget releases to the foreign missions ranged from 36 per cent to 39 per cent.

    He urged the Senate to take up inadequate releases with the relevant ministry and ensure that once funds are appropriated, they should be fully released.

    The Chairman of the committee, Senator Matthew Nwagwu, said the Federal Government should reduce the number of embassies abroad to concentrate on a few strategic ones.

    He said: “Instead of spreading so thin and at the end of the day they are not properly funded, I think the Federal Government should consider closing down some embassies and ensure that provision is made for the remaining ones.

    “Some of our embassies are becoming an embarrassment to the country as a result of poor funding.”

    The minister said the proposal was tried before and it did not work.

    Said he: “You will only succeed in creating enemies for the country, if you close any embassy or consulate. We did it before, but it did not work.

    “What I can suggest, which some countries have been doing, is to reduce the staff strength of the embassies. If an embassy has six workers, you can either reduce them to four or two. So the ambassador will be left with one or two workers.

    “This is what many countries are doing and by doing that you will have the ambassador to maintain the country’s presence there.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Senate moves to reduce vehicles’ importation

    Senate moves to reduce vehicles’ importation

    Senate President, David Mark, on Wednesday said the country should take advantage of the National Automotive Design Bill when signed into law to design and build Nigerian made vehicles.

    Mark stated after the consideration and adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Investment on a Bill for an Act to repeal the Centre for Automotive Design and Development Act 1992, the National Automotive Council Act 1993.

    The repeal of the two Acts paved the way for the establishment of the National Automotive Design and Development Council and for other matters connected therewith, 2012.

    The Senate President, who commended Senators for passing the Bill said that the essence of the Bill is to de-emphasize heavy importation of goods especially vehicles.

    He said, “With the passing of this Bill the business of emphasizing so much on importation should be reduced drastically.

    “The essence of this Bill is that things should be designed and produced in Nigeria.”

    He mandated Chairman, Senate Committee on Investment, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, to emphasize the need for “design and produced in Nigeria” during her committee’s oversight function.

     

  • Senate faults IGP on anti-terrorism law

    Senate faults IGP on anti-terrorism law

     

    The Senate on Wednesday faulted the claim of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, on existence of anti-terrorism law.

    Abubakar was reported to have blamed the inability of the police to fight terrorism in the country on absence of enabling law.

    The IGP was also reported to have said that though he does not know the number of arrested Boko Haram members, the absence of enabling law has made it difficult to prosecute those arrested.

    But the Senate said the IGP is ignorant of the law.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, at a press conference in Abuja faulted Abubakar’s claim.

    Abaribe said the Senate was surprised to hear that Abubakar claimed that there is no law to enable the force prosecute those involved in terrorist acts.

    He noted that the Senate and House of Representatives passed the Terrorism Prevention Bill on June 1, 2011.

    The Bill, he said, was transmitted to President Goodluck Jonathan on June 2, 2011 and signed into law the following day.

    He said, “Let me say that the Senate was very surprised and indeed flabbergasted that the Inspector General of Police would say that there is no anti-terrorism law.

    “It is called Terrorism Prevention Act of 2011.

    “It was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on June 1, 2001 and on June 2, it was transmitted by the Clerk of the National Assembly to the President.

    “To show how important it is to the President, he signed it into law on June 3, 2011.

    “I have the Bill here and it makes elaborate provisions for prevention of terrorism and for prosecuting those who have committed terrorism act.

    “I think that the IGP has not been briefed properly by his legal staff of the existence of a Bill that has been here for a year and five months after its passage.

    “What happened is that even on top of the Bill that has already been passed, the Senate went ahead to pass an amendment of this Act on October 17 this year to expand part of the provisions on that Act.

    “Everything that you need to fight the war against terrorism is already in the Act.

    “We are going to send a copy of this Act again to the IGP.

    “We find it very difficult to believe that an arm of government could say that it does not have a law that has been signed by the President more than a year ago.

    “I think there is something that is wrong there.

    “So, it is not true that we do not have anti-terrorism law.

    “We actually have an anti-terrorism law, which has been passed since June and signed into law by Mr. President since June 2011.

    “I am saying that there is a law, nobody can say that there is no law and I have shown you the law and I have told you when it was signed.

    “What I have here is a copy of the President’s signature on the law, singed on June 3, 2011.

    “We don’t think that such should be an excuse.

    “There is enough in our law to prosecute anybody who has committed a terrorist act.”

     

  • Senate urges NJC to immortalize Eso

    Senate urges NJC to immortalize Eso

    The Senate on Wednesday urged the National Judicial Council to immotalize late Justice Kayode Eso.

    This followed a motion entitled: “Demise of Justice Kayode Eso” sponsored by Senator Babajide Omoworare and 14 others.

    The Senate resolved to observe a minute silence in honour of the late jurist and to send a delegation to commiserate with his family and the people and government of Osun State.

    All the Senators who contributed to the motion paid glowing tribute to the late jurist.

    Senate President David Mark said the contributions of late Justice Eso would remain evergreen in the memory of the people.

    He said: “Once they hear the name of Justice Kayode Eso, most Nigerians believe that there will be fairness and that there will be justice.

    “I think that that is very important. From those of you who knew him personally, clearly he was a very courageous Justice and he was fair to all irrespective of tribe and tongue.

    “And that is what we want, let justice be given in a manner that even those who lose out will acknowledge that they have been fairly treated.”