Tag: Senate

The youth wing of Urhobo Progress Union, (UPU) has blasted the Senate over its rejection of Senator Ede Dafinone’s motion requesting humanitarian assistance for Okwuama community in the wake of the murder of 17 soldiers.

It urged Federal and State Governments to urgently send relief materials to Okwuama community to assuage the suffering of residents. 

Its President, Mr Efemena Umukoro, said it was “painful and insensitive” to turn a blind eye to the humanitarian catastrophe in Okwuama following its invasion by soldiers. 

Umukoro, who spoke to reporters on Saturday in Asaba Delta Capital, wondered why the whole community should suffer for the crimes committed by few persons. 

He alleged fifth columnists were behind the murder of soldiers in the community.

He used harsh words on the Delta State Government for not deeming it necessary to reflect the humanitarian needs in its condolence message, saying the omission was borne out of a need to be politically correct.

Read Also; Nigeria going through economic rebirth under Tinubu – Adebule

According to him, had the Delta State Government been proactive, the age-long crisis would have been averted.

He accused the Federal Government of empowering Urhobo neighbours to subdue and oppress them.

Umukoro reiterated the call for an independent panel of enquiry to probe the incident that led to the death of 17 soldiers on peace mission, adding that all names mentioned in Okwuama community’s petition to government should be investigated.

He alleged plans were afoot by the Ijaws to annexe Urhobo speaking communities in riverine areas.

According to him: ” Despite the loss of our gallant troops, it is painful that the federal and state governments and the Nigerian Senate have wilfully turned a blind eye to the humanitarian needs of innocent citizens in Okwuama community.

“A few days ago, the Senate rejected a motion by APC member representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Ede Dafinone requesting humanitarian assistance for Okwuama indigenes.

“It is heartless that the Senate would decline the call for help. Does it mean that the entire community would suffer for the crimes of a few criminals?”

He added: “Moreover, the Okwuama people did not partake in the killing of soldiers,so why would they now suffer for the crimes of fifth columnists? Even as we mourn the tragic loss of our soldiers, courtesy demands that we spare a thought for innocent citizens.”

He lamented the marginalisation of the Urhobo nation in the distribution of federal appointments, stressing that despite repeated appeals to ex-President Buhari on the need for equitable distribution of appointments, the current administration appointed an Ijaw as Presidential Amnesty Coordinator.

The Senate on Wednesday, March 20, called on the judiciary in the 36 states of the federation to set up mobile courts for the enforcement of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act to curb the growing menace of out-of-school children in the country.

The Senate also mandated its Committee on Education (Basic & Secondary) to engage the Federal Ministry of Education to pay special attention to the issue of Out of out-of-school children with the ultimate objective of drastically reducing the number.

The Red Chamber further urged the Ministry of Education, its related parastatals, and agencies such as the Universal Basic Education stakeholders including nongovernmental organisations to:

“Severally and jointly bring up a new strategy to effectively deal with out-of-chool Children problem as well as rekindle the national consciousness through sensitization and advocacy on the importance of education to the growth and development of our country and the benefits of having majority educated population;

“Set a time limit of two years for the diligent implementation of the UBE Act as stipulated in section 2 (2).”

It also urged governments at all levels to implement targeted intervention programmes that will address all the factors militating against free access to quality and basic education, particularly multidimensional poverty and insecurity.

The resolutions of the Senate followed its consideration and adoption of a motion titled: “Compelling need to tackle the challenge of Out of School Children in Nigeria” during plenary.

The motion was sponsored by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule (APC – Lagos West).

Adebule in her lead debate urged the Senate to note that the issue of out-of-school children has become worrisome, given the 2022 report of the United

Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that about 20 million Nigerian children are out of school which represents 10 per cent of the estimated Nigerian population of 200 million people and also represents the highest number of Out of School Children from any country globally;

“Also notes that though the Ministry of Education disputed the figure but it is generally agreed that whatever the real figures, the issue of Out of School Children has become an albatross on the neck of the Nigerian State that must be dealt with as a matter of urgency,” she said.

Read Also: Senate passes N446 billion FIRS 2024 budget

In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio urged the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, to adopt measures he implemented in Akwa Ibom state when he was governor which stipulates six months imprisonment for parents or guardians of school-aged children found on the streets or in the farm during school hours.

Akpabio said: “Since Education is the bedrock of all good things in any society, government at all levels, should ensure that no child of school age stays out of school in Nigeria.

“We did it in Akwa Ibom State when I was governor by enforcing compliance with the UBE Act. All Parents or Guardians were made to know that anybody caught not sending his or her child to school risks six months imprisonment.

“By way of legislation, the Child Rights Act was put in place which has free and compulsory education as parts of its provisions. Other States in Nigeria should adopt this in making education truly free and compulsory for children in the country.”

Senators Mohammed Monguno, Ahmad Lawan, Adams Oshiomhole, Simon Lalong, and Jibrin Barau supported the motion.

In supporting the motion, Oshiomhole said the menace of out-of-school must be addressed urgently while declaring that “illiteracy engenders poverty and poverty engenders crime.”

He said: “I really don’t think we need any tutorial to remind us that he or she who didn’t have the opportunity or was denied the opportunity to go to school, is destined to be poor forever.

“An illiterate young man or woman is bound to give birth to another illiterate child which will lead to a dynasty of the poor constituting a risk to the rich and the society at large.

“Today in Nigeria, we can see and we are all witnesses that inequality and abject poverty anywhere has constituted a huge security risk to everyone in Nigeria. It is clear that every Nigerian child needs to go to school.”

He accused some state governors, particularly from the Northern part of the country of sabotaging efforts of the Federal Government to make basic education free and compulsory for all Nigerian children.

He said that the governors frustrating the policy deliberately refused to contribute 50 percent counterpart fund required to implement the UBE programme.

• …Security takes precedence over other sectors, says Lawan

The Senate Joint Committee on Defence, Army, Navy, and Airforce is currently in a closed meeting with the nation’s Service Chiefs over the recent killing of troops in Okuoma community, Bomadi local government area of Delta State.

The meeting which started at exactly 3:42 pm has in attendance, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan; and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.

Recall that the Senate, during plenary on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, mandated the joint committee to investigate the incident.

The upper chamber also urged the Federal Government to ensure that those responsible for the heinous crime are identified, apprehended, and brought to justice.

The Joint Committee is chaired by Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC-Yobe North), who is also chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence.

Moments before the commencement of the meeting with the Service Chiefs, members of the Joint Committee observed a minute silence in honour of the 16 Military personnel killed in the Okuoma community last Thursday.

Speaking on the incident, Senator Lawan in a speech delivered at the investigative hearing by the Joint Committee recalled that, “The troops of 181 Amphibious battalions, on Thursday, 14 March 2024, went on a peace mission to Okuoma Community in Delta State. An incident occurred resulting in the loss of a Commanding officer, two Majors, a Captain, and 12 Soldiers during the peace mission.

“The troops on the peace mission to Okuoma community in Bomadi local government area of Delta State were surrounded by some community youths, which resulted in the death of officers and men.

Read Also: BREAKING: Senate passes Student Loan Act Bill

“Acknowledging the gravity of the attack on the military personnel, the Senate at its plenary on Tuesday, 19th March 2024, mandated the Joint Committee on Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce to investigate the incident.

“The Senate also urged the federal government to ensure that those responsible for the heinous crime are identified, apprehended and brought to justice.”

Senator Lawan further underscored the need for the federal government to prioritise the issue of security, noting that the same takes precedence over investment in any other sector.

He described the killing of the 16 soldiers as “barbaric”, and appealed to Nigerians to support the Armed Forces by volunteering information that would lead to the capture and prosecution of those behind various forms of insecurity across the country.

The former Senate President said: “We, in the Senate, and, indeed, the National Assembly, will always support our military in whatever way we can. The National Assembly has that history. We try to at all times make meaningful appropriation for resources to be available. We know it has never been enough and I will take this opportunity to commend our Armed Forces for doing so much with the little we can afford.

“The insecurity in our country takes precedence over any other consideration and, therefore, it is the position of the Senate that no investment in any sector can be more important than ensuring that we are secured as a country.

“We, therefore, are very sad as a parliament over this tragic incident. It is our hope in the Senate that those who perpetrated this barbaric and horrific act are captured and the law takes full course on them.

“I want to appeal to Nigerians that this is our Armed Forces and they cannot secure us without us as citizens playing our part. Therefore, every citizen is supposed to support our Armed Forces. And those in the area where this incident happened must volunteer information because this is the only way we can stop something like this from happening another time.”

The Senate on Wednesday at plenary resolved to name one of its committee rooms after the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun.

Oba Balogun died on March 15, at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, at the age of  81, after a brief illness two years after ascending the throne on March 11, 2022.

Senate’s resolution on immortalisation of the late Oba was sequel to adoption of a motion sponsored by Sen. Sharafadeen Ali ( APC- Oyo).

Ali, in his motion said the late Olubadan was a leader par excellence, a community developer and service driven politician.

This, he said, resulted into his election as a senator between 1999 and 2003.

“The late Olubadan was a man of peace and custodian of culture and values of the Yoruba people,” he said.

One of the senators from Oyo State, Addulfai Buhari, also contributed to debate on the motion, saying that the late traditional ruler impacted positively on the lives of those who he came across.

Buhari said the book written by the late Oba, titled: “Arrogance of Power”, presented to him in 2003 when he won election into the House of Representatives, has helped in the discharge of his legislative duties over the years.

Read Also: BREAKING: Senate passes Student Loan Act Bill

Also, Minority Leader, Sen. Abba Moro, (PDP- Benue), eulogised the virtues of the late traditional ruler.

Senate accordingly adopted all the prayers sought for as resolutions, one of which is to immortalise the late Oba by naming one of the Senate committee rooms after him.

It also observed a minute silence in honour of the late Olubadan.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, urged Sen. Buhari to make available copies of  “Arrogance of Power”, authored by the deceased, to all senators.

(NAN)

The Senate has passed N446,342,656,992.00 as the 2024 budget of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

The action of the Senate followed its adoption and approval of the recommendation of its  Committee on Finance that considered the budget.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Sani Musa (APC – Niger East) presented the report.

Of the sum, according to the report, N177,441,479,682.00 is for Personnel Cost, N156,454,385,053.00 is for Overhead cost and N112,446,822,255.00 is for capital expenditure.

The committee observed that: “The Service Year 2024 budget estimates is based on Zero Based Budgeting.

“That the 2024 projected Cost of Collection of N446.34bn is 39% higher than the 2023 approved budgeted cost of collection which stood at N320.90bn.

Read Also: JUST IN: Senate passes N1.282trn FCT 2024 budget

“The personnel cost is based on staff strength on the payroll including social benefits (such as NHIA, Pension contribution etc.) and anticipated performance bonus for the year.

“The increase in overhead projection can be attributed to the need for more robust operational activities which are critical in driving the achievement of Service core objectives e.g. Tax automation projects and other critical ones that relate directly to tax collection and administration.

“The capital cost estimates include on-going and new projects which are to be executed during the 2024 financial year. These are as a result of expected completion of projects, payment of retention on completed projects and some new projects for effective revenue drive.”

The Senate on Tuesday, March 19, mandated its committees on Army, Defence, Air Force and Navy to investigate an incident in Delta state which culminated in the killing of 16 military personnel recently.

The Senate specifically urged the committee to liaise with the military authorities and federal government agencies already investigating the incident.

The Senate also observed a minute silence in honour of the slain officers and called for recruitment and training of more police personnel in order to relieve the military of policing duties.

The resolutions of the Red Chamber followed a point of order raised by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua (APC – Katsina Central) during plenary.

The motion was titled: “The killing of Nigerian Army Personnel in Okuama Community, Delta State and the necessity for an urgent investigation.”

The upper chamber also urged the Federal Government to ensure that those “responsible for the heinous crime were identified, apprehended and brought to face the full consequences of their action through a fair and transparent legal process.”

Citing Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Rules, Yar’adua, who is chairman, Senate Committee on Army described the incidence as “a serious threat to national security and stability of the nation.”

He added: “The recent tragic incidence in Okuama Community,  Bomadi LGA of Delta on Thursday, March 14 resulting in the loss of a Commanding Officer, two majors,  a Captain and 12 soldiers during a peace mission.

“This highlights a serious threat to national security and stability of the nation.

“The tragic incidence underscores the urgent need for justice and accountability without resorting to retribution.”

He lamented that the understaffing of the Nigeria Police has made Nigeria’s military to take over internal policing duties such as organised crime, oil theft, communal crisis, kidnappings, banditry and other policing responsibilities.

Yar’adua said that there was a critical requirement for a more streamlined and deliberate collaboration between the armed forces and law enforcement agencies on one side and the  Nigerian populace and communities on the other.

“This collaboration is essential to foster trust, enhance security measures and promote a sense of shared responsibility in preventing such tragedies in the future,” he said.

Senator Ede Dafinone (APC-Delta Central) who seconded the motion, consoled the military command and the families of the slain soldiers.

In his contribution, Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau said that what

happened was despicable.

“It is inhuman and it is something that cannot be accepted. We need to commiserate with the Nigerian Armed Forces and indeed the entire nation.

“To condole the immediate families of the fallen heroes and the Nigerian military for what happened.

“It should be condemned, what happened is inhuman and no stone should be left unturned in trying to find out the culprits who are responsible and they must face justice and this should never happen again in this country.”

Senate President Godswill Akpabio in his contribution cautioned against jumping into conclusion concerning the incident until a thorough investigation into the incident is done.

Akpabio said: “See, I don’t want you to conclude, I do not belive that these people are from Niger Delta, those who do the killings, because we respect men and women in uniform,  that is why I am saying that your additional prayer should actually be to carry out a thorough investigation to know whether these people are mercenaries from outside Niger Delta who came to commit this crime because I don’t think these people are Niger Deltans.

“We are not at war to lose such number of personnel.  No community will go to the extent of doing this kind of thing. I don’t think they are from Niger Delta.

“So, I think the first point is that we should first establish the culprits who committed these crime, we must take this seriously.  Supposing they are not from Niger Delta? Supposing they are not even Nigerians and we now come and be giving relief materials…people should bear their consequences of their characters,  we will not support relief materials.”

Similarly, Senator Ahmad Lawan said that the military needed support at all times and not such an incident that occured in Delta.

“What happened in Delta was not an accident but well orchestrated to kill our men,” he said.

He also called on the Executive and the Legislature to ensure enhanced welfare for the military.

Read Also: Senate okays Gbenga Alade as MD of AMCON

On his part, Senator Seriake Dickson described the act as sad and dastardly, while calling for an inquiry to ascertain the totality of the facts of the matter.

“Let us direct the appropriate committee to go into this matter and then give us a full report; let’s know what really happened.”

In a further comment, Akpabio said that the entire Senate and the society were concerned.

“We condemn this dastardly act. It portends danger for the entire society.

“Every single culprit involved must be brought out to face the full wrath of the law.

“This is not acceptable in any sane society in the world,” he said.