• Lawmakers tell Alia to restore sacked Benue councils
• Upper chamber passes 2024 Appropriation Bill for Second Reading; House also
• Okays N61.5b FCT 2023 supplementary budget
• Adjourns to December 12 for defence
The Senate yesterday urged the Federal Government to withhold statutory allocations of local councils areas not democratically elected.
The resolution followed the adoption of prayer sought to that effect in a motion sponsored by Senator Abba Moro (PDP Benue South).
Senator Abba Moro in the motion titled: ” Urgent need to halt the erosion of democracy: the dissolution of elected councils in Benue State” expressed dismay over the dissolution of democratically elected councils in Benue state and replacing them with caretaker committees.
He said the placing of caretaker committees to replace elected councils was an aberration and alien to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
He buttressed his argument with Section One of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which prescribes democratically elected councils as a system of local government in Nigeria .
According to him, it was the constitutional responsibility of every state to ensure the existence of local government councils by law.
He added that “there are subsisting court rulings directing the governor, the House of Assembly, their agents, privies, among others not to tamper with the tenure of the elected councils.”
He noted that since the governor and government of Benue State have not appealed the judgments, dissolution of the 23 local government councils in the state, was against the rule of law.
Senator Victor Umeh ( LP Anambra Central), who seconded the motion said Section seven of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantees that there shall be democratically elected officials of the local government areas.
He insisted that emasculation of elected local government officials and replacing them with a caretaker committee with intent of taking over their funds from the Federation Account was a violation of the constitution.
Senators Adams Oshiomhole (APC Edo North) , Ali Ndume ( APC Borno South) , Abdulfatai Buhari (( APC Oyo North) also supported the motion .
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said it was worrisome that the current scenario was happening in a state controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying that the party should avoid such practice.
He said as governor, he conducted local government elections twice, suggesting that the nation could look in the direction of saddling the responsibility of conducting election of local government areas to a designated body established by law.
Meanwhile the Senate yesterday passed for second reading the 2024 Appropriation Bill laid before the two chambers of the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday.
The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary, said the lawmakers would reconvene on December 12.
He said the Committee on Appropriation, chaired by Senator Solomon Adeola, would begin work immediately by drawing a timetable for other committees to interact with agencies under their supervision.
Barau said the Senate would receive the report of the appropriation panel on December 19.
By the arrangement, the consideration of the appropriation panel report may be considered and passed the same day with the Senate likely to adjourn for the Christmas and New Year break immediately.
In their various contributions during the debate on the general principles of the budget, the lawmakers stressed the need to ensure adequate provision for the security, health, education and infrastructure were duly provided for in the N27.5trn budget size.
A former Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan, and other lawmakers in their contributions said attention should be focused on insecurity and power.
Lawan said the power sector should be properly handled in the budget by providing data support for power.
He said, “The last National Assembly passed the Power Sector Reform Bill at its twilight and it was assented to by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The power sector reform would give the necessary energy we need through a public-private participation to make power available for our economy to provide growth and development.”
Ruling on the submissions of the lawmakers during the debate, Barau said all the aspects spoken on by his colleagues had been adequately taken care of by the 2024 Appropriation Bill.
He said the budget has addressed the areas of security where the president noted that defence and security has been accorded very top priority.
His words: “President Tinubu specifically said the internal security architecture would be overhauled to enhance law enforcement capabilities as guidelines to support our investment across the country.
“The President has placed a very important premium on the issue of security.”
Barau emphasised the importance of the power sector saying without power, other sectors would not perform optimally.
He urged all the chairmen of committees to factor in all issues raised by the senators in their various reports to the Committee on Appropriation.
However, before it adjourned plenary, the Senate passed the N61, 553, 778, 259.93bn FCT 2023 supplementary budget after endorsing the joint report of the Senate committee on FCT and the House of Representatives Committee.
During his separate presentation before the National Assembly committees on FCT on Wednesday, the FCT Minister, said that the amount was required to complete projects that will have direct impact on Abuja residents in the first one year of President Bola Tinubu in office.
He said the budget revenue sources will be inflows from Paris Club Refund, Payee Tax Liabilities, Special Intervention Funds (palliatives), Internally Generated Revenue and the Infrastructure Support Fund.
The breakdown of the budget revealed that that Paris Club Refund supplementary revenue stand at N25,790.082,458, Refund of IPPIS/PAYE N14,320,372,647.53, Special Intervention Fund (palliative) N5,000,000,000.00, IGR N9,443,323, 154.00 and Infrastructure support fund which stand at 7,000,000,000.00
House passes N27.5tr appropriation bill for second reading
The House of Representatives, yesterday, passed the N27.5 trillion Appropriation Bill for 2024 submitted by President Bola Tinubu for a second reading.
The Appropriation Bill titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Authorise the issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation’ is for the total sum of N27,503,404,073,861 (twenty seven trillion, five hundred and three billion, four hundred and four million, seventy-three thousand, eight hundred and sixty-one Naira) only, of which N1,376,352,359,690, 00 (one trillion. three hundred and seventy-six billion, three hundred and fifty-two million, three hundred and fifty-nine thousand, six hundred and ninety Naira) only is for Statutory Transfers, N8,490,960,606,831 (eight trillion, four hundred and ninety billion, nine hundred and sixty million, six hundred and six thousand, eight hundred and thirty-one Naira) only is for Debt Service, N9,918,248,229,600 (nine trillion, nine hundred and eighteen billion, two hundred and forty-eight thousand, two hundred and twenty-nine thousand, six hundred Naira) only is for Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure while the sum of N7,717,842,877,740 (seven trillion, seven hundred and seventeen billion, eight hundred and forty-two million, eight hundred and seventy-seven thousand, seven hundred and forty Naira) only is for contribution to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure for the year ending on 31 December, 2024 (HB.1027)”
The Bill, described as people friendly, was robustly debated by the lawmakers who mostly commended the President for the emphasis on security, health and education among other critical areas of development.
They emphasized effective oversight to ensure a proper implementation of the budget for a better life for Nigerians.
Some of them, however, expressed reservation over certain projections, for instance meeting up the production of 1.7 million barrels of crude oil per day against present economic realities.
Hon Kafilat Ogara from Lagos State described the budget as a people-centric budget. She commended it for its emphasis on security, education, human capital development, public, private partnership, revenue automation and transparency and accountability.
She said achieving a successful implementation would require the efforts of all Nigerians and urged other lawmakers to ensure funds given to agencies of government are judiciously used.
Hon Clement Jimbo from Akwa Ibom State noted that the budget was based on the National Development Plan for 2021 to 2025, but regretted that the National Planning Commission is moribund. He advised that if the budget is to renew the hope of Nigerians, the NPC must be restructured and put to effective use.
Hon Victor Nwoloko from Delta State argued that the efforts to address the problem of insecurity would be futile if the problem of electricity in the country is not addressed. He said if the provision of proper security for the country is to be tackled the issue of power has to be tackled headlong.
Hon Blessing Amadi from Rivers State urged the legislators to be diligent in oversight to ensure agencies stick to the provisions of the budget.
Hon Fred Agedi from Bayelsa State said the budget did not have much consideration for people from the riverine areas, especially in terms of transportation. He complained that they were being neglected by the budget. He said since the removal of the subsidy life has become more unbearable for his constituents. He said the budget should be fine-tuned to connect with the needs of the people at all levels.
Hon Muktyar Chawai from Kaduna State urged that besides improving security to help the economy of the country, the solid minerals sector should also be given priority.
Hon Ginger Obinna from Abia State was concerned that the budget did not adequately appropriate for education to meet UNESCO’s recommendations. He also said the health budget was inadequate especially against the experience of COVID-19.
Several other lawmakers who spoke continued to emphasize the need for security and the need to ensure oversight is diligently carried out.
The Bill was referred to the House Committee on Appropriation by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas for further legislative action
The House adjourned plenary till December 12 to enable various agencies of the Federal Government appear before relevant committees to defend their budgets from next week.
