The Senate on Wednesday set up a committee to probe the alleged assault of a lady by Senator Elias Abbo in May.
The Senator was seen on video assaulting the lady in a toy sex shop somewhere in Abuja last May for allegedly abusing him.
Senate President Ahmed Lawan set up the committe, which has two weeks to submit it’s report.
Details shortly..
The 9th Senate, on Thursday, resolved to write an official letter to President Muhammadu Buhari informing him that a quorum of the Senate had assembled and its presiding officers had been elected.
The upper chamber also resolved to inform the international parliamentary bodies, that a quorum of the Senate of the 9th National Assembly has assembled and ready to receive any communication.
The decision followed a motion by Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, the Deputy Senate President, at plenary presided over by Senate President Ahmad Lawan in Abuja on Thursday.
Moving the motion, Omo-Agege urged: ”that the Senate should send a message to Mr President C-in-C informing him that a quorum of the Senate has assembled and that the presiding officers of the 9th National Assembly of the Senate have been elected.
”They are Sen. Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (Yobe North), Senate President; Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central), Deputy Senate President.”
He urged the Senate to also send a message to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, and his Deputy, Mr Idris Wase, congratulating them on their election and informing them that the Senate had elected its president officers.
Omo-Agege listed the international parliamentary bodies, which letters would be written to, to include the African Union (AU), Common Wealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Other are ECOWAS Parliament, Pan African Parliament and the Association of Senate, Shoora and Equivalent Council in Africa and the Arab World (ASSECAA).
The lawmaker also urged the Senate to direct the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Muhammad Sani-Omolori, ”to advise the Secretary to the Government of the Federation that a quorum of the Senate has assembled and is ready to receive any communication from the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
After some contributions by the lawmakers, Omo-Agege moved for a motion to go into a close door session for discussion of urgent matters.
Forty-eight groups on the platform of the Africa Tobacco Control Civil Society Organisations, have written to the Nigerian Senate asking it to adopt strong tobacco control regulations to protect the present and future generation of Nigerians from the dire health and socio-economic consequences of tobacco use. In a letter sent to the senate, the groups said that the adoption of the regulations is critical to the effective implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act 2015.
The groups also claim the move will provide Nigeria the unique opportunity to align with the requirements of the World Health Organisation- Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC), and demonstrate its global leadership in tobacco control. They described the stark reality of the tobacco menace in Nigeria, drawing attention to statistics that show that in Nigeria, more than 5.6 million adults and 25,000 children use tobacco each day, leading to more than 16,100 deaths every year, which equates to 300 deaths every week.
They reminded the Senate that Nigeria ratified the WHO-FCTC in 2005 to control the growing epidemic of tobacco use, but noted with dismay that the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 is still awaiting the adoption of the Regulations governing its implementation. Appealing to the Senators, they urged them “to resist the maneuvers f the tobacco industry and place the health and welfare of the Nigerian population above vested interests of the tobacco industry.”
The Senate, on Thursday, passed the City University of Technology (Est, etc) Yaba Bill, 2018 for second reading.
The decision followed a motion by Sen. Gbenga Ashafa (APC-Lagos) at the plenary presided over by Senate President, Bukola Saraki in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bill essentially sought to transform the Yaba College Technology (YabaTech) in Lagos State, to the City University of Technology Yaba.
Leading the debate, Ashafa, who represents Lagos East Senatorial District, argued that if the bill is considered, it would enhance the capability of the institution to achieve its objectives.
”Nigeria’s steady march towards education for all in the shortest possible time has taken a giant leap with the introduction of this bill.
”I am personally excited by the prospect of transforming this polytechnic to a university of technology because it will motivate both students and academic staff.
”It will also upgrade the facilities and enhance it capability to achieve its objectives.
”Similarly, the new university of technology will encourage the advancement of learning and hold out to all persons without distinction of race, creed, sex or political conviction the opportunity of acquiring a higher and liberal education,” he said.
Citing instances, the lawmaker noted that in similar circumstances in the United Kingdom, most of the polytechnics were upgraded to universities.
”If Nigeria has plan to become one of the world’s leading economies as currently being pursued by government, we must be ready to adjust and position our educational institutions so that its products are geared for the technological challenges inherent in such projections,” he said.
According to him, the attainment of university status would definitely enhance the operations of the Yaba Polytechnic and clarify its mission and vision.
Lawmakers, who contributed to the motion, also supported it.
When the motion was put on a voice vote, it was unanimously adopted by the legislators.
Saraki, therefore, referred the bill to Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND for further legislative action and report back within a week.
Similarly, the Senate also passed a Bill for the Establishment of Federal Polytechnic Iwerekun, Ibeju-Lekki Lagos, sponsored by Ashafa for second reading.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, ordered the investigation of the drafting and release of the National Assembly accreditation guidelines without the knowledge of the political leadership of the National Assembly.
Saraki, in a statement released by his aide in charge of social media, Olu Onemola, noted that the guidelines which have attracted widespread condemnations from several quarters negated his belief and commitment to unhindered operation of the media practitioners.
It was also gathered that in a bid to unravel the circumstances that led to the release of the accreditation guidelines, the Senate President has written to the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, to brief the political leadership of the National Assembly on the matter.
Following the outrage generated by the release of the offensive guidelines, Saraki and Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have denied knowledge of the accreditation guidelines.
Saraki and Dogara were said to have been rattled by the content of the guidelines and insisted to unravel the authors of the document.
Finding showed that the Management of the National Assembly may have suspended the accreditation and withdrawn the guidelines due to mounting public outcry that followed its release.
Although no official statement has been released to that effect, the National Assembly Clerk was said to have directed the Director of Information, Agada Rawlings Emmanuel, who signed the guidelines to immediately withdraw it.
A team of National Assembly officials comprising Emmanuel and other senior staff have been set up to work out acceptable guidelines for the accreditation which, it was learnt, has been suspended.
The statement by Saraki on the need for investigation of the matter reads:
“The attention of the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has just been drawn to a story that is circulating on social media about the National Assembly issuing new guidelines to journalists.
“These alleged guidelines have not emanated from either the Senate President or the Speaker, and will be promptly investigated.
“The public should note that the 8th National Assembly has been committed to the freedom of the press as exemplified by its work to bringing governance closer to the people through live streams and live tweets.
“The leadership of the 8th National Assembly believes strongly in the freedom of the press and in carrying the Nigerian public along.
“Hence, the Senate President and all his colleagues will continue to work to ensure that these freedoms remain unhindered.”
The accreditation guidelines released by the National Assembly on Monday had stipulated among others that media organization will submit a copy of its income tax return for the last two years.
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Minister of Health, Professor Issac Adewole, on Tuesday, briefed Senate on the state of Federal Teaching Hospitals in Nigeria.
The Senate had summoned the minister, over the “poor quality” of teaching hospitals in the country, following the introduction of a bill during Wednesday’s plenary by David Umaru from Niger East, on the state of hospitals.
The lawmaker cited a media report which detailed “widespread cases of poor electricity supply, obsolete medical equipment and decayed infrastructure” in the hospitals.
He said: “Several stakeholders in the health sector have recently raised the alarm on the declining quality of services in Nigeria’s teaching hospitals amidst cases of overcrowding and lack of adequate funding and personnel necessary for optimal performance.
“Most teaching hospitals in Nigeria have been overstretched, forcing patients to sleep on bare floor, plastic mats and other unhygienic conditions that put them at the risk of contracting other ailments.
“Patients with terminal illnesses such as cancer and kidney failure are now compelled to travel long distances to access chemotherapy and dialysis at very high cost due to the absence of the requisite medical equipment for such services within their vicinity.”
Details shortly…
The Senate on Wednesday re-visited and passed the Nigeria Council for Social Work Bill.
The bill, titled: “Nigerian Council for Social Work (Establishment) Bill 2017, was first passed in December 2017 by the Senate.
The bill was thereafter transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
But, Buhari in February 2018, refused to assent the bill due to what he described as lack of clarity over the scope of the profession of Social Work.
The attention of stakeholders, including the Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW), the umbrella body of all social workers in Nigeria, the Ministries of Labour, Women Affairs and Social Development, and Office of Attorney General of the Federation, was drawn to this development, and necessary corrections were made.
The bill was later sent to the Senate for consideration after the grey areas had been perfected.
The Senate, while reconsidering the bill on Wednesday, rescinded seven clauses of the bill. The law will recognise the establishment of the Nigerian Council for Social Work.
The bill seeks to establish the council to regulate practice of professional Social Work in Nigeria.
The Senate on Thursday endorsed June 12 as Democracy Day in the country.
The upper chamber unanimously concurred with the House of Representatives on the passage of a bill seeking to legalise June 12 of every year as Democracy Day in Nigeria.
If the bill is assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, May 29 celebrated as Democracy Day since 2000 will cease to be so marked.
It also means that June 12 of every year will replace May 29 as Democracy Day in the country if the bill is signed by President Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari, in June 2018, as a way to immortalise late Chief M.K.O Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, declared June 12 as the new Democracy Day.
To give the Presidential declaration necessary legal backing, Hon Edward Pwajok (APC Plateau) and Hon. Kayode Oladele (APC Lagos), sponsored a bill to that effect in the House of Representatives last year.
The bill passed third reading in in the House in March this year.
The bill passed by the House in March, sought for an Act to amend the Public Holidays Act to declare June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria in view of current realities and exigencies of the modern time.
Pwajok, who led debate on the bill in the House, noted that before 1979, there were separate Acts regulating public holidays in the country.
The Plateau State lawmaker recalled that in 1975, a law was enacted to repeal all state laws on public holidays and to streamline the process of declaring holidays for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He noted that by law, the President may declare any day as a public holiday by public notice or Act through the Minister of Internal Affairs.
He added that by the schedule of the Act, some days such as New Year Day, National Day like October 1 and religious festivals are set aside for public holidays.
The lawmaker said in 2000, the National Assembly amended the schedule to declare May 29 as Democracy Day.
He noted that in May 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari announced June 12 as the new Democracy day.
Pwajok posited that for the pronouncement of President Buhari to become effective, there has to be an amendment of the Public Holidays Act.
Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, moved that the House bill which sought the concurrence of the Senate be read the second and third reading.
The motion was unanimously carried and the bill passed.
The Senate also concurred with the House of Representatives on the passage of five other House Bills.
Other House Bills the Senate concurred with and passed included the Federal Capital Territory Area Councils Service Commission (Est, etc) Bill 2019 and Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency ( Est, etc) Bill 2019 .
Others were Projects Development Agency Enugu PRODA (Est, etc) Bill 2019, Good Samaritan’s Bill 2019 and Data Protection Bill, 2019.
It passed the 2018 budget proposal for the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) presented by the Senate Committee on Communications.
PLANS are underway to invite the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), farm tank owners, manufacturers and other relevant stakeholders over THE lingering Apapa gridlock, the Senate Committee on Works has said.
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya, who dropped the hint at a meeting with management of APM Terminals in Abuja, yesterday, said the stakeholders would be invited in the coming weeks.
He further said they are to attend the meeting to find lasting solution to the problem.
Gaya, who said the challenge had become an embarrassment to the country, noted that only concerted efforts would bring about lasting solution.
He said: “We are expanding the committee to include, Senate Committee on Marine Transport and by next week, we will invite NPA and NIMASA to take a holistic look at the matter.
“We will also invite all owners of terminals, manufacturers, tank farm owners and other stakeholders to the meeting.
“We cannot wait for one person to find solution to the problem. We have to work together as a team.”
He expressed concern that unlike in the past, where terminal operators cleared up to 750 containers a day, “today, with less business, some of the few containers brought to the terminal for clearing spend close to three weeks.”
He further decried that in some situations, before containers arrived the terminals, the ships had departed, adding that many exporters lost millions of Naira in the process.
The APM Terminal Managing Director, Mr. Martins Jacob, said the problem was multifaceted, adding that unless it was tackled holistically, no significant impact would be made.
Jacob, who identified one of the major challenges was lack of access roads, said the bad road condition and absence of an efficient traffic management system were part of the problem.
He also said that issues such as identifying and allowing only truckers with valid transactions into the port area as well as monitoring and removing idling or broken down trucks from the ports access roads were a challenge.
The APM chief said: “Poor state of trucks coming to the port which makes it difficult to service them, cause a number of breakdowns affecting the terminal operations.
“Fatigue on the part of the drivers after the long wait on the port access road also has potentials to cause accident leading to more gridlock.”
The Senate Committee on Defence will soon submit the report of its investigations into the faceoff between the Military and Federal Capital Territory(FCT) indigenes over alleged land acquisition.
The Chairman of the committee, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, made this known at the end of an investigative hearing on the matter on Monday in Abuja.
Kyanite did not give a date when the report will be submitted.
News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that representatives of the indigenes, the military, FCT ministry and other stakeholders were in attendance.
The senate had on April 10, mandated the committee to interface with the military over alleged illegal occupation of some hectares of land along the Airport Road, said to belong to FCT indigenes and report back to senate for next line of action.
Meanwhile, the Senate Minority Whip, Sen. Philip Aduda and Sen. Shehu Sani on April 14, while decrying the plight of the people, urged them to remain calm, while the senate investigated the alleged clash.(NAN)