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Tag: Senate

  • Senate aborts bill to phase out petrol vehicles in 2035

    The Senate on Wednesday threw out a bill for an Act to phase out petrol vehicles in 2035.

    The bill sponsored by Senator Ben Murray-Bruce (Bayelsa East) proposed the introduction of Electric Cars to replace petrol vehicles in the country by 2035.

    Contributors to the debate on the bill underscored the impossibility of mandating Nigerians to stop the use of petrol vehicles by 2035 without sufficient preparation.

    Murray-Bruce was forced to withdraw the bill following the observations by Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Senator Barau Jibrin who opposed the proposed legislation.

    Ekweremadu, who congratulated Murray-Bruce for introducing the bill, noted there was no need for a law to be passed for Nigerians to switch from use of petrol vehicles to electric vehicles.

    The Enugu West Senator recalled that people moved from the use of animals as means of transportation to use of bicycles, motor bikes, cars and other advanced means of transportation.

    He noted the provisions of the 1999 Constitution which provide for freedom of movement should sufficed for the time being.

    Ekweremadu said: “I congratulate Ben Murray Bruce for his uncommon common sense and brilliant ideas in the lead debate but what is not common is the need to introduce a law to mandate the use of electric cars.

    “If we go down in history donkeys were used as means of transportation and there is no law that caused people to begin to use cars.

    “This is ancillary to section 41 of the 1999 Constitution, which requires freedom of movement. So, he should consider taking back the bill.

    “Besides, in economic sense, we are an oil producing country. So, we should do everything possible to frustrate the sale of electric cars in Nigeria to enable us sell our oil.

    Senator Barau Jibrin (Kano North) in his contribution said that while electric vehicles no doubt would be friendly to the environment and health, making its use mandatory was not feasible.

    “We have to look at individual net worth. Not all Nigerians can afford the vehicles at a given time.

    “We all know the importance of vehicles in our daily activities. So, banning use of fuel cars will cause hardship, particularly for those who may not be able to acquire electric cars.

    Before he withdrew the bill, Murray-Bruce raised Point of Order to insist that posterity would judge him right for the necessity to embrace electric vehicles in the country.

    READ ALSO: Senate passes seven bills rejected by Buhari

     He said that it was obvious that in no distant time, combustible vehicles would be phased out by manufacturers.

    For him: “The earlier Nigeria buys into the change, the better.”

    He said: “I can never quarrel with my leaders and friends but I want them to close their eyes and know they are in the 21st century.

    “I own an electric car that I have been using for the past five years. It is cheaper to maintain and durable. So, the fears put forward by my colleagues are highly debatable.

    “I will withdraw the bill but I want my colleagues to know that they do not belong in the 21st century.

    “They should close their eyes and assume that they are in 21st century.”

    Murray-Bruce said that one of the major advantages of use of electric vehicles is that it would help solve the problem of ozone layer depletion.

    He also said the use of electric vehicles would be health friendly among other things.

  • Foundation praises Senate on Police Fund Bill

    A non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Crime Victims Foundation of Nigeria (CRIVIFON), has praised the Senate for the  passage of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Bill.

    The Foundation’s Executive Director Mrs Gloria Egbuji, in a statement, said the National Assembly  demonstrated great concern for the Police.

    The House of Representatives had earlier passed the Bill.

    CRIVIFON, which has pushing for the law, expressed appreciation to the lawmakers for ensuring the passage before the expiration of the eigth Assembly.

    Mrs Egbuji had  accompanied the former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to present the Bill to the National Assembly about two years ago.

    The Foundatione urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to delay in giving assent to it when it is transmitted to his office.

    It said this was necessary because Nigerians have been waiting eagerly for its implementation.

    “For an organisation that has trained no fewer than 18,000 Officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force on human rights, the passage of the bill into law would go a long way in resolving many hindrances associated with the funding of the police,” she said.

    She pointed out that it would also provide the legal framework for the management and control of the special intervention funds to be established in accordance with the Act for the training of policemen.

    “This would certainly be different from the Police Equipment Fund initiative championed in the early days of the Fourth Republic by some private Nigerians.

    “The initiative eventually collapsed due to non-existence of an enabling law that would have guided the actions of the managers of the Fund.

    “With the passage of the Bill, CRIVIFON would want the Presidency to act expeditiously because the police would have been relieved of the many challenges that inhibit their operational efficiency once there is adequate fund to take care of its recruitment, training, equipment, welfare and so on via the special intervention funds,” the statement added.

  • Updated: Senate releases details of National Assembly’s 2018 budget

    The National Assembly leadership has released details of its 2018 budget.

    Findings show that the release of the fiscal document, hitherto held secret, was in line with the directive of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who asked Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolari, to release the document for public view.

    Saraki, however, confirmed this on Friday, via his verified Twitter handle in a tweet publicly addressed to BudgIT, a civic tech organisation which helps to raise the standards of transparency in public finance.

    Read Also: Senate confirms new ambassadorial nominees

    He said,

    “Dear @BudgITng:

    “Find the details of the 2018 Budget of the National Assembly here: http://nass.gov.ng/document/download/10247 …

    “This is in accordance with the commitment of the leadership of the 8th National Assembly to accountability and transparency. #OpenNASS.”

    The 45-page document shows that a total of N139,500,000,000 was budgeted for the National Assembly in the year 2018.

    Details shortly…

     

  • Senate confirms new ambassadorial nominees

    The Senate on Thursday confirmed three new ambassadorial nominees forwarded to it by President Muhammadu Buhari earlier in the year.

    Those confirmed are Mr. Christopher C. Chiejina from (Delta), Mr. Bukar Kolo, (Yobe) and Mr. M. A. Mabdul from Benue State.

    The nominees were confirmed following the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu had earlier led members to screen the nominees.

    While presenting the committee’s report to the Senate in session, Sunmonu said all the nominees met the criteria for the job.

    Read also: Senate to FG: explore dialogue to free Leah Sharibu, others

    Similarly, nominees for the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) were also confirmed by the upper legislative chamber.

    Their confirmation followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs.

    Mr. Kabiru Nakaura was confirmed as chairman, representing the North West zone.

    Members of the new board, as confirmed by the Senate, are Akinola Bashir (South West), Moses Momoh (South South), Wallijoh Ahijoh (North Central), Adam Modu (North East) and Nwafor Chukwudi (South East).

    President Buhari had forwarded their nomination to the Senate in November 2018.

     

     

  • Senate to FG: explore dialogue to free Leah Sharibu, others

    The Senate on Thursday asked the Federal Government to expedite action to secure the release of Leah Sharibu and other remaining school girls adopted by the Boko Haram insurgents.

    The resolution followed a point of order raised by the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani on the need for the Federal Government to hasten action on the release of Leah Sharibu.

    Recall that a splinter group of Boko Haram insurgents on the 19th of February, 2018, abducted a total of 115 girls from Science Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe State.

    The insurgents released 109 of them a month after and claimed that five out of the abducted girls died in captivity, while Leah Sharibu was held back for refusing to renounce her Christian faith .

    The Federal Government promised Leah Sharibu’s parents that her release from captivity would be achieved by all means possible.

    About 13 months after, Leah Sharibu is still in captivity of her abductors.

    Sani, in his point of order that was not debated, noted that there is the need to urge the Federal Government to expedite action by whatever means possible to secure the release of Leah.

    Relying on Order 43 (personal explanation) Sani said: “Fourteen months of Leah Sharibu in the captivity of Boko Haram insurgents and five years of the yet to be released Chibok girls , call for national concern and urgent need by relevant authorities to do all within their powers in getting them released .

    “What perhaps may be the most important strategy to be adopted in getting Leah and others out of captivity is the option of dialogue with the their abductors .

    “It has worked in so many other places where similar abductions took place like Afghanistan , Pakistan terrorised by the Talibans .

    “Though government cannot be said not to have taken actions in getting Leah and others released, but there is need for it to redouble and expedite actions in that direction for parents and relatives of the abductees be freed from psychological trauma they must have been facing and for the abductees to know that they have a country that cares for them.”

    Sani noted his submission was meant to ignite action on the side of government towards securing the release of Leah and others held captive by insurgents.

    The Kaduna Central lawmaker said that there seemed to be a lull on the side of government on the release of Leah and other school girls held by insurgents.

    He said: “I raised the issue of Leah to prick the conscience of government to act. Leah symbolizes resistance. Such a young soul should not be allowed to perish due to inaction of government.

    ‘I raised the issue of dialogue through negotiators. I am confident that Leah can be freed through negotiation. Negotiation has worked in some dangerous places.

    Read Also: Senate presidency: Lawan ‘ll ensure all-inclusive Senate, says Abdullahi

    “Each day Leah stays in the hands of her abductors is a dent on the government. I am sure Leah is alive. If she is dead, her abductors should have announced it.

    “If Leah is the daughter of a high ranking government official she should have been released. The silence of those who should speak up on the issue of Leah is also worrisome.

    “It is a serious dereliction of responsibility for anyone who should speak truth to the authority to keep quite.

    He went on: “The life of any hostage is more important than any grandstanding that we should not negotiate and dialogue with terrorists.

    “I want the government to do all it can to secure the release of Leah. It is hypocritical to say you will not dialogue with terrorists when people are paying ransom. I will continue to speak about Leah until the last day I will leave this Senate.”

    Sani also said that negotiation to secure the release of the remaining Chibok girls was abandoned.

    He insisted the remaining Chibok girls, the Dapchi girl will continue to prick the conscience of the country until that are released.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, noted that all efforts should be made by the Federal Government to secure the release of Leah and others held by abductors.

  • Banditry: Senate approves N10bn intervention to assist displaced persons in Zamfara

    The Senate has proposed that a N10 billion intervention be made part of the 2019 Budget to assist persons displaced by banditry in Zamfara.

    This followed a motion by Sen. Kabiru Marafa on Wednesday at the Upper Chamber.

    The Senate further called for establishment of a 10-year Presidential Initiative to cater to the needs of displaced persons affected by banditry in the state.

    Presenting the motion, Marafa said recent public protest staged in Abuja and Nigerians in the Diasporas was a reaction to the deteriorating state of insecurity in Zamfara.

    He said there was need to commend those who staged the protest for their show of support and to sustain the solidarity.

    The lawmaker lamented that the activities of armed bandits, cattle rustlers and kidnappers for ransom in villages and communities had remained unabated in the state.

    “The activities of these armed bandits and cattle rustlers have since 2011 to date, resulted in the death of many people.

    “This is in addition to creating humanitarian crises which included, but not limited to, growing number of widows, rape victims and orphans

    “A conservative estimate of 11,000 male adults have been killed by armed bandits, leaving behind an average of 22,000 widows, at 2 wives per person and an estimated 44,000 orphans, at an average of 4 children per deceased.

    “Owing to cultural and religious consideration, the burden of these widows, orphans, rape victims and displaced persons are borne largely by close relatives.

    “Their needs are borne by extended families and sometimes immediate neighbours, who are now overstretched to a point they can no longer cope,” he said.

    The lawmaker also said the killings had brought untold hardship on several families who had to accommodate displaced persons and families, over stretching accommodation, scarce food, clothing and other necessities.

    According to him, the negative consequences arising from the crisis and the need for more humanitarian interventions for the growing number of widows and orphans had become necessary.

    He therefore urged the senate to commend all Nigerians who, irrespective of cultural, religious and tribal differences, came out in their number to show solidarity to the plight of their brothers and sisters in Zamfara.

    Read Also: Senate set to override Buhari’s veto on two bills

    He further urged the senate to make provision for the sum of N10 billion in the 2019 Appropriation as Intervention Fund to cater for the IDPs and other persons affected by the activities of armed bandits in the state.

    He equally urged the Federal Government to set up an Adhoc Committee to be known as Presidential Initiatives on Zamfara State (PIZAMS), with a 10 year life span to manage the said funds and subsequent allocation and donations.

    Contributing, some lawmakers recommended the creation of State police and constitutional amendment to devolve more powers to the states as part of solutions to the problem.

    They said the three-month ban on the use of commercial motorcycle imposed by the state government would go a long way in addressing banditry in the state.

    The lawmakers equally noted that the only way to tackle the numerous security challenges in the country was to decentralise the Nigerian Police Force.

    In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said until Nigeria began to look at the possibility of establishing State Police, the country would continue to have security challenges.

    He expressed concern at the turn of events in Zamfara, saying the state used to be very peaceful.

    Saraki charged relevant authorities not to rest on their oars in nipping the crisis in the bud.

    The president of the senate put the recommendations to voice vote and they were unanimously adopted.

  • Senate set to override Buhari’s veto on two Bills

    The Senate on Wednesday resolved to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on two bills passed by the National Assembly.

    The upper chamber also agreed to reconsider and pass 15 other Bills rejected by President Buhari.

    The resolution to override the president’s veto on the bills and reconsider 15 others was unanimously adopted on the floor of the Senate.

    The two affected bills are the “the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration No. 28,) Bill, 2018” and “the Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

    The Forth Alteration No. 28 Bill, a constitution amendment, seeks to provide for the time within which the President or Governor shall lay the Appropriation Bill before the National or State Assembly.

    The Bill also seeks to encourage early presentation and passage of Appropriation Bills.

    President Buhari declined assent to the Bill on the grounds that it did not take cognizance of the provisions of Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

    The Industrial Development Amendment Bill, is 2018, on the other hand, aimed to enable companies that expand their operations in pioneer industry or product to apply for a new pioneer status.

    Records showed that President Buhari declined assent to the Bill on the ground that ongoing inter-ministerial consultations would be affected if the Bill is signed into law.

    Findings showed that since the inauguration of the Eight National Assembly, President Buhari has vetoed more than 36 Bills passed by the National Assembly.

    The President has vetoed over 15 Bills passed by the National Assembly this year alone.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator David Umaru, whose committee considered the rejected Bills, presented the report of the committee.

    Umaru said that the 1999 Constitution, (as amended), gives the Senate the right to override the President in the event that a Bill is vetoed.

    The Niger East Senator quoted Section 60 of the Constitution and Rule 88 of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 to back the position that the Senate is constitutionally empowered to override the President in the event the a Bill is vetoed.

    He said: “Therefore, the Bills having been rejected by Mr. President, the National Assembly even if it considers Mr. President’s observations or not, must pass the Bills again and be assented to by Mr. President or override the veto, in which case, Mr. President’s assent would not be required.”

    The 15 Bills the Senate resolved to reconsider and pass were also rejected by the President.

    The Bills are expected to be represented on the floor of the upper chamber for normal legislative process, before passage into law.

    The affected Bills include the Fourth Alteration, No. 20, expected to strengthen the Judiciary and accelerate dispensation of justice.

    Fourth Alteration, No. 8, which seeks to alter the Constitution to

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  • IGP lauds NASS for passage of Police Trust Fund Bill

    The Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu has lauded the leadership and members of the National Assembly for the passage of the Police Trust Fund Bill.

    It is expected that when the Bill is signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, the challenges of inadequate equipment, poor infrastructure, inadequate training and other issues will be addressed.

    This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday by the Force Spokesman, DCP Frank Mba.

    The statement reads: “The Bill, when signed into law by the President Muhammadu Buhari, the Bill will be key to providing a legal framework for the management and control of the Special Intervention Fund for the training of personnel of the Force, procurement of operational equipment, infrastructures and maintenance of Police Stations across the Country.”

    Read Also: NAF strikes bandits in Zamfara, destroys 8 camps, kills scores

    The IGP expressed hope that the passage of the Bill and the eventual signing into law by the President, the federal government will be laying a solid foundation for the future of an effective and efficient structure for policing the Country.

    He also said the passage was timely as concerted efforts are being made at all levels to overcome issues of armed banditry, kidnapping and other heinous crimes across the country.

    The IGP thanked all stakeholders that helped in mobilizing support for the passage of the Bill, especially, the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Human Rights Groups, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), the media, the traditional rulers Council of Nigeria amongst others.

  • Senate Passes Police Trust Fund Bill

    The Senate on Tuesday passed the Nigerian Police Trust Fund Bill (HB 1583).

    Recall that last week, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, had promised the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, that the Senate would fast-track its work on both the Police Trust Fund Bill and the Police Reform Bill.

    Reacting to the Senate’s passage of the Bill, which has also been passed by the House of Representatives, Saraki said: “By passing this bill, we will be creating big strides towards providing and improving security and the policing in our country.

    “One of the major concerns has always been the issue of funding. We believe that this bill will provide the funding needed for training and recruitment.

    “I am confident that by the time we lay the report on the Police Reform Bill, we would have gone a long way in moving the police in the right direction.

    Read also: Senate okays N1.64tr borrowing plan

    “It is our view that once we have these Police Bills as laws, we will relieve the burden on the military, so that it can focus on its Constitutional responsibility,” the Senate President said.

    The Police Trust Fund Bill, which was initially passed by the House of Representatives, aims to provide a legal framework for the management and control of the special intervention funds established under the Act for the training of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.

    The Trust Fund will also be utilised to enhance the skills of the personnel of the Police, in order to ensure their efficiency, overall performance, and constant improvement while they perform their duties.

    In addition to this, the Trust Fund will be used to ensure that the Nigeria Police Force has the necessary operational equipment, instructional materials, police stations and living quarters.

    The Bill will now be transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.

  • Senate tackles AGF over untreated audit reports

    The Senate Tuesday tackled the Auditor General of the Federation (AGF) Anthony Ayine over his claim that no audit report submitted to the National Assembly had been comprehensively treated since 1999.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Mathew Urhoghide, who responded to AGF’s claim, said that Ayine has not submitted any audit report since he took over as AGF in 2017.

    Urhoghide said that by law, the AGF should have concluded work on 2018 audit report because the law states that report should be submitted six months into the new financial year.

    The Edo South Senator noted that the major problem of the office of the AGF is incompetent man power.

    According to him, some of those who work in the office of the AGF were those who have nothing to do with auditing.

    Insisting that the Public Accounts Committee was not created only to consider audit report, Urhoghide noted that in 2016, they discovered that N14billion was removed from one federal fund meant for intervention in states that were distressed and given to the Ministry of Defence.

    He noted that although the AGF queried the removal of the fund, he (Urhoghide) called the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence to his draw his attention to it, “because it is an extra-budgetary allocation made to them.”

    He said that the removal of the N14 billion was apart from the N2.7bn given to the Defence Ministry “behind the doors from the Service Wide Votes.”

    Urhoghide said that he asked what the ministry did with the funds.

    The committee chairman who said that “it is only Public Accounts Committee that can see all those things” noted that the Permanent Secretary expressed surprise and said, “we didn’t form a new division in the army.”

    Urhoghide said, “The much I know since I became the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, about a year and half ago, is what I can say.

    Read Also: Senate tackles AGF over untreated audit reports

    “When the Auditor General came for his budget defence, I told him that the fact that we have not conducted hearing on his queries does not mean that he should not bring audit reports.

    “We have not received audit report for 2016. The Auditor General resumed office in 2017. Since he came, he has not submitted any audit report to the National Assembly. He is even supposed to be concluding works on 2018 because the law said that it must be submitted, six months into the new financial year.

    “This is the fourth month. By the time we get to June end, he is expected to submit audit report for 2018. He doesn’t have the competent manpower to conduct audit.

    “Our committee is not set up to consider audit report alone. We have a lot of motions that we moved, we have submitted reports on status enquiries of those whose audited accounts have been submitted.

    “We investigated and submitted reports on the subsidy issue, the $1bn euro-bond issue, withdrawals made from the Service Wide Vote from 2012 till date.

    “If we have audit reports from 2015 till date, we would be