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Tag: Senate

  • Senate approves N348bn oil subsidy payment

    The Senate on Wednesday approved the payment of over N348 billion outstanding oil subsidy claims to 74 petroleum marketers.

    The upper chamber gave the approval following the adoption of the interim report of its Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) on the Promissory Note Programme and Bond Issuance to Settle Inherited Local Debts and Contractual Obligations to Petroleum Marketers.

    The breakdown of the payment, according to the report, showed that out of the N348 billion, 55 oil marketers are to receive N275,750,415,108 while 19 others will get N73,452,639,866.

    The committee recommended that 55 oil marketers should be paid 100 percent of their claims while 65 percent claims should be paid to 19 marketers due to irregularities in their claims.

    The Senate asked the committee to continue its engagement with the Ministry of Finance, oil marketing companies, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and other stakeholders in order to update all the outstanding liabilities and clear all outstanding debts, interests accrued and forex differential once and for all.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Kabir Marafa, said although marketers made claims to the tune of N670,497,543,15 as at June 30, 2017, the PPPRA verified and approved the sum of N429,054,203,228 to the Federal Ministry of Finance.

     

     

  • Senate confirms Smith as PSC chairman

    THE Senate yesterday confirmed the nomination of a former Inspector General (IG), Musiliu Adeola Kunbi Smith, as chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC).

    The upper chamber also confirmed six others as members of the commission.

    Smith will take over from fromer IG Mike Okiro as chairman of the PSC.

    The confirmation followed the presentation of the report of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs on the screening of the nominees.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Abu Ibrahim, who presented the report, prayed the Senate to consider and approve the appointment of the nominees as chairman and members of the PSC in compliance with the provisions of Section 153(1)(m) and 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    Apart from Smith (Southwest),the nomination of Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi (retd) (Northeast) (full time commissioner); Lawal Bawa (AIG) (rtd) (North West) (full time commissioner) and Muhammad  H. Najatu (North West) member were also approved.

    Others also confirmed included Braimoh Adogame Austin (Southsouth) member, Barrister Rommy Mom (Northcentral) member and Dr. Nkemka Oshimiri Jombo-Ofo (Southeast) member.

    Before the confirmation, Senator James Manager (Deltasouth) said one of the full time commissioners should have been appointed from either Southssouth or Southeast geo-political zones for balance.

    Manager noted that a situation where the Northwest, Northeast and Southwest geo-political zones got full member slots without any full time commissioner from the Southsouth and Southeast was not particularly tidy.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki hailed the quality of persons nominated for the commission.

    Saraki reminded the appointees that Nigerians were expecting a lot from them.

    He noted that due to the huge expectations from Nigerians, the Senate fast-tracked the process of screening and confirmation of their appointments.

    The appointees, he said, should carry out necessary reforms in the Police Force, especially reward for excellent service delivery by officers and men of the Force.

    Saraki also asked them to work to halt the high number of policemen who die in their line of duty.

     

     

     

  • 2018 elections: Buhari seeks senate approval of N228.9b

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday presented  supplementary budget to the Senate.

    Buhari also requested for approval of  N228.9b to fund the 2019 elections.

    Details later…

    Read Also:Stop blaming Buhari for Killings, MURIC tells Nigerians

     

  • Senate moves to unbundle police

    State police advocates seem set to  win their age-long battle.

    Senators yesterday took steps to unbundle the police as a Bill aimed at amending Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which deals with the Force’s establishment, scaled the first reading.

    The Bill was listed against the name of the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who is also chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Review of the Constitution.

    The proposed constitutional amendment is entitled: “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2018 (SB.694) First Reading.”

    After the adoption of the first reading of the Bill, Ekweremadu said: “The Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution has fulfilled its mandate. Now the Bill has been taken for the first time. I am sure that as soon as possible, we will take the Second Reading and probably send it to public hearing through the committee so that we fast-track it as directed by the Senate.”

    The plan to amend Section 214 of the Constitution to accommodate State Police and Community policing was proposed last week by Ekweremadu.

    The amendment is essentially aimed at creating state and community police to complement the efforts of the Nigeria Police.

    It is generally believed that the Police as presently constituted have proven to be ineffective, especially in the face of daunting security challenges in parts of the country.

    Senator Solomon Adeola (Lagos State) formally moved the motion last week, when the Senate considered a motion on recent killings in Plateau and other states.

    The Constitution Review Committee was mandated to submit a copy of the bill within two weeks.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki promised that the bill will be given speedy consideration to enable President Muhammadu Buhari assent it before the expiration of his administration.

    The Bill seeks to establish The Federal Police and State Police while also creating National Police Service Commission, National Police Council and State Police Service Commission for the states.

    The Federal Police, according to the Bill, shall “be responsible for the maintenance of public security, preservation of public order and security of persons and property throughout the federation”, and “provide state policing for any state that is unable to operate a State Police until such a time that a State Police is established by the House of Assembly of that state”.

    The Bill proposes the appointment of the Commissioner of Police of a state by the governor on the advice of the National Police Service Commission and subject to confirmation of the House of Assembly. The term of office of the Commissioner of Police shall be five years only or until he attains a retirement age prescribed by law, whichever is earlier.

    “The governor or such other Commissioner of the Government of the State as he may authorise in that behalf may give to the Commissioner of Police such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order as he may consider necessary, and the Commissioner of Police shall comply with those directions or cause them to be complied with.

    “Provided that where the Commissioner of Police feels that any order given under this subsection is unlawful or contradicts general policing standards or practice, he may request that the matter be referred to the State Police Service Commission for review and the decision of the State Police Service Commission shall be final, the Bill proposes.

    Also, whereas a Commissioner of Police of a state may be removed on the grounds of misconduct, serious breach of policing standards, conviction by a court of law or tribunal, indictment by a judicial body or tribunal for corruption, participation in political activities, among others, such removal must be approved by two-thirds majority of the House of Assembly.

    It goes on to propose that an “Act of the National Assembly may prescribe a bi-annual certification review of the activities of State Police by the National Police Service Commission to ensure they meet up with approved national standards and guidelines of policing and their operations do not undermine national integrity, promote ethnic, tribal or sectional agenda or marginalise any segment of the society within the state”.

    Also, the National Police Service Commission shall comprise representatives of the National Human Rights Commission, Public Complaints Commission, Labour, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Attorney-General of each state, in addition to six retired police officers not below the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police as well as Chairman to be confirmed by the Senate.

    The State Police Service Commission shall comprise a representative of the Federal Government appointed by the National Police Service Commission, two members to be appointed by the National Human Rights Commission who must be indigenes of the respective states, a representative of the Public Complaints Commission, one representative of the Labour appointed by the Chairman of the state chapter, a representative of the NBA, and a representative of the NUJ. Others are three retired police officers to be appointed by the Governor from each senatorial district and the Commission Chairman whom must all be confirmed by the State House of Assembly.

    The Bill provides that the State Police Service Commission shall be responsible for, among others, recommending the appointment of a Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police, and Assistant Commissioner of Police to the National Police Service Commission in addition to appointment, discipline, and removal of members of the state police below the rank of the Assistant Commissioner of Police.

    The National Police Service Commission shall be responsible for the appointment of persons to offices (other than the office of the Inspector-General of Police) in the Federal Police Service; and exercising disciplinary control over members of the Federal Police; recommending to the Governor of a State the appointment of the Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police of State Police.

    It will also be responsible for recommending to the governor the discipline and removal of the Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Assistant Commissioner of Police of State Police as well as supervising the activities of Federal and State Police and prescribing standards for all police forces in the country in training, criminal intelligence data bases, forensic laboratories and render assistance to the State Police as may be requested by such State Police.

  • Senate decries murder of Sokoto 40

    The Senate has decried the murder of over 40 persons in Sokoto State.

    The condemnation followed the adoption of a motion on “Gruesome killing of 40 people in Sokoto State by armed bandits.”

    The upper chamber resolved to urge the Federal Government to mandate the Air Force and the Police helicopter division to embark on surveillance of Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi States to identify locations and hideouts of the bandits, and deal with them decisively;

    It also urged the Inspector General of Police (IG), through the Commissioner of Police in the three states, to set up a special squad to mop up the zone and rid it of bandits.

    The Senate called for synergy between the Department of State Services (DSS), Police and the Armed Forces to share intelligence and strategies to overcome the bandits.

    The motion was sponsored by Senators Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) and Senator Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto North)

    Aliero was concerned that “these bandits are operating in Zamfara forest where they carry out nefarious and barbaric killing of innocent people over two years.”

    Most of the senators who contributed to the motion asked the Federal Government to take steps to protect life and property in the country.

  • AMCON’s N4.8trn debts must be recovered – Senate

    The National Assemble has been enjoined to as a matter of urgency empower the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to go after recalcitrant obligors.

    Sen. Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, made the plea on Thursday in Lagos.

    Ibrahim, who delivered a keynote address at the opening of a two-day retreat on the importance of AMCON Act Amendment Bill, said the corporation  had been up and doing.

    He said AMCON had tried its best over the past seven years to resolve those debts, but was still encountering resistance from obligors.

    He said that the only way AMCON could meet its mandate of achieving the mandate for which it was set up in 2010.

    He said the Senate under,  the leadership of Sen. Olubukola Saraki, had no option than to urge AMCON to compile and publish the list of all debtors in major daily newspapers in the country.

    The move, he said, would place before Nigerians who were holding the nation’s economy to ransom since they account for 80 per cent of AMCON’s N4.8trillion obligation.

    He said that the Upper Chamber, as part of its oversight function, had decided that AMCON in its lifespan, must be given all the support it required to perform as expected by all Nigerians.

    He, however, urged the management of AMCON to collaborate with the other relevant bodies to propose that the President issued  an executive order on seizure of assets of persons who were indebted to AMCON.

    He said that Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF), office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Central Bank of Nigeria should champion the move for the order.

    Ibrahim said the upper chamber planned to have serious discussions with major stakeholders such as the CBN, the FMF, the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and relevant committees from the legislature among others.

    This, he said, would allow them to deliberate on issues hindering AMCON from performing optimally which include the funding of its model to enable the recovery agency finish its assignment.

    “The Upper Chamber will at this stage bare its fangs by amending the AMCON Act because AMCON has been a key stabilizing and re-vitalizing tool in the Nigerian financial system.

    “It will be supported by the legislature to enable the corporation achieve its statutory objectives,” Ibrahim said.

    He said the legislature supported the proposed plan by AMCON to publish the list of the 350 obligors that accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the total huge debt of the corporation.

    Earlier, the Managing Director of AMCON, Mr Ahmed Kuru, reminded the committee that failure by the corporation to recover its debt, principally owed to the CBN, could not be quantified beyond economic cost.

    Kuru said that AMCON’s total debt obligation of N4.8 trillion represented more than 55 per cent of the 2018 national budget.

    Given the current demands on the Federal Government, Kuru said he was convinced that the government could afford to check AMCON’s debt in the short term.

    He said:“It was for that reason, AMCON, after seven years of negotiating with the obligors with no commensurate recovery result, has decided to change its strategy.

    “The corporation now pays strict attention to enforcements as a way of compelling, especially the recalcitrant obligors to come and pay up their debts.

    `One of the major areas for amendment is the matter of vesting proprietary interest of all collateral assets acquired by AMCON from commercial banks.

    “The proposed amendment will have retrospective effect.

    “The vesting of proprietary interest of all collateral assets in the resolution vehicle was implemented in Malaysia and was instrumental to their success in recovering debt obligations.

    “Our second challenge has to do with the disposal of assets due to the economic downturn.” (NAN)

  • Senate probes Enugu Airport runway contract

    The deplorable condition of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu came under the scrutiny of the Senate Thursday.

    The upper chamber mandated its committee on Aviation to investigate the design and repair of the runway of the airport.

    This followed the presentation and adoption of a motion entitled “Need for emergency reconstruction of the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu.”

    The sponsor of the motion, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, who painted a gloomy picture about the airport, warned that the lives travellers who use the airport may not be guaranteed if nothing was done to fix the airport urgently.

    Read Also:Akanu Ibiam International Airport terminal ready soon

    Utazi said, “Informed that while aboard an Air Peace flight from Abuja to Enugu, the pilot made a chilling announcement about the state of the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International airport and enjoined passengers on board who can get the necessary authorities to listen to help in immediately setting about the resurfacing of the runway to forestall accident as the potholes and cracks pot marking the runway make take-off and landing a bumpy and frightening undertaking;

    “Observes that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu is the first Airport east of the Niger that was built even before Nigeria’s independence and was only upgraded to the status of International Airport on August 24, 2013, long after PortHarcourt Airport was;

    “Notes that the runway before it was upgraded was 2400 metres length and 45 metres width but after the upgrade, it was extended to 3000 metres length which can now take medium to large size aircraft;

    “Informed that a result of a technical appraisal shows that due to high water table of the airport, water percolates and gets trapped between upper asphalt and bottom concrete and this persistent retention of water weakens asphalt and creates potholes and cracks as a result of the weight of landing aircraft which are now heavier that the aircraft of the 60s and 70s

    “Informed that palliative works carried out in the last quarter of 2017 to Create water drains embedded in the asphalt surface end to end have not solved the problem as transition between new asphalt and old asphalt makes the surface rough and bumpy;

    “Further informed that the airport also lacks approach lights at two ends of the runway which has necessitated that the airport operates between 7am to 7pm and the nearness of the runway to Orie Emene market attracts birds which perch around refuse dumps and abattoirs in the market that are awfully dangerous to aircraft engines especially during takeoff and landing;

    “Considering that the SouthEast is the last, among all the geopolitical zones of Nigeria, to have an international airport, the condition of the runway of the airport is disheartening and it would not only expose users of the airport to harm and avoidable accident, it would also discourage international airlines and interests from using the airport;

    “Notes that the upgrade of the airport to international status was a fulfillment of the dreams of the people of South-east of Nigeria who are famed entrepreneurs and have long clamoured for direct flights to parts of the world where they engage in myriad of commercial activities in order to cut costs associated with logistics and distance,”

    Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe in his contribution said that about three years ago, the airport was shut down for upgrade.

    Abaribe said that the chamber should investigate who handled the contract in order to establish who why the runway had to breakdown in less than three years of its reconstruction.

    He insisted that in as much as the Ministry of Aviation should urgently do something about the airport, it was necessary to find out what went wrong.

    Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah who gave the technical side of the motion, said that the technically the Enugu Airport is unsafe.”

    The Senate adopted the prayer to “urge the Federal Ministry of Transport and other relevant Authorities, to as a matter of emergency, resurface and reconstruct the Runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, and also extend the length of the Runway.”

     

     

  • Senate moves to unbundle police

    The Senate on Thursday took steps to unbundle the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

    A Bill aimed at amending Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution, (as amended), which deals with the Establishment of the police, scaled first reading in the Senate.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is also chairman of Senate Ad-hoc Committee on review of the Constitution, as sponsor of the bill.

    The proposed constitutional amendment is titled: “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2018 (SB.694) First Reading.”

    Ekweremadu said after the adoption of the first reading of the Bill that “the Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution has fulfilled its mandate.

    “Now the Bill has been taken for the first time. I am sure that as soon as possible we will take the Second Reading and probably send it to public hearing through the Committee so that we fast-track it as directed by the Senate.”

    The plan to amend the Section 214 of the Constitution to accommodate the creation of State Police and Community policing was proposed last week by Ekweremandu.

    Its amendment is essentially aimed at creating State and Community Police to complement the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force.

     

  • Senate to anti-graft agencies: be professional in your duties

    THE Senate yesterday asked anti-corruption agencies to ensure professionalism in their determination to expose and prosecute cases of corruption

    It also asked the agencies to avoid undue publicity and media trial that would compromise the strength of evidence to secure conviction in judicial proceedings.

    The resolutions followed a Point of Order by Senator Chukwuka Utazi to commemorate Africa Day for Anti-Corruption.

    The lawmakers congratulated President  Muhammadu Buhari for his honour as African Champion on anti-corruption by the African Union(AU).

    Utazi, in his presentation, said: “The essence of raising this order is to reinstate total support and partnership of the National Assembly to the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

    “As we mark this day, may Africa win the fight against corruption so that we can continue on a path of wholesome transformation of the continent.

    Utazi noted that funds traced to corruption in Africa were in the form of fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing, bribery, extortion, forgery and embezzlement.

    Other forms of corruption, he said, were kickbacks, tax evasion, public funds diversion, criminal multiple taxation, contract inflation and abandonment, obtaining by false pretence,  gratification and criminal patronage

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in his remarks, said all hands should be on deck to fight corruption.

  • Senate moves to amend 75 years old Police Act

    THE Senate yesterday set in motion the process of amending the 75 years old Police Act to ensure delivery of better service by the Police.

    This followed the second reading of a Bill for an Act to repeal the Police Act CAP P18 LFN 2004 and enact the Police Reform and related matters 2018.

    Deputy Senate Leader Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South), in his lead debate, said when passed into law, the Bill will make for the formation of a Police that shall protect the rights and freedoms of persons envisaged in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    Na’Allah lamented that “we are in a country where somebody will be kidnapped, ransom demanded, arranged, paid and delivered to the kidnappers without any arrest”.

    He said the Bill would lead to the establishment of a Police that will “prevent the commission of crimes, detect crimes, apprehend offenders, preserve law and order, protect lives and property and duly enforce all laws and regulations with which they are duly charged and such duties within or outside Nigeria as may be required of them by or under the authority of this or any other Act to ensure cooperation between the Police Service and the various communities it serves in preventing and combating crimes, ensuring respect for the victims of crime; appreciating the needs of such victims and providing for effective civilian supervision of the Police”.

    Na’Allah noted that the general idea behind Bill, which was read for the first time on May 30, 2018, is the “establishment of a service-oriented modern Police that will meet globally acceptable policing standards in a democratic setting to replace the current Police Force, which was conceptualise and established in the colonial environment more to protect the colonial interest than to protect and safeguard the Nigerian citizen”.

    He said: “The philosophy of the Bill goes to the conceptualisation of the Police as a service in which the people and communities are core stakeholders and in which the people come first as against the Police as a Force which stood apart from the people it set out to protect and safeguard.”

    He noted that the Bill, when passed into law, will replace the Police Act, which came into effect on April 11943 with all its subsequent amendments.

    The Senate Deputy Leader listed the highlights of the Bill as including:  “Section 5, which seeks to establish for Nigeria a Police organisation to be known as the Nigeria Police to replace the Nigeria Police Force, thereby removing the colonial vestiges of the police, making the Police more responsive to modern day policing in an independent nation governed by the constitution and laws promulgated there-under and to bring it within acceptable global standards of police in democratic countries.

    “Part Three of the Bill, which comprises sections: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 clearly establishes the hierarchy of the Police as contemplated by the Constitution, their appointments, duties; functions and powers.

    “Unlike the existing Police Act, the Bill outlines the roles and duties of the Police hierarchy to avoid role conflict and to introduce a Responsibility Clause to make them more effective.

    “Section 24(2) of the Bill forbids a Police Officer from being the prosecutor in matter that he or she participated to promote and respect the principles of natural justice and allow for a free and fair trial.

    “Section 28 of the Bill provides for the bail of persons arrested without warrant to the effect that such persons shall not be kept in Police detention for more than 24 hours without being charged to court within jurisdiction to try them. This is to bring the provision of the Act, when passed into law to conform to the constitutionally enshrined right to personal liberty as provided for by Section 35 (5) of the constitution and the African Charter on Human and people’s rights, which Nigeria has since ratified and which consequently is part of our municipal laws. ‘

    “Part Eight deals with offences by a Police Officer. The Bill elaborates on existing offences within the existing Police Act and Section 51 particularly criminalizes the drinking while on duty of any intoxicating liquor. This provision is intended to prevent the abuse of weapons by a drunken Police Officer.

    “Part nine seeks to establish Community Police forum and Boards in all the states of the Federation to consist of broad representatives of the community and the state to ensure effective, efficient and participatory community policing (Section 59).

    “Divisional and State Police Boards are also established (Section 60 and 61 and the objective of such boards are stated (Section 62), to include:

    1. Establishing and maintaining a partnership between the community and the Police;
    2. Promoting communication between the Police and the community.

    iii. Promoting cooperation between the Police and community in fulfilling the needs of the community regarding policing.

    He said that the financial implication of this Bill is no more than what has been appr0priated for the Police by the National Assembly.”