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  • Senate postpones debate on MTEF

    Senate postpones debate on MTEF

    The Senate on Thursday postponed till December 5, debate on the 2018-2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)

    The postponement followed a motion by the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, on the floor of the Senate on Thursday.

    The upper house agreed to step down the MTEF document until Tuesday when it would have known the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) benchmark.

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary, urged lawmakers to support the motion to enable the upper chamber take informed decisions on the matter.

    He said: “We would wait and see the outcome of the OPEC meeting regarding production quota.

    “That will determine what would be the ultimate benchmark.

    “I, therefore, appeal that we support the prayer and step down the consideration of the report of the committee on MTEF.

    “This is to ensure that by the time we come back next Tuesday, we will be able to have the necessary information that will enable us to take decision on the matter.”

    NAN

     

  • Senate urges FG to summon Libyan envoy over slavery auction

    Senate urges FG to summon Libyan envoy over slavery auction

    The Senate on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to summon the Libyan Ambassador to Nigeria over the slavery auctions of Nigerians in the North African country.

    The upper chamber also condemned in totality the current depravity and sheer animalism being exhibited by Libyans selling other Africans as slaves.

    The call followed a motion on “Urgent need to Protect Nigerian Citizens from the Libya Slavery Auctions,” sponsored by Senator Baba Garbai.

    He called for repatriation and rehabilitation of Nigerians caught up in the despicable treatment and human right abuses.

    “These are our people who are just trying to flee from poverty and deprivation,” he said.

    Garbai said the slave trade was not just a humiliation of Nigerians and Africans, but also to human civilisation and the fundamental principles of human rights under the United Nations Charter.

    He said: “Not long ago, about 4,000 Nigerians were intercepted when they were about to enter the Mediterranean Sea and deported from Libya.

    “The Libyan immigration authority informed the CNN that of an estimated 25,000, 4,000 are from Nigeria and are being held at various detention centres in the country.”

    Garbai expressed worry that the Libyan government did not seem to have the means or commitment to crack down on the perpetrators of slave auction.

    He noted that the smuggling networks were killing, torturing, extorting and detaining migrants at will.

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, described the situation as “deplorable.”

    NAN

  • Buhari names CCB chair, nine others  

    Buhari names CCB chair, nine others  

    President Muhammadu Buhari, Wednesday, asked the Senate to confirm Muhammed Isa and nine others as chairman and members of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

    A letter read by Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, President Buhari requested the lawmakers to expedite action on the confirmation of the nominees.

    Buhari said in the letter:  “In compliance with section 541 of the 1999 constitution as amended and in pursuant to sections 1(2) and 1(3) of the code of conduct bureau act LFN 2004, I write to request for the confirmation of the following nominees for appointment as chairman and members of the bureau.

    “The curriculum vitae of the nominees are attached herewith. It is my hope that this Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will in their usual expeditious manner consider and confirm the nominees. Please accept Mr. Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

    Isa, who is expected to head the Bureau, hails from Jigawa, North West. Others members included Murtala Kankia (member, Katsina, North West), Emmanuel Attah (member, Cross River, South South), Danjuma Sado, (member, Edo, South South)  Obolo Opanachi, (member, Kogi, North Central), and Ken Madaki Alkali, (member Nasarawa, North Central.)

    Others are S.F. Ogundare, (member, Oyo, South West), Ganiyu Hamzat, (member, Ogun, South West), Sahad Abubakar, (member, Gombe North East) and Vincent Nwanne, (member, Ebonyi, South East.)

  • Senate halts launch of 215mw Kaduna power plant

    Senate halts launch of 215mw Kaduna power plant

    The Senate Joint Committee on Gas and Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy yesterday ordered that the inauguration of the 215mw Kaduna Power Plant be suspended following inconsistencies in the contract implementation.

    The committee, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, gave the order after a one-day hearing on the “urgent need to save the 215 MW Kaduna Power Plant.”

    The plant, which was started in 2009, is already three years behind inauguration schedule.

    The lawmakers said the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Mr. Louis Edozie, who defended the change in parameters of the plant from gas-powered to diesel-powered,  was unconvincing.

    Edozie represented the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola at the event.

    He told the committee that the ministry would inaugurate one of the eight units in January, adding that the unit will run on diesel instead of the gas.

    The diesel is expected to cost N46 million per day.

    Chairman of GreenVille LNG Eddy Van Den Broeke said his company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kaduna Gas Plant to build storage facilities for the plant at no cost.

    He noted that while the plant will produce a kilowatt of electricity at N79 on diesel, it will produce the same kilowatt at N37 on gas.

    Broeke added that his company invested $400 million on its gas plant in Roumuji, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    He said: “In 2014 when the parameters were signed, it was agreed that LNG is most competitive. We have invested $400 million after which people in the ministry decided to change the parameters.

    “It will cost $200 million more to use AGO (diesel) because there is no other fuel available that can replace LNG and GreenVille. I would want the ministry to give me one cent of response on this change of theory.”

    He said that besides the functional gas plant, Greenville had imported 250 trucks to evacuate gas to the plant before the change of parameters by the ministry.

    Senator Albert Bassey told Edozie  to inform the minister that the Senate has stopped the launching “because we feel very disappointed”.

    Bassey said: “Please, tell your minister to stop the process  because the project cannot be ready even by mid next year.

    “We insist it will be cheaper to run the plant with gas which is also environmentally friendly. Let your minister know we cannot be taken for granted.”

    Senator Abaribe decried the ministry’s decision to change the parameters of the plant from Gas to diesel, which is largely imported. He insisted the ministry should put the planned launch on hold to enable the committee embark on further physical examination of the plant.

    Abaribe said: “We have heard a lot of disturbing things and we have all seen that we have put the Cart before the Horse. Everyone in this hall today has now seen why we ask questions. We ask questions when things don’t seem to be going the right way.

    “You see one price at N79 and the other at N35, why do you go for the higher cost which is not cost effective. If you are going to spend N46 million daily to run a plant and you said it is temporary, that is not effective. If you start one plant and the rest don’t come up in eight years, we need to save this project from becoming another white elephant project.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Senate halts commissioning of Kaduna power plant

    Senate halts commissioning of Kaduna power plant

    The Senate Joint Committee on Gas and Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy on Monday ordered the suspension of the planned commissioning of the 215 Megawatt Kaduna Power Plant over inconsistencies in the contract implementation.

    The Joint Committee chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe handed the order after a one day investigative hearing on the “urgent need to save the 215 MW Kaduna Power Plant.”

    The power plant inaugurated in 2009 is already three years behind the commissioning schedule.

    The lawmakers said they were unimpressed with the reasons given by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Mr. Louis Edozie, who defended the change in the plant parameters from gas to diesel.

    Edozie represented the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola at the event.

    The ministry’s representatives led by the permanent secretary told the Committee about plans to commission one of the eight units in the plant in January next year.

    They also informed the Committee that the unit when commissioned would run on diesel instead of the originally planned gas.

    The diesel fuel is expected to cost the country N46 million per day.

    The lawmakers were however alarmed to hear that the cost would be far cheaper if the plant runs on gas.

    The Chairman of GreenVille LNG, Eddy Van Den Broeke, who led his team to address the Committee told members of the panel that his company had a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kaduna Gas Plant to build storage facilities for the plant at no cost.

     

  • Senate orders probe of alleged sharing of 222 mansions recovered by Maina

    Senate orders probe of alleged sharing of 222 mansions recovered by Maina

    The Senate on thursday mandated its ad-hoc committee investigating the reappearance and reinstatement of a former Chairman, Presidential Taskforce Team on Pension Reform, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina to probe alleged sharing of 222 mansions recovered by Maina by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) top operatives.

    The mandate followed the alarm raised by Chairman of the investigative panel, Senator Emmanuel Paulker, over alleged “re-looting of choice properties recovered by Maina by EFCC officials.”

    Paulker who came under a Point of Order told the Senate that information reaching his committee in the course of its investigation, showed that about 222 recovered properties comprising of exotic houses and hotels handed over to the EFCC by Maina before his removal as chairman of Taskforce Team in 2014, have been shared by top EFCC operatives and other persons of influence in the EFCC.

    The panel chairman said that his committee got wind of the fraudulent sharing of the recovered properties from submissions made to that effect by some of the invited government officials connected with the reinstatement and promotion of Maina.”

    Paulker prayed the Senate to expand the scope of his committee’s investigation to include tracing those involved in sharing the recovered properties and assets.

    He said, “For this alarming revelation sir, this committee requests the Senate to expand the scope of its investigation on Maina by extending it to the management of assets recovered by him and handed over to EFCC before his removal as Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Pensions in 2014 and by so doing, extend the duration of the assignment .”

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, put the request to a voice vote and it was unanimously carried.

    Saraki in his remarks noted that the committee must do everything possible to unravel those behind the alleged re-looting of the properties and report back in four weeks.

    He said, “This is a very serious matter and more of large scale corruption going on in a forbidden place. We just hope that it remains at the realm of allegation and not as it is presented.”

    Read Also:  Senate seeks new security design to end killings

  • Senate tasks FG on policy to check insecurity

    Senate tasks FG on policy to check insecurity

    The Senate has called on the Federal Government to come up with a policy on the protection of its citizens, especially those in rural areas.

    The upper chamber also called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately send relief materials to villages in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara where lives were lost in recent attacks.

    The calls were sequel to a motion on “Urgent Need to look into the Killings and Attacks that took place in Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara” sponsored by Sen. Tijjani Kaura (APC-Zamfara) at plenary on Wednesday.

    He said the attack on Friday left 23 people dead in Mallamawa and Tungar Kahau villages, while property were torched and plundered.

    “Similarly, four villages, namely, Maikamarimi, Gidan Anna, Mallamawa and Tungar Kahau were burnt to ashes including all their farm produce worth about N385, 000, 000.’’

    Kaura said that the State Government had over the years put in place a lot of measures to bring an end to the menace but that the attacks had resurfaced.

    “The military operation `Harbin Kunama’ that was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari to flush out the bandits is still in place and such attacks are happening unabated.

    “These security breaches are on the increase in spite of the huge resources being expended by the Federal and Zamfara State Governments,” he said.

    The lawmaker called for collaborative effort between Federal and State Governments to come up with a definite policy on protecting its citizens, especially those living in rural areas.

    Contributing, the Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, called for the establishment of state police to curb insecurity in the country.

    “Indigenes of the state employed as state police will know the terrain where bandits are hiding,” he said.

    But, Sen. Dino Melye (APC-Kogi) said establishment of state police would be counter-productive since they would show much loyalty to the governors who would use them against political opponents.

    On his part, Sen. Jonah Jang (PDP-Plateau) said: “we are not serious in this country on the matters of insecurity.

    “Any person arrested should be prosecuted irrespective of his political godfather.

    “Plateau State had been in the forefront of attacks by Boko Haram. It is beyond what we think.

    “For whatever reason, some people are financing and backing Boko Haram, but only God knows.”

    He advocated for state police but called for a law that would create it.

    Also speaking, Sen. Kabiru Gaya (APC-Kano) called for a review of the Constitution to include roles for traditional rulers to give them opportunity to bring peace to their domains.

    In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that there was definitely a collapse of security infrastructure in the country.
    He decried the level of impunity where people illegally carried arms all over the place.

    Saraki said that an ad hoc committee would be constituted to deal with the matter.

  • Senate probes DSS, EFCC, NIA clashes

    Senate probes DSS, EFCC, NIA clashes

    The Senate on Wednesday, came hard on the Department of State Services (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) over the near fisticuffs exhibited by their operatives on Tuesday.

    The upper chamber described as “an unwarranted embarrassment to the country” the reported clash of the sister securities agencies in an attempt to effect the arrest of a former Director General of DSS, Mr. Ita Ekpeyong in his Maitama Abuja home.

    The lawmakers said that the same unhealthy scenario played in the residence of former Director General of NIA, Mr. Ayo Oke when EFCC operatives attempted to arrest the former NIA boss for questioning.

    After bashing the three agencies for unnecessary inter agency rivalry, the lawmakers resolved to constitute an ad-hoc committee to investigate the circumstances led to “the embarrassing situation and national disaster.”

    The resolution followed a point of Order raised by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West.)

    Melaye drew the attention of the Senate to the reported standoff between the EFCC and DSS operatives on Tuesday over attempts by the later to arrest Ekpeyong.

    He said that the same war-like scenario was repeated in the residence of former NIA DG, Oke, when EFCC operatives were resisted by NIA operatives from arresting the sacked DG.

    Melaye told the Senate that the scene created by the security operatives embarrassed the country before the international community.

    The Kogi West senator noted that if nothing was done to nip such problem in the bud, it could degenerate into a national disaster.

    Melaye said: “The EFCC went to the residence of the former Director General of the DSS, Ita Ekpeyong to effect an arrest. The DSS stopped the EFCC from arresting him. That created an environmental brouhaha. The whole environment and neighbours were stopped from lawfully gaining entrance into their homes because of this confusion.

    “Same Tuesday, the EFCC wanted to arrest the former Director-General of NIA, Mr. Oke. Also, the officers of the Nigeria Intelligence agency stopped that arrest.

    “We are not here to say who is to blame. We have been embarrassed before the international community. That two sister agencies will engage in a fisticuffs is a national embarrassment. Arrest and stoppage of arrests is bad. Mr. President, this is a recipe for national disaster.”

    Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi, who seconded the motion lamented that it appeared that nobody was in charge in the country.

    Olujimi urged President Muhammadu Buhari to rise to the occasion and take charge by calling heads of security agencies to order.

    She said, “Right now, we have a situation whereby nobody is in charge of anything and we cannot honestly blame anyone for what is happening. The truth is that you cannot go to the house of a security agent, a man who had kept the secrets of Nigeria for so long and just try to arrest him like a chicken.

    “There has to be someone that we can hold responsible when two brothers are fighting. The person that is supposed to be held responsible has not done any thing, he is not doing his work. This is the first time we will see gross irresponsibility in government whereby there is no arbiter.

    “No one to come in between two agencies that belong to only one person. The two agencies report to one person, the Presidency and now we find them fighting on the pages of the newspapers. Its a shame. We are calling on the President. He has to sit up. He should be up and doing. Call these people to order.

    “You will remember that we rejected Mr. Magu and up till today, nothing has been said about it. Something has to be done. The Presidency has to be called to order. Nobody is in charge of this government. Nobody is in charge and somebody needs to be in charge.”

    The Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan countered Olujimi’s submission.

    Lawan who said that there was no doubt that President Buhari is fully in charge added that even when President Buhari was out of the country on medical ground, the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, was also fully in charge.

    Lawan said: “It is one rare motion brought by Senator Dino Melaye. I support that position. But let me say this that President Muhamadu Buhari is in full control of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “Even when Mr. President was away to attend to his health, the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo was in full control. The statement by our colleague is unacceptable.

    “My opinion about what happened is that, could it be that EFCC did not get the right kind of document to arrest those people? If they did, then the security agents that prevented them are wrong. Only the investigation would reveal this.

    “This Senate is the highest lawmaking body in Nigeria. I would urge us to calm down especially the opposition, as it appears they are neither here nor there. Let there be an investigation before we apportion any blame.”

     

  • Fed Govt submits revised MTEF to Senate

    Fed Govt submits revised MTEF to Senate

    The Federal Government yesterday submitted a revised version of the 2018 to 2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) to the Senate for consideration and approval.

    One of the major revisions was the adjustment of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate from 4.5per cent to 3.5per cent.

    Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed at an interactive session with the Senate Joint Committee on Finance, Appropriations and National Planning explained that other key parameters and assumptions like oil benchmark, daily oil production estimates and exchange rate were retained in the revised version.

    Ahmed allayed the fears that the adjustments would affect the N8.612 trillion 2018 budget proposal.

    She noted that the adjustments had already been reflected in the 2018 budget estimates submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari to a joint session of the National Assembly on November 7, 2017

    The minister listed some of the adjustments made to the 2018 to 2020 MTEF submitted by the Executive to the National Assembly in October to include: N710 billion to be generated from the restructuring of government’s equity in all the Joint Venture oil assets; N320 billion additional revenues from revision of terms to improve government take in the Production Sharing Contracts; additional N60 billion from Excise Duties on cigarettes and alcohol; N305 billion additional Company Income Taxes from the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAlDS); N100 billion from improvements by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT); N2.5 billion from special taxes on insurance of luxury cars, as well as surcharge on luxury goods and N250 billion provision as unspent balance carried forward from 2017.

    Ahmed said: “The key assumptions on the macro framework as defined in our MTEF and the only difference in the key assumptions is that we have adjusted the GDP growth from 4.5 per cent. And this is as a result of a meeting we had with you while discussing the last MTEF down to 3.5 per cent. But all the other assumptions at 2.3million barrels per day, oil price of $45 per barrel, exchange rate of N305/$1 are the same.

    “The fiscal deficit is now N2.05 trillion, down by over N940billion, also pushing the debt/GDP ratio downwards from 2.61 per cent to 1.77 per cent.”

    According to Ahmed, the adjustments were the fallout of the recommendations of a committee chaired by Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun, which identified additional revenue sources of about N1trillion to cut the 2018 budget deficit.

    She said: “When the FEC approved the MTEF/FSP, it constituted a Committee, chaired by the Minister of Finance, which was tasked with identifying additional sources of about N1 trillion revenues to cut the 2018 budget deficit and new borrowings. The outcome of the work of the Committee necessitated a revision of the MTFF, which also formed the basis of the 2018 budget proposal.

    “This briefing note and accompanying submissions relate to the revised MTEF/FSP and MTFF which are in alignment with the 2018 Executive Budget proposal, and were part of the documents that accompanied the 2018 Budget laid before NASS.”

    Some lawmakers who spoke at the session, insisted that the non-oil revenue were unrealistic.

    Specifically, they cited the Federal Government Independent Revenue projection of N807billion for 2017, where only N155.14billion (representing 74 per cent failure) was achieved as of September this year.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, John Enoh and a member of the joint committee, Abdullahi Danbaba Ibrahim wondered why the same projection was used in 2018.

    Enoh said: “Why don’t we have anything on interest rate as part of the MTEF document? That will be the best way to talk about aligning the monetary and the fiscal. Why are we putting more than N800 billion as independent revenue when the president admitted in his address to the National Assembly that it had suffered about 74 per cent variance. And yet in 2018, we are still putting more than N800 billion for independent revenue. Are we just balancing the figures? How do you expect to get the revenue if from the beginning even what you are projecting you know that you can’t make it?”

    A member of the committee, Adamu Aliero ( Kebbi central ) said: “I find it difficult to understand why the budget for 2017 should be truncated by 31st December when less than 20 per cent of the capital budget has been released. By withholding capital releases, you are more or less contracting the economy.”

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki said the 2018 to 2020 MTEF and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) will be approved this week.

    The debate on general principles of the N8.612 trillion 2018 Appropriation Bill, scheduled for today and Thursday this week, was shifted to Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

    MTEF/FSP provides the parameters upon which the budget is prepared.

    The Fiscal Responsibility Act, stated that the MTEF and FSP must be approved before the budget is considered.

    Saraki explained that the postponement of the budget debate is to enable the Senate to approve the MTEF/FSP before commencement of debate on the 2018 budget estimates.

  • Senate, Jonathan, ACF, Ita-Giwa mourn ex-VP Ekwueme

    Senate, Jonathan, ACF, Ita-Giwa mourn ex-VP Ekwueme

    THE Senate yesterday adopted a motion urging the Federal Government to immortalise the late former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, by naming the Federal Polytechnic Oko or other key federal institution or assets after him.

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and former Presidential Adviser Senator Florence Ita-Giwa also mourned the late vice president.

    The upper chamber resolved to send a delegation to condole with his family and the government and people of Anambra State.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Deputy Senate President Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

    Ekweremadu, in his lead debate, prayed the Senate to note with a deep sense of loss the passing on of the former vice president.

    He noted that the late elder statesman was an intellectual giant and consummate professional, who pioneered the business of architecture in modern Nigeria and paid his dues to the social, economic, and political development of Nigeria.

    Ekweremadu noted that late Ekwueme was a bridge builder, patriot, and pan-Nigerian, who played a major role in the post-war reconciliation process in Nigeria.

    Other senators who contributed to the debate, including Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe, James Manager, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, paid glowing tribute to Ekwueme, who died Monday night in a London hospital.

    The Senate also observed a minute’s silence in honour of late vice president.

    Jonathan, in a letter of condolence to the Ekwueme family and the government and people of Anambra State, described the late statesman’s exit as an irreparable loss.

    A statement by the ex-President’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, described Ekwueme as an intellectual giant and democrat, who took a principled stand against military rule.

    He said: “Ekwueme was a well-loved statesman, who played politics of inclusion and made useful contributions in charting a course for Nigeria’s geopolitical stability. A totem of courage and patriotism, the Second Republic Vice President’s role in deepening the roots of democratic rule was evident in his selfless and principled stand against military rule.

    “He was an intellectual giant, whose prowess in learning was as deep and profound as the love he had for his people and nation. His commitment to educational excellence is a trait we should encourage Nigerians to imbibe.”

    ACF said the former Vice President was one of the Nigeria’s finest politicians and bridge-builder.

    The forum, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, said: “The late Dr. Alex Ekwueme was the Vice President to former President Shehu Shagari during the Second Republic and a great politician, who left an indelible mark in the political history of Nigeria. The late elder statesman was a qualified architect of repute, a man of great vision and intellect who was a strong pillar that continues to support the unity and stability of Nigeria.

    “We recalled that in October 2012, when a high powered delegation of the ACF paid a visit to the Southeast on the invitation of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the late elder statesman came personally to receive the ACF delegation and also led the Ndigbo team to the meeting with the forum.”

    Senator Ita-Giwa described the late Ekwueme as a pillar of democracy.

    The foremost leader of the Bakassi people from Cross River State, in a message to The Nation in Calabar yesterday, commiserated with the Ekwueme family and Nigerians over his death.

    “Dr. Ekwueme was a man that I had a lot of respect and admiration for. He was a pillar of democracy in the country and played a tremendous role to ensure it was sustained in the country… He will be greatly missed by the country,” Ita-Giwa said.