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Tag: Senator Chukwuka Utazi

  • 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 to anti-graft agencies: Be professional in your duties

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

    The upper chamber 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.

    Read Also:Senate invasion: Reps okay Omo-Agege’s, six others’ suspension, prosecution

    “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.

    “We may recall that African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption was adopted on July 11, 2003 in Maputo Mozambique.

    “Consequently, the Executive Council of the African Union designated July 11 of every year as the African Day against Corruption much like the United Nations dedicated Dec. 9 of every year as International Anti-Corruption Day.

    “It has been estimated that every year about 1trillion dollars is paid in bribes while an estimated 2.6 trillion is stolen annually through Corruption which is an equivalent of more than five per cent of the global GDP.”

    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 pretense, gratification and criminal patronage

    He said that favouritism, nepotism and other forms of corruption are so massive in the continent that it is better imagined what could have been achieved if the funds are not stolen.

    He said, “In recognition of the worrisome nature of corruption in Africa as a major hindrance to development and stability in the continent.

    “The Assembly of Africa Union in 2017 declared 2018 the African Anti-Corruption under the theme, ” Winning the fight against Corruption, a Sustainable path to African transformation.

    “The ultimate objective is to have an Africa that is corrupt free, Nigeria that is corrupt free, citizen driven and democratically governed.

    “Corruption is a major problem in Nigeria the poverty and misery it imposes on the citizenry are depressing.

    “Africa is at a critical point to take its rightful place in the comity of nations”

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

    Ekweremadu, who commended Utazi for coming up with the Point of Order, said that the fight against corruption must not be selective nor subject to media trial and unnecessary drama.

    Ekweremadu said, “Because he came under Order 43, it is not open to debate.

    “We thank Sen. Utazi for bringing this up and for the work himself and his committee is doing to ensure that the fight against corruption remains focused.

    “I believe that all of us and every responsible citizen of Africa will continue to support the government of the respective countries to ensure that they have legislations and processes to reduce corruption to the barest minimum,” he said.

    The deputy president of the senate assured of the National Assembly’s determination to continue to pass legislations that would support the fight against corruption.

    He further said, “I am happy to announce that the NFIU Bill has been signs into law. So this is a good development to us as a country.

    “It is this parliament that passed the law that set up the EFCC, ICPC, and we will continue to do that.

    “We must however make sure it is not a tool for fighting political enemies and we must ensure that the fight is efficient and effective.”

  • Senate queries N800m NIWA security vote

    The Senate Thursday queried the sum of N800 million requested for purchase of security equipment by the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).

    The query was handed down to NIWA Acting Managing Director, Danladi Ibrahim, when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Marine Transport to defend the Authority’s 2018 budget.

    The committee wondered why the Authority requested for N800 million in the 2018 budget for purchase of security equipment, the same amount it received in 2017 budget for the same purpose.

    It said that out of the N800 million, the Authority spent N790 million in 2017 which is over 90 per cent of the appropriated fund.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima observed that the Authority failed to provide details and specifications of how it planned to spend the money it requested for approval.

    Yerima said, “You said you want to do something; the same amount last year, the same amount this year. There are no details, no explanations, no form of specification whatsoever. This is unacceptable.”

    A member of the committee, Senator Mohammed Hassan, said that Ibrahim and his team should be asked to go back and do the right thing.

    Hassan said, “You are doing construction, the locations are not known. You have a project of N1.2billion which you requested for in 2017, you have received over 90 per cent, you requested for the same amount in 2018. The right thing should have been for you to request for the remaining balance.

    Another member of the committee, Senator Chukwuka Utazi frowned at the poor preparation of the budget document.

    Utazi said, “Budget preparation is a professional job. It is a public document. Anybody who looks at what you have prepared will not know your intention. It is only what you have presented that will be considered, not your intention. If you don’t know how to do it you bring in consultants. If you go to other West African countries, things are done properly. When you come to Nigeria, things change. It is unacceptable.”

    Ibrahim told the committee that the security equipment is not meant for one place alone.

    He also said that the 2017 approval was the first time the Authority was receiving fund for capital projects.

    The committee resolved to ask the Authority to go back and do the right thing.

    Yerima said that the Authority should furnish the committee with necessary details and specification about every item in its budget.

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  • Senate, Reps bicker over NFIU bill

    Senate, Reps bicker over NFIU bill

    The Senate and House of Representatives are at war over the passage of the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Units (NFIU) Bill.

    The rift between the two chambers blew open Thursday when Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, told the Senate in plenary that that his counterpart in the House was frustrating the efforts of the Senate to pass the controversial Bill.

    Utazi complained bitterly that all attempts by his committee to sit at conference with their counterparts in the House had not been successful due to their recalcitrant attitude over the Bill.

    The Enugu North lawmaker feared that the country might be expelled from the Egmont Group if the bill was not passed expeditiously.

    In July, 2017, the Egmont Group, a global network of 152 Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), suspended NFIU at its 24th plenary of the Heads in Macao.

    “The group also explained that the NFIU was suspended because the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where NFIU is currently domiciled, was leaking sensitive information to the media.

    The Egmont Group equally accused the EFCC of blackmailing individuals with the confidential intelligence made available to it.

    Utazi said, “In July last year, Nigeria was suspended by Egmont Group with a threat to expel the country in March this year. This is coming up on the 11th of March, which is next week. If we do not put our house in order, we will be expelled.

    “The expulsion will have severe consequences. Our financial banks will not be able to do anything. Our banks and foreign transactions will no longer amount to anything. We will be degraded. Even the corruption index we are complaining about will be a child’s play to what we are going to face in few days to come.

    “This Senate passed this bill within a record period of eight working days because of the importance and urgency. That was the first bill to have gotten such a speedy passage in this Senate. I came with a motion earlier to explain issues of what were on the ground.

    “The House of Representatives also took its time to pass this bill. A Conference Committee had been constituted. I have been calling my counterpart in the House of Representatives. The first meeting was stalled. They said the leadership was meeting over the issue.

    “We called for another meeting. Each time I call for this meeting, my counterpart in the House of Representatives will always tell me that he is attending one meeting or another. Even this morning (yesterday), I sent him a message and he said he was attending a budget defence meeting. I told him that this meeting is more important? He knows what is at stake.

    “I am bringing this issue to public knowledge that this Senate is doing its job. This Senate is doing its duty. If anything should happen or Nigeria is suspended, it will not be as a result of the failure of the Senate to act on this issue.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, explained that the issue of the NFIU had been discussed at the leadership level where the conference committee was constituted.

    Saraki promised to take up the matter with the Speaker, House of Representatives to broker a way through and ensure that the Bill.

    Saraki said, “This matter has been discussed at the leadership level and a Conference Committee was set up. I am surprised that this meeting has not taken place. I will meet with the Speaker of the House of Representatives and I will remind him of the decision we took so that he can direct the chairman in the House of Representatives on this.

    “Both of you will work on it as fast as you can so that we can transmit this bill to the President before the next Egmont meeting in order to save this country. We will take action.”

    A source however said that the problem between the two chambers emanated from their different positions.

    He noted that while the Senate wanted the NFIU removed from the control of the EFCC, the House wants the body to be domiciled in EFCC.

    Read Also: Senate threatens to pass 2018 budget without MDAs’ inputs

  • EFCC grants NFIU autonomy

    EFCC grants NFIU autonomy

    Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu Wednesday told the Senate that the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has been granted autonomy.

    Magu who appeared before the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes to defend the performance of 2017 budget of his agency promised to submit details of recovered loots by the agency to the committee.

    He told the committee that starting from January 1, 2018, NFIU would begin operation as independent organization.

    The Egmont Group suspended Nigeria as a result of alleged interference of the EFCC in the workings of the NFIU.

    It asked the country to amend its law establishing the NFIU to make it independent or be prepared to be expelled by January 2018.

    Magu told the committee that the agency has a separate budget from that of the EFCC.

    He said, “We have allowed NFIU to go. They are operationally autonomy independent of EFCC.  They will be independent of EFCC. We have given them financial autonomy. N800 million was proposed for the agency in 2018 budget.

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Chukwuka Utazi said that the N800 million proposed for NFIU is not enough for the body to conduct it work.

    Utazi noted that “N800 million cannot go anywhere if you want them to work, they need to be properly funded and equipped.”

    He also requested for pay roll of the 96 workers under the NFIU from the head of the agency.

    Utazi insisted that his committee need to know the work force of NFIU.