Zamfara Assembly suspends eight members for alleged misconduct.

Zamfara Assembly suspends eight members for alleged misconduct.

The Zamfara State House of Assembly, on Monday, suspended eight lawmakers for alleged misconduct, conspiracy, mischief, and illegal sitting.

The suspension was announced by the Speaker of the House, Bilyaminu Moriki, at the Assembly’s plenary in Gusau on Monday.

The suspension followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Bello Mazawaje (PDP, Tsafe East).

Mazawaje said the lawmakers’ suspension was permitted based on the violation of the Assembly’s Order 10, Rule 9.

He said the suspended members, on Thursday, broke the doors to the office of the Clerk and Sergeant-at-Arm of the Assembly and conducted an unlawful sitting.

He said that the lawmakers also blocked some members from gaining access to the Assembly’s chamber.

He, therefore, urged the lawmakers to agree with the motion to suspend the eight members for alleged contempt of the house, conspiracy, conducting illegal sitting, mischief, and misconduct.

Contributing to the motion, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Adamu Aliyu (PDP, Gummi 2), described the attitude of the lawmakers as unfortunate.

Aliyu said the lawmakers must be sanctioned in order to maintain law and order in the legislative process in the state.

The Chief Whip to the House, Rilwanu Marafa (PDP, Anka constituency), described the conduct of the alleged illegal sitting by the lawmakers as a disgrace to the Assembly.

Marafa called on his colleagues to take disciplinary action against the lawmakers.

However, the Minority Whip to the House, Nura Dahiru (APC, Birnin Magaji Constituency), urged the leadership of the Assembly to ensure a thorough investigation into the matter and ensure justice and fairness.

The suspended lawmakers include Bashir Aliyu (PDP, Gummi 1); Amiru Keta (PDP, Tsafe West); Nasiru Abdullahi (PDP-Maru South); Bashir Masama (PDP, Bukkuyum North); Faruku Dosara (APC, Maradun 1); Ibrahim Tukur (APC, Bakura Constituency); Shamsudeen Hassan (APC, Talata-Mafara North) and Bashiru Sarkin-Zango (PDP, Bungudu West).

FULL LIST: Agencies that may be scrapped based on Oronsaye report.

FULL LIST: Agencies that may be scrapped based on Oronsaye report.

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the full implementation of the Oronsaye report.⁣ As a result, the government announced the merging, subsuming, scrapping, and relocation of several agencies.

In 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan established the Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions, and Agencies, with Mr. Steve Oronsaye as the Chairman.

Coming from a private sector background, Oronsaye transitioned into the civil service at a senior level and ascended to the position of Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

The 800-page report recommended the reduction of statutory agencies from 263 to 161, scrapping 38 agencies, merging 52, and reverting 14 to departments in different ministries.

A previous investigation found that the Nigerian government has the potential to save more than N241bn if the recommendations are put into action.

Below is a list of some of the agencies that may be scrapped if the Oronsaye report is fully implemented as ordered by President Tinubu:

One of the key suggestions in the report is the consolidation of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission into a single agency.

Additionally, the report recommended the elimination of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission and the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, with their responsibilities being incorporated into the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

The Salaries and Wages Income Commission is likely to face a similar fate.

38 Federal Agencies were recommended for abolition, including the Public Complaints Commission, National Poverty Eradication Programme, Utilities Charges Commission, National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, National Intelligence Committee, and more.

National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS be merged as a Department under the Centre for Disease Control in the Federal Ministry of Health.

The merger of National Emergency Management and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa be abolished and its functions, along with those of the Technical Aids Corps, transferred to an appropriate Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Infrastructure Concessionary and Regulatory Commission be subsumed in the Bureau of Public Enterprises for greater synergy and their enabling laws amended accordingly.

It was suggested that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and the Nigerian Metrological Agency should be combined into a new entity called the Federal Civil Aviation Authority, with their laws adjusted to accommodate the merger.

The committee suggested merging the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council to enhance resource management and utilisation.

The committee suggested repealing the enabling law of the National Commission for Nomadic Education and transferring the Commission’s activities to the Universal Basic Education Commission.

The National Council of Arts and Culture will combine with the National Theatre and the National Troupe to form a single organisation

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure be merged with National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization and Project Development Institute.

The committee suggested that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission be abolished, with the government focusing solely on offering consular services and vaccinations to prospective pilgrims.

The Nigerian Communications Commission, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission and the regulatory functions of the Nigerian Postal Services were recommended by the committee to be merged.

The National Information Technology Development Agency to be fused into the Ministry of Communication Technology.

Nigerian Television Authority, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria & Voice of Nigeria into the Federal Broadcasting Corporation of Nigeria.

The Nigerian Army University to be merged with the Nigerian Defence Academy; to function as a faculty with the the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Air Force institute of Technology also to function as faculty within Nigerian Defence Academy.

Debt Management Office to become an extra-ministerial department in the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Public Health Department to return to the Federal Ministry of Health.

The Nigerian Investment Promotion Council was recommended to merge with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council to enhance resource management and utilisation.

One important recommendation from the committee was to stop providing government funding to professional bodies and councils. Therefore, it is necessary to revise the Professional Bodies (Special Provisions) Act of 1972, which requires the government to offer financial assistance to these organisations.

The list comprises various professional councils and boards in Nigeria, such as the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Computer Professionals Council of Nigeria, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, Nigeria Press Council, Architects Registration Council, Council for Registered Engineers of Nigeria, Estate Surveyors’ Registration Board, Town Planners Council, Nigerian Builders Council, Quantity Surveyors’ Registration Board of Nigeria, and Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists

Akpabio’s comment on N30bn to Govs misconstrued, says spokesman.

Akpabio’s comment on N30bn to Govs misconstrued, says spokesman.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s statement that Governors recently received N30billion from the federal government to cushion the effects of hardship was misconstrued, his spokesman, Hon Eseme Eyiboh has said.

Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom) denied receiving such amounts. 

Eyiboh, in a statement in Abuja, said the Senate President holds Governors in high esteem.

He said Akpabio urged the “sub-national governments not to be distracted by any misunderstanding of the context and true meaning of the statement.”

The statement reads: “The office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to various misconceptions in the public domain on the statement credited to the President of the Senate in plenary of Wednesday, February 21, 2024, during the presentation of a report of the joint Committees on Finance, Agriculture/Food Sufficiency, Banking and Insurance.

“During the session the President of the Senate commented on the payment of an unverified cumulative sum of about N30billion to the sub-national governments by the Federal Government for various interventions to ameliorate the food situation of our citizens at the sub-national governments.

“The unfortunate conjectures to take away the kernel in the material facts of FAAC payment are rather regretted.

“In considering the well-intended motive of urging State Governments to collaborate with the Federal Government of President Bola Tinubu to facilitate strategic interventions to mitigate the prevailing economic situation in the country remains the underpinning motivation in the comment.

“The President of the Senate is not oblivious to the fact that State governments are functional partners in all the efforts of the current administration of President Bola Tinubu and are also valuable stakeholders in the various legislative engagements of the legislature in creating the nexus between the legislature and the people.

“The President of the Senate has always demonstrated commitment to team building and shall not do less in the circumstance.

“He therefore urges the sub-national governments not to be distracted by any misunderstanding of the context and true meaning of the statement.

“The President of the Senate recognizes and appreciates the current efforts of the governors at ameliorating the adverse effects of the current inclement socio-economic environment and therefore invites more hands on the plow to complement the renewed hope agenda.”

Ogun begins free surgery for residents.

Ogun begins free surgery for residents.

Ogun State Government on Monday began the process of offering free surgery to indigents in the state as part of plans to help cushion the effects of the prevailing harsh economy

The Executive Secretary of Ogun State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Afolabi Dosunmu, at the flag-off of the registration for the intervention held at the State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, said the intervention was a directive given by Governor Dapo Abiodun to provide succour to the people at this difficult time.

Dosunmu said hospitals in the state were ready to carry out the directive of the governor.

“The modalities are very simple as long as you are a resident of the state, as long as you have one surgical need or the other, you are free to walk into any of our state or general hospitals and enroll on the insurance scheme.

“The doctors there will assess you if it is a case that is ready for surgery and once all other perimeters have been concluded, we will get the surgery done,” he said.

He added that those whose cases are not ready for immediate surgery, would be enrolled for them to have access to the intervention when they are ready.

“Someone can have, for example, a cataract, and the cataract is not yet matured. We will still enrol the person. We will give the person a date for when the cataract is going to mature.

“For example, if you want to remove fibroid when you see the doctor and the doctor says your electrolyte is a bit high or your blood pressure is a little bit high, it needs to be controlled before you can be taken in for surgery,” he explained.

The Executive Secretary noted that surgery operations would start on Tuesday as there were a lot of cases that needed urgent attention.

“We have a matching mandate from the governor for us to enrol 70,000 people and it is broken down to 20,000 pregnant women till they deliver even if the delivery is through cesarean section. The child is delivered, in the first six months, we will take care of its medical needs.

“We have also been asked to enrol 20,000 market women and 30,000 poor people in the state. Among the 70,000, any other person in the state that needs surgery, they have to come down and get their surgery done,” he added.

He lauded the state governor for impacting directly on the lives of the people saying, “Everything is free from the moment they walk in and get enrolled, screened and do tests as well as the surgery and even after surgery.”

Also speaking, Mrs. Olusola Akintola, a retired secondary school principal, commended Abiodun for the programme, saying it would help the less privileged take care of their medical bills while Mr Semiu Koleosho, said he enrolled in the programme to enable his son to benefit from the free surgery.

Customs suspends sale of seized food items over stampede.

Customs suspends sale of seized food items over stampede.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has suspended the sale of seized food items after a stampede claimed lives at NCS Old Zonal Headquarters in the Yaba area of Lagos State last Friday. A spokesperson for the Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, announced this in a statement on Monday.

The Customs on February 20, 2024 said it would sell seized food items to cushion the hardship and cost of living in the country at a discounted rate.

The Customs disposed food items at its Yaba office last Friday in the presence of other security agencies.

“The disposal of the food items got off to a smooth start at about 0800hrs.

“We enjoyed the cooperation of the large crowd that obliged us, giving preferences to the elderly, people living with disabilities, pregnant women, and other vulnerable Nigerians who showed up for the exercise. This was the case up until about 1700hrs, as attested to by the over 5000 beneficiaries and members of the press.

“However, unforeseen challenges arose when we ran out of stock and announced the continuation of the exercise the following day, leading to a regrettable outcome.

“The crowd became desperate and charged through our barricades in search of rice bags inside emptied containers. In the stampede that ensued, some fatalities and injuries were regrettably recorded.

“Considering the recent unfortunate event, we regrettably announce the suspension of this exercise until we establish what transpired on Friday, 23 February 2024.

“This should help us to properly articulate more robust and comprehensive action that will not defeat the noble intention,” the Service announced.

Tinubu directs creation of youth unemployment benefits.

Tinubu directs creation of youth unemployment benefits.

President Bola Tinubu has directed the creation of a Social Security Unemployment Programme where unemployed youths will be paid to ease economic hardship.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists at the State House, Abuja, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Tinubu.

He said: “At this period of heightened food prices, Mr. President has committed to doing all that can be done to assist in giving purchasing power to the poorest and in that line, he has committed and instructed that the social security unemployment programme be devised, particularly to cater for the youths, for the unemployed graduates, as well as the society as a whole. So, we have coming, in the nearest future, an unemployment benefit for the young unemployed, in particular.”

The Minister also informed there were plans for setting up of a consumer credit scheme to alleviate the pains of economic adjustment. 

“Finally, all in the same line, to emphasise that there is empathy. And there is feeling for those who are less well off, or feeling particularly the pains of this adjustment, there is coming a social consumer credit programme. 

“So, by making consumer credit available, of course, goods become more affordable, the economy even gets a chance to revive faster, because people have purchasing power that allows them to order goods, products,” he stated. 

Edun also spoke on the review carried out by the Special Presidential panel on the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), which has submitted a preliminary report to the president. 

He informed that President gave the highlights to the Council meeting noting that what was done was “a review of the existing mechanisms, a review of the existing programmes, and where there have been successes, such as the 400,000 beneficiaries of the GEEP programme, and so on and so forth.”

He said: “Those have been identified and recognised. School feeding programme is another example of relative success and whilst there is still some further work to be done, particularly, as regards availability of the financial data, which is still being looked at, the interim report has been submitted and a key recommendation of the panel was that, especially given the heightened, limited household purchasing power at this time, rising prices, particularly elevated food prices, it’s important to restart the programme. 

“So, the direct payments to 12 million households comprising, 60 million Nigerians, is to resume immediately with the important proviso that every beneficiary will be identified by their National Identity Number (NIN) and the Bank Verification Number (BVN). Therefore, payments will be made into bank accounts or mobile money wallets so that whether it is before or after, there is verification of the identity of beneficiaries. 

“Each person that receives 25,000 Naira for a total of three months will be identifiable, even after they have received the money, it will be clear who it went to and when it went to them. And that is the big change that has allowed Mr. President to approve the restart of that direct payments to beneficiaries programme.”

Southwest speakers demand state police, power devolution.

Southwest speakers demand state police, power devolution.

The Southwest conference of speakers has advocated the immediate creation of state police and devolution of powers to address the hydra-headed insecurity and other socio-economic challenges facing the country.

The speakers, in a communique signed and made available to journalists at their meeting held in Ikogosi-Ekiti, said more power should be given to the sub-nationals to further enable them to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.

The communique was co-signed by the conference chairman and Ekiti state speaker, Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, Adebo Ogundoyin, Olamide Oladiji, and Adewale Egbedun, the speakers of Oyo, Ondo, and Osun respectively.

The speakers stressed the dire need for holistic collaborative measures among the southwest governors to address the prevailing security challenges facing the region.

They also called for increased regional integration efforts to enhance economic growth and development across the six Southwestern states.

The communique reads: “The speakers endorse the devolution of power to states, especially in the realm of security, and emphasise the importance of state policing as a means to enhance security and law enforcement at the local level.

“The Conference calls on the federal government to urgently address the rising economic concerns, particularly the shortage of food, and urges citizens to support government efforts in finding lasting solutions to these challenges.

“The conference agrees to host a legislative summit to address critical issues affecting the Southwest region and to foster collaboration and cooperation among the legislative assemblies of the Southwest states.

“We hereby affirm our commitment to these resolutions and pledge to work collectively towards the advancement and prosperity of the Southwest region.”