LATEST NEWS

The Senate on Tuesday referred President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2016 – 2018 External Borrowing Plan request to its Committee on Local and Foreign Debts. The President’s request was forwarded to the Committee for further legislative work following its presentation by the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, during plenary. The Committee has Senator Clifford Ordia (PDP, Edo Central) as Chairman and Senator Bima Mohammed Enagi (APC, Niger South) as Vice Chairman. President Buhari had in a letter dated November 26, 2019, said the Eighth National Assembly approved only a part of the External Borrowing request forwarded to it in September 2016. This, according to him, stalled the Federal Government’s implementation of critical projects spanning across the mining, power, health, agricultural, water and educational sectors. The letter read: “Pursuant to Section 21 and 27 of the Debt Management Office (Establishment) Act, I hereby request for Resolutions of the Senate to a...

The Senate on Tuesday resolved to invite the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to appear before its Committees on Interior, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to brief the upper chamber on the legal and constitutional issues surrounding the implementation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent visa-on-arrival policy. The decision to invite the Interior Minister was reached sequel to the consideration of a motion brought to the floor on the “Urgent need to seek domestication of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement by an Act of the National Assembly prior to Implementation of the Proposed Visa On Arrival For Citizens of African Countries as recently directed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).” Sponsor of the motion, Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi (APC, Ekiti North) who came under order 42 and 52 of the Senate rules, said that the Visa-On-Arrival policy is in furtherance of the African Continent...

NASS will Demand Accountability in Power Sector – Lawan Left to right - Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Gabriel Suswam (left); Managing Director of Nigerian Delta Power Holding Company, Chiedu Ugbo and President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, during a courtesy visit by the management of the power holding company to the Senate President President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has said the Ninth National Assembly will insist on accountability and transparency in the power sector, particularly in the application of funds proposed for it in the 2020 budget. Lawan stated this on Monday when the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Joseph Chiedu Ugbo, led a delegation on a visit to the National Assembly, Abuja. According to Lawan, the Senate and House Committees through the instrument of oversight will ensure the prudent application of all funds channelled to the power sector. The Senate President said that the Federal Government...

Eighty-one physically challenged persons were among ad hoc staff recruited by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the November sixteen governorship election in Kogi State. Director, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC office, Lokoja, Alhaji Ahmed Biambo, disclosed this on Wednesday on the sideline of a one- day sensitisation forum organised by the commission for persons living with disabilities. He said the persons were recruited to work as Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers. Alhaji Biambo said that the recruited ad hoc staff will be deployed to polling units across the 21 local government areas of the state. He said that the state Resident Electoral Commissioner had ordered that they be posted to non-volatile areas, saying that they will be trained on the use of braille ballot guide among others. On his part, the Chairman of the state Chapter of the Joint National Association of Persons Living with Disabilities, Solomon Yahaya, thanked I...

Seven nationals of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has been deported back to their country from Nigeria. Nigeria Immigration Service’s spokesman, Sunday James, in a statement said they were deported from Nigeria for life. He, however, did not indicate the reasons for the deportation. James said that they were deported on Wednesday by the order of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola and in line with the Immigration Act 2015.

Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai says gunmen who kidnapped six female students and two teachers at the Engrave’s College in Kakau Daji area of the state on Wednesday have made a ransom demand. The governor told newsmen in Abuja that the demand is being negotiated. He refused to disclose details of the demands or negotiations as the authorities were trying to protect the victims and secure their release. Governor El-Rufai said the security agencies in the state remained on the hunt for the kidnappers and their victims. The governor said his child will remain in public school in spite of the incident, adding that his child should not be safer or more protected than any other child in Kaduna.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the convener of Revolution Now protest, OMOYELE SOWORE, and his co-defendant, OLAWALE BAKARE. Justice IJEOMA OJUKWU also barred them from addressing any rally pending the conclusion of their trial on charges of treasonable felony among others. She barred the first defendant from travelling out of Abuja and the second defendant out of Osogbo, during the trial. The judge granted bail to SOWORE in the sum of N100m with two sureties in like sum while she also granted bail to BAKARE in the sum of N50m with one surety. Justice OJUKWU also ordered him to deposit the sum of fN50m in the account of the court as security. The defendants’ lawyer, FEMI FALANA described the bail conditions as stringent. FALANA said they would ensure that the Department of State Services comply with the court order when the bail conditions are met. Prosecution Counsel, LADAN LIMAN and FALANA said they are ready for the trial. ...

Senate to review Production Sharing Contract Act President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has said that the Production Sharing Contract Act of 1993 will be reviewed. SenatorLawan who spoke on Wednesday while declaring open a public hearing convened by Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committees on Finance on 2020-2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) said the Senate has earlier in the day decided on the need to review the Act to boost revenue for the government. "For long, Nigeria has been shortchanged and of course, we blame ourselves for that. "Since the price of crude went beyond 20 dollar, Nigerians should have benefitted from that Act by immediately ensuring that we review that Act, where we would have gotten 50 percent of the increase in the price of crude; and we are talking about billions of dollars," Lawan said. The Senate President said it was an opportunity that "we squandered ourselves. The oil comp...

Nigeria's Senate President urges security agencies to arrest, prosecute foreigners engaged in illegal mining  …Says mining sector must be revamped, protected The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has called on security agencies to arrest and prosecute foreigners and anyone engaged in the illegal mining of the country’s mineral resources. Lawan made the call on Wednesday in his remarks after the consideration of a motion titled “The need to check illegal mining activities in the country.” The motion was sponsored by Senator Ya’u Sahabi Alhaji (PDP, Zamfara North) and co-sponsored by 32 other senators. The Senate President, while speaking passionately on the motion, said “This Senate will look into the solid minerals sector seriously, and we will charge our Committee on Solid Minerals, Steel Development and Metallurgy to call for a public hearing on what the sector should be in this country. “We know we have policies on solid minerals as well as legislation. The ...

The World Bank has appointed Mr Shubham Chaudhuri as the new Country Director for Nigeria. He succeeds Mr Rachid Benmessaoud who completed his term recently. A statement issued by the World Bank’s Senior Communications Officer, Nigeria, on Wednesday in Abuja, said Chaudhuri assumed office on Tuesday. It said that Chaudhuri, a U.S. national who grew up in India, joined the World Bank in 2004 and has held several leadership positions at the Bank, with his most recent position being Country Director for Afghanistan. Chaudhuri said it was an honour to be in Nigeria and have the opportunity to help government partners, at the Federal and state levels, realise Nigeria’s full and considerable potential. This, he said, the bank was doing by transforming the economy, catalysing private investment and job creation, investing in Nigeria’s children and creating opportunities for Nigeria’s youth and women. “The World Bank Group has a long-standing partnership with Nigeria and I l...