Tag: 10th Senate

Senate suspends move to stop electricity tariff hike

Aminu Imam
Senate approves

The Senate has suspended the consideration of a report recommending the suspension of the increase in electricity tariff by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), pending legal advice. The resolution was a sequel to a point of Order raised by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Titus Zam, during the plenary. The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, announced the resolution after a majority of the senators supported it through voice votes. Recall that in February, the Senate rejected the increase in the electricity tariff and directed…

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Senate approves establishment of North-West Development Commission

Aminu Imam
Senate approves

The 10th Senate yesterday passed the North-West Development Commission Bill to address the challenges facing the seven States in the geo-political zone. This followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the Committee on Special Duties on the NWDC (Establishment). The Bill, which scaled the third reading, was sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin, and 20 other lawmakers from the seven States in the North-West geo-political zone. Chairman of the committee, Sen. Shehu Kaka (representing Borno-Central), who moved the motion for the presentation and consideration…

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Senate approves $500m loan for metering Nigerians

Aminu Imam
Senate approves

…Says over 92m Nigerians yet to be metered The Senate has approved a $500 million loan request by the Federal Government to be used by the Bureau of Public Enterprises, (BPE), for “metering Nigerians” for the supply of electricity to their homes. According to the Ministry of Power, over 92 million Nigerians have yet to be metered. In another development, a Bill to establish the Federal Polytechnic Onueke, Ebonyi State in the South Eastern Nigeria, which was sponsored by Senator Kenneth Emeka Eze, has passed a second reading in the…

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Senate approves death penalty for drug traffickers

Aminu Imam
Senate

Senate yesterday, approved the death penalty for those convicted on the charge of drug trafficking in the country. The punishment prescribed in the extant NDLEA Act is a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration of a report of the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Drugs and Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters presented the report during plenary, Senator Mohammed Monguno. The Bill,…

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Electricity Tariff Hike: Senate summons NERC, Power Minister

Aminu Imam
Senate summons

The Senate Committee on Power has summoned the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the top echelon of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), to appear before it for investigative hearing on the recent electricity tariff hike in the country. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, disclosed this yesterday, during an oversight function of the committee and familiarisation tour to the Federal Ministry of Power, in Abuja. Abaribe said, “The Senate has already authorised an investigative hearing scheduled for the 29th of April, 2024. The major agencies…

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Budget-Padding: CSO threatens mass protest against Akpabio

Aminu Imam
CSO Akpabio

A Civil Society Organisation, (CSO), ‘National Association For Peaceful Co-existence and Good Governance‘ has threatened to organise a massive protest against the President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio over the recent allegation of budget-padding levelled against him by senator representing Bauchi-Central, Abdul Ningi. Founder of the group, Comrade Isiaku Balogun Nathaniel, said the matter would not be swept under the carpet, urging President Bola Tinubu to probe Ningi’s allegations and the leadership of the Senate to make clarification and reinstate the suspended senator within one week. He said, “We are…

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Senate postpones resumption till April 23

Aminu Imam

The Senate has announced a postponement of its resumption date from the ongoing Easter and Sallah break by one week. The Senate’s resumption date earlier slated for Tuesday, April 16, 2024, has been shifted to Tuesday, April 23, 2024. A statement to this effect by the Clerk of the Senate, Chinedu Francis Akubueze, did not give any reason but simply said that it was due to unforeseen circumstances, and any inconvenience this may cause was highly regretted. The statement read, “Distinguished Senators are hereby invited to note that the resumption…

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?‘Nigeria may not recover Anchor Borrowers N358bn loan’- Senate

Aminu Imam

The Senate has expressed the fear that Nigeria may not recover N358 billion about 30% of the N1.1 trillion Anchor Borrowers. The Senate said the N1.1 trillion has an impressive repayment rate of up to 70% but added that the rest of the 30 per cent amounting to N358 billion are loans given to low-income farmers which have very high risk. This came up yesterday at the Senate Ad-hoc Committee probing the N30 trillion Ways and Means loans to the federal government and Anchor Borrowers Programme. The chairman of the…

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Senate confirms MD, ED of AMCON

Aminu Imam

Senate has confirmed the nominations of the Managing Director and three Executive Directors of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) at plenary yesterday. Those confirmed are Gbenga Alade (Managing Director) and three Executive Directors: Adeshola Lamidi, Lucky Adaghe and Dr. Aminu Mukhtar ?an’amu. This followed consideration of report of its Committee on Banking, Insurance & Other Financial Institutions presented by the chairman, Senator Adetokumbo Abiru. Abiru said, the nominees were subjected to screening in line with Parliamentary rules and were found competent to serve as Directors of AMCON, noting…

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Budget Padding: SERAP gives Akpabio 7 days to reinstate Ningi or face legal actions

Aminu Imam

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has issued Senate President, Godswill Akpabio a 7-day ultimatum within which he’s to reinstate the suspended Senator representing Bauchi-North, Abdul Ningi. SERAP, which wrote the letter to the Senate urged Senate President to urgently refer the allegations that lawmakers padded the 2024 Budget by irregularly inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion to EFCC and ICPC for investigation and prosecution. Tinubu was also asked to refer the allegations of budget-padding and irregularities for which the senator was suspended to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,…

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