Report of House of Representatives Proceedings (October 16 ‪- October 20, 2017)

Report of House of Representatives Proceedings (October 16 ‪- October 20, 2017)
By smojeeds House of Representatives Weekly October 20, 2017

 

Report of House of Representatives Proceedings (October 16 ‪- October 20, 2017)

The following are the summary of activities that happened on the floor of the House of Representatives (October 16 ‪- October 20, 2017) #‎RepsThisWeek

  1. Message From The President

Submission of 2018-2020 Medium –Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper

  1. Some Bills considered for first reading
  2. Nil

 

  • Some Motions considered for the week
  1. Need to strengthen the fight against poverty as the World Commemorates the International Day for the eradication of poverty

 

The House resolved to:

  1. Call on the Federal Government to be more effective in implementing various Special Intervention Projects (SIP) programmes aimed at tackling poverty in the country;

 

  1. Urge the Federal Government to efficiently promote the establishment of small and medium scale enterprises through its relevant agencies, particularly, the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), so that the nation’s teeming unemployed people could be gainfully employed thereby improving their living standard;

 

  • Also urge the Federal Government to ensure the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most especially No. 1, which targets poverty eradication;

 

  1. Show a sober reflection on this day and to support the poverty eradication programme in Nigeria
  2. Need to Rehabilitate the Katsina-Ala Bridge in Benue State (Hon. Emmanuel M. Udende)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to urgently rehabilitate the Katsina-Ala Bridge and the Ugbema Junction intersection to facilitate free flow of traffic and enhance economic activities; and

(ii)           mandate the Committees on Works, FERMA and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.

  1. Need to Investigate the Non Patronage of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT): (Hon. D. C. Hosea)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the Federal Government to issue a guideline  making it mandatory for agencies to patronize the Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT);

(ii)           also urge Governments of the States of the Federation to mandate their Agencies to do likewise; and

(iii)          mandate the Committee on Information Technology to determine the cause of non-patronage of the Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited, proffer solutions to it and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Need to Investigate the Operations of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (Hon. Wole Diya)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the Federal Government to establish Primary Healthcare Centres in all rural communities and adequately equip them to function effectively; and

(ii)           mandate the Committee on Healthcare Services to investigate the operations of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency to ascertain its level of compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals and report back within six (6) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Directive of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services to Operators in the Petroleum Industry to Contribute to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Intervention Fund for the North East Zone: ( Obinna Chidoka)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            call on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation/National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NNPC/NAPIMS) to stay action on the directive to operators in the petroleum industry to contribute to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Intervention Fund for the North East Zone;

(ii)           mandate the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) to investigate the matter and report back within two (2) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Need to Investigate the Violations of the Constitution, the Fiscal Responsibility and Public Procurement Acts by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Over Foreign Loans of $1.5b and $500m for its Operations and Contract Processes (Hon. Simon Y. Arabo)

 

The House resolved to:

Mandate the Committees on Power, Public Procurement and Aids, Loans and Debt Management to investigate the activities of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for the past 10 years in respect of foreign loans and contract awards and report back within eight (8) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Need to Curb Incessant Attacks on Personnel of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) (Hon. Solomon Bulus Maren)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the Federal Government to facilitate the procurement of arms and ammunitions for officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission to protect themselves while performing their duties; and

(ii)           mandate the Committee on Federal Road Safety Commission to investigate cases of attacks on personnel of the FRSC, ensure implementation of Prayer (i) and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Need to Stop the Incessant Harassment and Killing of Nigerians at Danare Community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State by Cameroonian Gendarmes (Hon. Agibe Christopher Ngoro)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the Federal Government to establish a military base at Danare to curb the unwarranted attacks;

(ii)           also urge the Inspector General of Police to ensure the speedy completion of the Police Station at Danare and deploy Police Officers permanently at the border;

(iii)          further urge the Attorney General of the Federation and Leader of the Nigerian Delegation at the Cameroon-Nigerian Mixed Commission to, in conjunction with the National Boundary Commission, ensure the completion of the International Boundary demarcation exercise in line with the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in order to enhance peaceful co-existence between Nigeria and Cameroun;

(iv)         call on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to send relief materials to the people of Danare Community to support victims of the attacks to ameliorate their suffering;

(v)          mandate the Committees on National Security and Intelligence, Defence, Police Affairs, and Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to ensure implementation and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action; and

(vi)         observe a minute silence in honor of those who lost their lives protecting Nigeria’s territorial boundary.

 

  1. Call for Award of Scholarships Under the Amnesty Programme to Qualified Candidates into the 2017/2018 Academic Session of Universities (Hon. Kolade V. Akinjo)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the Federal Government to continue to prioritize the educational aspect of the Amnesty Programme in view of its importance to the national economy;

(ii)           also urge the Presidential Amnesty Committee to, without further delay, award scholarships to all candidates under the Programme who have qualified for admissions into the 2017/2018 academic session of Universities; and

(iii)          mandate the Committees on Governmental Affairs and Legislative Compliance to monitor compliance and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Need for Intervention in the Flood Disaster at Etsako Federal Constituency (Hon. Johnson Egwakhide Oghuma)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to, as a matter of urgency, send relief materials to the victims of the flood disaster;

(ii)           also urge the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to intervene by completion of the IDP camp which has since been abandoned; and

(iii)          mandate the Committees on Power, Works, Housing, and Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to ensure implementation.

  1. Call on the Executive Arm of Government to Suspend the Plan to Shut Down the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) (Hon. Bode Ayorinde)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            call on the Executive Arm of Government to stay further action on the planned closure of the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) until investigations have been concluded on allegations of mismanagement in the Organization; and

(ii)           set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the activities of NERFUND and its current status with a view to justifying the planned closure and also the high profile debtors to the Fund, the condition of the projects that benefitted from the loans and the roles played by intermediary Banks and report back within six (6) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Need to Investigate the ₦701 Billion Payment Assurance Facility plus ₦194 Billion Interest Payment Approved by the Federal Executive Council for Emergency and Long Term Power Sector Recovery Plan as Interventions to ensure Payment for Gas Supply and Generation Subsectors of the Electricity Industry (Hon. Chris Emeka Azubogu)

 

The House resolved to:

Mandate the Committee on Power to investigate the approval with a view to ensuring that the entire process was geared towards significant improvement of power supply in Nigeria and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.

 

  1. Need to Investigate the Loss of Over $14 Billion as a Result of Non-Payment of Gas Flared Penalties by International Oil Companies (IOCs) From April 2008 -2016:

(Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma                Hon. Uchechuku Nnam-Obi       

Hon. Johnny Johnson E. Oghuma                             Hon. Randolph O. Brown            

Hon. Jerome Amadi Eke                                               Hon. Edward Pwajok

Hon. Issa Jessy Ali)

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the relevant Government Agencies to undertake a damage and post impact assessment of the gas flared environment and direct the payment of compensation by the Oil Companies to the affected communities; and

(ii)           set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the non-payment of penalties on gas flaring by Oil Companies and report back within eight (8) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Need to Curb the Recurring Death of Inmates in Nigerian Prisons as a Result of Alleged Poor State of Medical Facilities (Hon. Wale Raji)

 

The House resolved to:

Mandate the Committees on Interior, and Human Rights to:

(i)            investigate the death of Smart Ohuzu on Sunday, September 24, 2017 and other deaths in prisons in the last 12 months; and

(ii)           conduct an assessment of the state of medical facilities in Prisons across the country to determine their adequacy or otherwise in line with best practices in other parts of the world and report back within twelve (12) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Need to Ensure Compliance with the Provisions of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria Act to Avoid Collapse of the Institution (Hon Francis Charles Uduyok)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the Minister of Transportation to dissolve the Committee and comply with the provisions of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria Act; and

(ii)           set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the restructuring plan and activities of the Interim Management Committee and report back within two (2) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Need to Prevail on the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to Comply with the Resolution of the House (Hon. Muhammadu Bala Faruk)

 

The House resolved to:

Set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the matter and report back in two (2) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Need to Curb the Fatality Rate of Sickle-Cell Anemia Disease in Nigeria (Hon. Segun Adekola Alexander)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the Federal Government to provide more resources in the efforts to control Sickle Cell Anemia Disease and support the Non-Governmental and International Organizations towards mitigating the burden of the Disease across the country;

(ii)           also urge the Federal Ministry of Information to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Health to commence sensitization campaigns and public awareness programmes aimed at educating the populace on the management and prevention of Sickle Cell disease; and

(iii)          mandate the Committee on Healthcare Services to ascertain measures to ameliorate the plight of victims and report back within six (6) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Need to Increase Taxes on Tobacco as a Means of Curbing Tobacco Use and Funding Healthcare Services (Hon. Sergius Ose Ogun      , Hon. Albert Abiodun Adeogun)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the Federal Government to embark on sustained campaigns to control tobacco use, implement the M-Power policy package, adopt stringent measures to restrict advertisement of tobacco products and promote smoke-free policies that cover public places to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoking;

(ii)           mandate the Committee on Finance to interface with the Federal Ministry of Finance to review the tax regime in order to increase the current tax on tobacco products which percentage increase should be used to fund healthcare services; and

(iii)          also mandate the Committee on Healthcare Services to ensure implementation and report back within six (6) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Call on the Federal Government to Provide Subsidies for Palliative Care Drugs, Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy Machines for Cancer Patients (Hon. Zubairu Abdulmalik Bungudu, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke)

 

The House resolved to:

(i)            urge the Federal Government to provide subsidies for palliative care drugs and chemotherapy for cancer sufferers and also radiotherapy machines for government hospitals;

(ii)           mandate the Committees on Healthcare Services, and Health Institutions to ensure implementation and report back in eight (8) weeks for further legislative action.

  1. Some Bills considered for second reading

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Authorise the issue from the Federal Capital Territory Administration Statutory Revenue Fund of the Federal Capital Territory Administration Account, the Total Sum of ₦222,360,551,512 (Two Hundred and Twenty-Two Billion, Three Hundred and Sixty Million, Five Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand, Five Hundred and Twelve Naira) only, of which the Sum of ₦52,574,479,667 (Fifty-Two Billion, Five Hundred and Seventy-Four Million, Four Hundred and

 

Seventy-Nine Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty-Seven Naira) only, is for Personnel Costs and the Sum of ₦41,294,590,480 (Forty-One Billion, Two Hundred and Ninety-Four Million, Five Hundred and Ninety Thousand, Four Hundred and Eighty Naira) only, is for Overhead Costs whilst the Balance of ₦128,491,481,366 (One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety-One Million, Four Hundred and Eighty-One Thousand, Three Hundred and Sixty-Six Naira) only, is for Capital Projects for the Service of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,  for the Financial Year Commencing from 1 January and  Ending on 31 December, 2017 (HB.1165) (House Leader) — Second Reading.

 

  1. A Bill for an Act Requiring Telecommunications Facilities to Facilitate the Lawful Interception of Information Transmitted by means of those Facilities and Respecting the Provision of Telecommunications Subscriber Information; and for Related Matters (HB. 35) ( Uzoma Nkem-Abonta)

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Act, No. 14, 2015 to Empower the Organization to carry out Inspection of all Goods to be Imported into Nigeria at all the Nigerian Borders, Sea and Air Ports to ensure Quality Control of all Imported Goods; and for Related Matters (HB. 980) ( Emmanuel Akpan)

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment, etc.) Act, Cap. N86, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to clarify the Appointment into certain positions in the Commission for proper Representation, Equity, Fairness and Justice among Member States; and for Related Matters (HB.921) ( Kolade Victor Akinjo)

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Open University Act, Cap. N63, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Provide for the Inclusion of ICT as another means of Providing Tuition towards the Advancement of Learning throughout Nigeria by the National Open University; and for Related Matters (HB. 1140) (Senate) (House Leader)

 

  1. A Bill for an Act for the Prohibition and Protection of Persons from Lynching or Unlawful Killing by Mob Action, Riotous Assemblage or Extra Judicial Killing in Nigeria; and for Related Matters (HB. 1169) (Senate) (House Leader)

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, Cap. E12, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to make it Responsive by ensuring that Project Developers, Approving Authorities and Persons whose Livelihood will be affected by Proposed Projects are Involved in the Decision making to safeguard the Environment and Ensure Adequate Remediation of the Environment, among others; and for Related Matters (HB.977) ( Samuel Ikon)

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Youth Service Corps Act, Cap. N84, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Provide that the Experience Gained as a Corp Member shall be regarded as Work Experience; and for Related Matters (HB. 1048) ( O. K. Chinda)

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. C34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to make Comprehensive Provisions for the Prohibition and Control of Counterfeit and Fake Medical Products and Unwholesome Processed Foods; and for Related Matters (HB. 1099) ( Chike John Okafor).

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Assets Management Corporation Act to, among other things, Empower the Corporation to obtain Access to any Computer System Component, Electronic or Mechanical Device of any Debtor with a view to Establishing the Location of Funds belonging to the Debtor and to obtain Information on the Debtor’s Private Account; and for Related Matters (HB.1083) ( Jones Chukwudi Onyereri)

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Public Officers Protection Act, Cap. P41, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; and for Related Matters (HB. 301) ( Aminu Shehu Shagari)

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Universities Commission Act, Cap. N81, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to expressly give the Commission Power to Regulate the Condition of Service and Procedure for the Engagement of Academic Staff (other than Non-Academic Staff Members) on Part Time Basis or Visiting Lectureship; and for Related Matters (HB. 958) ( Abbas Tajudeen)

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Film and Video Censors Board Act, Cap. N40, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Expand the Functions and Membership of the Board to include Representatives of Associations of Theatre Arts and Indigenous Languages Film Producers and Practitioners respectively, for the Purposes of Promoting and Protecting the Indigenous Nigerian Languages and Culture from Disservice by Certain Direct – to Home – Pay – Television Schemes; and for Related Matters (HB.1091) ( Oladipupo Adebutu)

 

  1. A Bill for an Act to Establish the Nigerian Institute of Steel Development to Provide for its Detailed Identification of Management Training in Steel Manufacturing Industries throughout Nigeria; to Develop and Implement Training Programmes to meet the Needs of Managers in the Steel Sector of the Economy; and for Related Matters (HB. 941) ( Ahmed Tijani) — Second Reading.

 

 

  1. Some Bills considered for Third reading
  3. 0October 13ber 9A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Agency for Ethics and Values to provide for the Functions and Powers of the Agency, the Qualifications and Procedures for Appointment of the Chairman and Members; and for Related Matters (HB. 519)

 

  1. Committee reports considered for the week

 

  1. Report of the Conference Committee on the 2017 Budget of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS): Hon. Pally Iriase:
    • “That the House do consider the Report of the Conference Committee on the 2017 Budget of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on a Bill For an Act to Authorize the issue from the Statutory Revenue Fund of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Total Sum of ₦146,897,252,696.00 (One Hundred and Forty-Six Billion, Eight Hundred and Ninety-Seven Million, Two Hundred and Fifty-Two Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety-Six Naira) only, of which the Sum of ₦69,812,293,039.00 (Sixty-Nine Billion, Eight Hundred and Twelve Million, Two Hundred and Ninety – Three Thousand and Thirty -Nine Naira) only, is for Personnel Costs, the Sum of ₦46,487,530,533.00 (Forty-Six Billion, Four Hundred and Eighty-Seven Million, Five Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Thirty-Three Naira) only, is for Overhead Expenditure, and ₦30,597,429.124.00 (Thirty Billion, Five Hundred and Ninety-Seven Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty-Four Naira) only, is for Capital Expenditure for the Service of the Federal Inland Revenue Service for the Fiscal year Ending on 31 December, 2017” — Committee of Supply.

 

Babajimi Benson, MHR

 

 

 

 

smojeeds / About Author
More posts by smojeeds