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NASS Can Prune Ministers’ List – Okocha
As Nigerians groan under the high cost of governance in the present democratic dispensation, a legal luminary in Rivers State and former National President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief O.C.J Okocha, has said that only the National Assembly can effect reduction in the number of ministers in the country.
Chief Okocha who said this while reacting to the call by the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) to reduce the number of ministers, said that the presidency was right to have rejected the call.
The former NBA President who spoke in a telephone interview with The Tide on the issue said that the National Assembly could decide the number of ministerial appointments in the country through the amendment of the constitution.
He said that although it was the wish of Nigerians for the country to have a small size and efficient cabinet, constitutionally, the Federal Executive Council must reflect the 36 states of the federation.
Chief Okocha, however, stressed the need for the National Assembly to take a second look at the issue by amending the relevant sections of the constitution.
President Goodluck Jonathan had said that he preferred a leaner and more efficient cabinet but was constrained by constitutional provisions.
Jonathan stated this at a valedictory session with members of the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC), who had wound up their assignments.
According to him, the federal cabinet in the country was large due to the constitutional provision which stipulates that each state of the country must produce a minister.
“Your suggestion for a smaller cabinet is excellent and I agree with you, but this cannot be achieved without constitutional amendment,’’ he said.
The president said, however, that the suggestions and advice which PAC offered to the government played a key role in stabilising the administration.
He assured the members that their final report would form part of the policy direction of the incoming administration.
Jonathan thanked them for accepting to serve the nation in spite of their individual schedules, and informed them that the Federal Government would continue to tap from their wealth of experience in the years ahead.
Earlier, the Chairman of PAC, retired Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, said they were privileged to have been selected to proffer advice to the new administration.
He advised the president to apply the same diligence he applied in selecting the PAC members to the appointment of his new cabinet from among the abundant qualified Nigerians willing to serve the country.
Our correspondent recalled that the committee was constituted by Jonathan as acting president on March 1 and was inaugurated on May 5 last year.
Jonathan had charged the members to provide alternative inputs into policy formulation in the areas of power, economy, security, infrastructure, social sector, electoral process and anti-corruption
In a related development, experts in policy making have lauded the directive by President Goodluck Jonathan to the Presidential Advisory Council to review the country’s foreign policy.
Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Dr Joseph Golwa, the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, said there was the need to review the policy.
Describing the directive as apt and proper, Golwa said the review would provide a clear leadership direction for the new administration.
According to him, given Nigeria’s present role in the international community, the community was expecting a lot from the country.
“I use the word apt and timely because it’s to provide the clear direction for the new cabinet on what they are expected to focus on as far as our foreign policy is concerned.
“The international community is expecting to have some major positions from Nigeria and this statement coming like this shows that they would begin to have at the back of their minds that we are expecting a very major, proactive position as far as foreign policy is concerned for Nigeria,” he said.
He stressed the need for key players in the sector to work in harmony for the successful implementation of the policy.
“Every policy will require the harmonious cooperation of every stakeholder for it to be successfully implemented and with issues of foreign policies you don’t expect anybody to play a different role if you are a major stakeholder.
“The co-operation of every other person is necessary because it is through such cooperation and shared views you will be able to get to achieve your objectives and mission,” he added.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.