News

We’ll Hold Debate On PIB, Oct 20, Senate Assures

Published

5 years ago

October 9, 2020

The Senate said, yesterday, that it has not in any way suspended work on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) that was transmitted to it for consideration and subsequent passage by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Senate said that it would on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, debate the PIB as it enters second reading.
Disclosing this, yesterday, in Abuja before the adjournment of plenary after the presentation of the 2021 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly at a Joint session by President Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, said that early debate on the bill was expected to avert any delay in consideration, resulting from the upper chamber’s decision to suspend plenary for one month to enable Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government defend their respective budgets for the year 2021.
According to Lawan, the critical piece of legislation, after the debate on the floor by lawmakers, would then pass for second reading and be referred to the Joint Committees on Petroleum; and Gas for further legislative work.
The President of the Senate said, “For the PIB, we need to get the document to our Joint Committee before we suspend plenary, otherwise, the document will remain unattended to throughout the time that we would be handling the budget; and that means we can only come back to it around November or December, and that would be late.
“Everybody is waiting for the PIB to be attended to, but we will take sufficient time to work on it because it is a very sensitive document.
“Nevertheless, we should take the debate and Second Reading of the PIB by the upper week, Tuesday 20th, 2020, and refer the document to our Joint Committees on Petroleum (Upstream and Downstream); and Gas.
“So, while we are working on the budget, they can keep work on the PIB warm. We are not going to rush on it since we have the budget before us.
“Our Joint Committee must do everything possible for us to have a document or report that we would work with in the Senate and something that Nigerians and investors will be happy with.”
Also addressing journalists, yesterday, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru, All Progressives Congress (APC), Osun Central said, “Reuters sent a request that Senate said it is suspending work on the bill till next year because of the budget, this is not true.
“The Senate is committed to expeditious passage of the bill because it is central even to the realisation of revenue and putting our oil in competitive international market.
“On the 20th of October, the bill will enter second reading after which it will be sent to the relevant committee of the Senate, that is committee on upstream and downstream sector so that as work is being done on the 2021 appropriation, work will be done at the same time on the bill.”
It would be recalled that the PIB scaled first reading in the Senate, last week, an indication that the Senate has begun work on the Bill.
Also recall that the leadership of the National Assembly, had penultimate week, pledged to accelerate legislative action on the Petroleum Industry Bill submitted by the President Muhammadu Buhari two weeks ago.
The leadership of the National Assembly had also said that the Ninth Assembly will break the jinx of not being able to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill after several attempts.
The National Assembly had, however, vowed to ensure thoroughness in its consideration, which according to the principal officers, would be treated simultaneously with the 2021 national budget.
The President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, stated this during a National Assembly joint leadership meeting on the PIB, with the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva.
The two Presiding officers had assured Nigerians that the time had come for the passage of the bill.
Speaking further, Basiru, who disclosed that work will start on the 2021 Appropriation Bill that was presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari next week, with copies of the budget made available to the Senators, he said, “we will make sure that copies of the presented budget are made available to senators latest by Monday so on Tuesday 23, the senators with take turns to discuss the principle of the budget and make their views and comments known publicly before it is sent to the relevant committee under the coordination of appropriation.”
Meanwhile, Senator Smart Adeyemi, APC, Kogi West has hailed President Buhari’s move to complete on-going projects as contained the 2021 Budget speech.
Adeyemi, who was reacting to the presentation of the 2021 budget estimates by Buhari to the joint session of National Assembly, said that the President’s focus to complete all on-going projects was fantastic.
The Senator, who noted that Buhari’s decision not to initiate new projects, until ongoing projects were completed was uncommon attributes not associated with a an average Nigerian politician, said, “A topical Nigerian politician will not be thinking of completing ongoing projects, they will be thinking of new projects.
“If these projects are completed and we network the North, South, West and East of the country, there will be boom on economic activities.
“Because the economists are telling us that next year may not be too friendly economically and it is a global problem.
“We may not feel the pain as much, because the policies that are required as a cushion for a global economy recession is already put on black and white for people to know that the government was conscious of it.
“The prayer is that let them implement all that they have said and in terms of the policies, don’t look at the money, don’t look at the figure, look at the policy put in place to garvanise the economic activities of the country.
“Once you have good road network in the country, rail system, and other infrastructural, these are key to economic boom.”
On his part, Senator Obinna Ogba, PDP Ebonyi said that he was happy President Muhammadu Buhari directed that all ministers and heads of Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) must appear to defend their budgets before National Assembly.
Ogba, who noted that this would help eradicate the reasons why budgets are delayed for passage, said that the executive should provide solution about the challenge of revenue generation in the country.
He said, “Not that the country does not have revenue, but these revenue go down the drain, what they account for the country is not what is actually generated.
“Effort should be made to transfer all money generated, directly to Federation Account and when that is done, you will discover that the issue of revenue will not be a problem in the country.”
The Senator, who noted that he was surprised that the N100billion earmark as zonal intervention fund had remain the same over the years, said, “I am surprised that the 100 billion earmarked for zonal interventions projects for the 2021 budget estimates is not increased.
“It has always been like that, I am surprised that it is not increased, that interventions fund need to be increased.
“Because what comes to my constituency is N200million and when you come to my constituency you will see the projects, we did with the money.
“In my community, where I come from, you cannot see Federal Government projects apart from the constituency projects.”
On his part, Senator Yusuf Yusuf, APC, Taraba said, “It is a usual routine, but every year we do this but like Mr President has emphasized that this time, is a very challenging budget, very challenging budget for that matter, you know we have a high amount of deficit and then our revenue is not commiserate with our expectation, we have the covid-19 challenge and so many other challenges this time that we have to contend with.
“But I am pleased that we are all determined by the MDAs, by the national Assembly itself that we are going to work round the clock to make sure we give Nigeria the budget that can be sustained, that can provide better value for the Nigerian people.”
On borrowing, Yusuf said, “As an economist, borrowing is not the issue; it is the use of the money that you borrowed for. If we are going to use the money just to consume, then it will be very challenging, but if we are going you use the money for the purpose of generating more revenue that means to provide for projects that are going to generate more revenue, then I think you know, it is worth borrowing, but do we have option at this point in time, we don’t seem to have the option.
“That is why with the kind of deficit that we have, with the kind of income, there is need to do borrowing so that we can survive and then work so hard to ensure that what we borrow we meet the terms of the borrowing.”

News

RSG Moves To Diversify Rivers Economy …As Farmers, Others Laud Ibas Over Implementation Of RAAMP

Published

16 hours ago

June 20, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has restated its readiness to diversify the economy of the state from oil to Agriculture.

This is as farmers and other stakeholders have commended the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Retd) for approving the implementation of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing project (RAAMP) in the state.

Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this during a meeting on implementation of RAAMP in Ikwerre, Eleme and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas.

Ogolo said the programme would create an agricultural industrial hub in the 23 local government areas, and urged the people to embrace the project.

Meanwhile, rural farmers and other stakeholders in the State have lauded Ibas for approving the implementation of RAAMP in the State.

RAAMP is a world bank program with support from the International Development Association ( IDA), the French Development Agency and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

According to a statement made available to newsmen, the programme aims to strengthen the institutional and financial base for sustainable management of state and rural networks, fostering historic development to enhance food security, creating access in rural communities to boost agricultural processes through creation of durable access roads and agro logistics centres/hub.

Tide source confirms that the program has been in operation since 2020 with 19 states benefitting.

The benefitting states are Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Bauchi.

Other beneficiaries are Plateau, Kwarra, Ondo, Niger, Gombe, Anambra, Cross River, Taraba and Benue states.

The source said that 12 new states including Rivers State recently completed their requirements for inclusion into the RAAMP 3.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting at Isiokpo, Nchia and Omoku, headquarters of Ikwerre, Eleme and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas respectively, a cross section of farmers described the programme as timely as it would boost food production as well as create markets for agricultural produce.

At Eleme, HRH Emere J D Nkpe warned against politicising the project.

The people also complained against incessant destruction of crops by herdsmen and called for it to be checked.

Also speaking at Omoku headquarters of Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area,Eze Allison Dan and Barrister Lola Nwaribe commendation the government for the program but warned against it going the way of other programmes.

For Barrister Nwaribe Women in the area needs assistance to break free from subsistence agriculture

Speaking at the three ocal government areas Ogolo said Rear Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas rtd needs to be commended for approving the implementation of the program in the state.

Ogolo said the program is aims at diversifying Rivers economy from oil to Agriculture.

He said the program will also enable farmers to move from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture, adding that access roads will not only be created to farms but markets will be built for farmers to sell their produce.

He listed other benefits to include creation of employment for the youths and helping small traders to boost sales.

Also speaking the state RAAMP Coordinator,Mr Joshua Kpakol said the “the essence of this project is to provide rural access roads and improve agricultural marketing systems across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state”

Kpakol said the project is divided into three components which are improvement of Rural Access and Trading Infrastructure, Sector Reform,Asset management and Agro logistics performance Enhancement and Institutional Development, Project Management and Risk Mitigation.

He urged farmers and traders to embrace the project as it would go along way in changing their fortunes.

At Ikwerre and Eleme local government areas respectively, the sole administrators of the two councils Hon Isaiah Christian and Dr Gloria Obo Dibiah said the councils will work towards the success of the program.

They commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Sole Administrator of Rivers state for ensuring that their respective councils benefits from the programme.

John Bibor

News

Defamation: Court Grants Natasha N50m Bail

Published

17 hours ago

June 20, 2025

The Tide

The FCT High Court in Abuja, yesterday, granted the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, bail in the sum of N50 million and one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in F.C.T Abuja and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.

The trial judge, Justice Chizoba Orji, made the declaration in a ruling after taking arguments for and against the bail application from the parties in the suit.

The Attorney General of the Federation, in a three-count criminal charge marked CR/297/25, accused Akpoti-Uduaghan, the sole defendant, of making defamatory statements against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during a live television broadcast.

The charge, which lists Akpabio and the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, as nominal complainants, alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed Bello had conspired with Akpabio to orchestrate her assassination outside Abuja, disguising it as a mob or local attack.

According to the Federal Government, these allegations were made during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.

The Federal Government claimed that Akpoti-Uduaghan knowingly or recklessly made these imputations, fully aware that they could harm the reputation of the individuals involved.

The charge alleged that she said, “Let’s ask the Senate President, why in the first instance did he withdraw my security, if not to make me vulnerable to attacks? He then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi. What is important to me is to stay alive, because dead men tell no tales. Who is going to get justice for me?”

The charge also cites her statements during the programme as saying, “That you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on or about the 3rd day of April 2025, during the same Politics Today programme on Channels Television in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, made the following imputation concerning Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.

“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night, to eliminate me. When he met with him, he then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi. You knew or had reason to believe that such imputations would harm the reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.”

The senator is also accused of making defamatory statements about Akpabio during a telephone conversation with Sandra C. Duru in Abuja on March 27, 2025.

The alleged statement is as follows, “That girl that was killed, what’s her name, umm…. Imoren Iniubong, her organs were actually used for the wife, because the wife was really ill… when they killed the girl, and her organs were used for the wife.”

The Federal Government contends that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan knew or ought to have known that this claim would harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Bello, and four others have been listed as witnesses in the trial.

The arraignment of Akpoti-Uduaghan was initially scheduled for June 3, 2025. However, the strike action of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria stalled the arraignment.

Meanwhile, a similar matter is also lodged before Justice Muhammed Umar, of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

While Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was slated for arraignment before Justice Umar, she, however, did not appear for the arraignment since the prosecution had not been able to serve her as stated in court.

The prosecution, however, applied for a bench warrant to be issued on the suspended senator, which the court refused.

At the commencement of the hearing, the counsel to the Attorney General of the Federation, David Kaswe, told the Court that the matter is for arraignment of the defendant (Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan).

Natasha was docked, and the three-count read to her. She pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, led by Professor Roland Otaru (SAN), afterwards informed the Court that a bail application filed on May 27 has been submitted to the court.

Kaswe, however, informed the court that the Federal Government is opposing the bail application and called the attention of the judge to a counter-affidavit filed before the court to this effect.

He proceeded to ask the court to remand the Kogi Senator in prison as she poses a flight risk.

He said, “In view of the charge, we will be asking for a remand in a correctional facility.

The defence counsel, however, interjected, stating, “We already filed an application for bail. We are in a court of law for Justice. We have a motion on Notice dated May 27, 2025. You represent the Ministry of Justice, not the Ministry of Injustice.

“If your lordship graciously will, we urge your lordship to grant the bail application. This is a case where your lordship has the discretion to grant bail, and nobody can query it, not even the president can query it. Even on self-recognition because it is not a case of murder.”

Referencing the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, Otaru added that anybody who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty. “And she pleaded not guilty. As she is standing there, she is innocent until proven otherwise,” he added.

Justice Chizoba Orji, after listening to both arguments, however, granted Natasha bail in the sum of N50 million, with one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in F.C.T Abuja and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.

News

Benin Monarch Receives 119 Stolen Artefacts From Netherlands

Published

19 hours ago

June 20, 2025

The Tide

Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has received 119 stolen artefacts from the Netherlands.

The Oba who disclosed this on Wednesday in Benin, the Edo State capital, said plans by some international cartel to re-loot the artefacts were thwarted after he prayed to God and the ancestors.

He said, “I thank President Bola Tinubu for supporting and committing to the efforts former President Buhari put in place to ensure the artifacts are not re-looted because there were groups in this country believed to be an international cartel that had all sorts of conspiracy to re-loot our artifacts.

“They stole and burnt our Kingdom. They killed my people and tried to kill their spirit and their morale. Today, the boldness, courage, and bravery of the Benin people are still there. Events of 1897 reduced that to a significant level that Sometimes when I see my people, they are afraid of the unknown.

“The return of these objects has reawakened the courage we had in our people. We do not want modern-day politics and partisan politics to diminish the courage of our people.

“The Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments has been doing wonderful work. His predecessor was part of the conspiracy to re-loot our artefacts. We had a running battle in this hall.

“I addressed my Chiefs in Benin language, and I said these artefacts belong to my ancestors, and I will not sit on the ancient throne and watch the artefacts re-looted. They would rather remain where they are than be re-looted. I thank the government of the Netherlands for working with us. This is part of the efforts to reawaken the morale and spirit of my people.

“After 1897, the kingdom was reduced. There was a government in this state that wanted to reduce the kingdom more and scatter it. I am angry when I speak about it. Why would anybody want to scatter the kingdom.

“The youths were courageous like the youths of those days. They were not afraid of anybody. I vowed that it would not happen. Not in my reign. Not while I am sitting on this throne. God heard my prayers. My ancestors heard my prayers. This throne is not partisan, but I should support what is good for my people.

“I urge the youths to be tough and strong in the face of adversity. This is not for anybody else. It is for my ancestors.”

The Benin Monarch further prayed for the return of more artefacts.

The NCMM DG, Olugbile Holloway, said the commission and the Benin Royal Palace were working hard to ensure more artefacts were returned.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, who was represented by the Secretary to State Government, Barr. Musa Ikhilor said his administration would continue to build necessary infrastructure to preserve the returned artefacts as well as collaborate with the Federal Government to improve the storage system for the artefacts.

The General Director of the Wereld Museum, Marieke Van Bommel, said, “The artefacts are looted, and we have a policy in the Netherlands to bring them back. We are bringing back 119 artefacts. We don’t have more. These are the collections in the Netherlands. There are more collections in Europe, but that is not up to us. They have been with us for over 100 years.”