Senate‏ plenary on Tuesday, November 28 [complete updates]

Welcome to a new Legislative Day in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu takes the official Prayer and leads the Chambers into today’s proceedings at 10.50am.

Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Order paper of Tuesday, 28th November, 2017.

Senator Kabir Marafa moves for the approval of votes and proceedings of Thursday, 23rd November, 2017, Senator Matthew Urhoghide seconds. 

Senator Joshua Lidani and Senator Akpan Bassey lay Petitions and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu refers the petitions laid to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to report back in 2 weeks.

Senator Ali Ndume cites order 42 and speaks on the state of security in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe State and seeks the leave of the Senate to bring it as a motion on another Legislative day.

Senator Alasoadura cites orders 42 & 52 and speaks in respect of a motion on the need to enforce the terms of the 1993 PFC agreement between IOC and Federal Government. 

He seeks the leave of the Senate to bring it as a motion on another Legislative day.

Senator Kabir Marafa cites orders 42 and 53(6) and speaks in respect of the confirmation of the Resident Electoral Commissioners that took place on Thursday and seeks the leave of the Senate to revisit the issue of the nominee from Zamfara state who was not confirmed having …ascertained that he was born and schooled in Zamfara State. 

Senate now moves into the consideration of Bills for second reading.

1. A Bill for an Act to amend the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act 2000 and for other matters connected therewith, 2017 (SB. 578) by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

‘Since the establishment of this Bill 17 years ago, the Gas processing companies has refused to pay anything to the NDDC which is deteriorating the NDDC Act in the Southern region.’- Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

Senator Foster Ogola seconds and supports the Bill and says the NDDC Act was put in place to make sure we have enough revenue in that sector. He went further to say that the focus should not only be on the oil companies but the gas companies as well.

‘I support this Bill, we need more resources in the Niger Delta region.’- Senate Leader.

‘It is our obligation to notch up the NDDC because it adds up to the revenue net of our Nation.’- Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

The Bill for an Act to amend the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act 2000 and for other matters connected therewith, 2017 (SB. 578) is read the second time.

DSP, Ike Ekweremadu refers the Bill to the Committee on NDDC to report back in a week.

2. A Bill for an Act to authorize the issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation the total sum of N8,612,236,953,214 …by Senate Leader.

‘The 2018 budget document is imaginary.’- Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.

‘Performance of the 2017 budget is very abysmal, we end up having budget that is below expectation and we are already doing same with the 2018 budget.’- Senator Joshua Lidani.

‘The global economy is unstable, we are still dependent on oil. The necessary institutions are not performing to their optimum in line with the budget. 

‘I wonder if the President Muhammadu Buhari is having a second look at the budget presented by civil servants.’ – Senator Yusuf A. Yusuf

‘I am more concerned about the implementation, the last 2 years has not been successful. 

‘We are at 1.9 barrel per day, oil prices are rising, I don’t think we should have excuses on nonperformance. 

‘We need a stronger database to capture more revenue.’ – Senator Adesoji Akanbi.

‘We cannot discuss 2018 budget without going back to the previous 2years. What impact are we going to see in road maintenance?’ – Senator Gbenga Ashafa asked.

‘On the NRC 2017 budget, only N500million has been released from a budget of N11.4 billion and these are key parastatals expected to perform magic.

‘This Government has demonstrated with the #Budget2018 estimate that they are sensitive to people’s plight,’ – Senator Ashafa added.

‘The 2018 Budget is a budget of active imagination, some Government agencies are bloated; we spend millions of naira on National Orientation Agency [NOA], what is their use? 

‘The only way out is to reduce the cost of governance,’ says Senator Ben Murray Bruce

‘The budget in some area is very encouraging in the sense that non oil expectation is high on the budget estimate, we need to build a more robust income base that is not focused on oil.’- Senator Alasoadura.

‘In the 2018 Budget we are given N8.6 trillion, how do we know what the execution level will be based on? Low execution of previous budget,’ noted Senator Francis Alimikhena.

‘I thank everyone for the contribution, I commend my colleagues for keeping their language clean and speaking their mind on the 2018 Budget debate. 

‘We need to look at how we can reduce deficit,’ Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu emphasised.

‘Some research agencies are not researching anything and are still being funded. We need to point them out so we don’t spend money on them,’ Deputy Senate President Ekweremadu added.

Senate Leader moves that all other items on the order paper be stood down to another Legislative day. Minority Leader Seconds.

Plenary is adjourned to Wednesday, 29th November, 2017. 

Gavel bangs!

—