• Beneficiaries:
Transportation N66bn;
Works, Power, Housing 46bn;
SGF N14bn;
Defence N3.5bn;
Health N1bn;
Comm & Tech N734m; Labour N1bn;
Education N700m; FCTA N1.7bn
Information N734m
• Senate confirms 8 more INEC RECs
In a deft move that seems to have surprised critics, the Presidency and the National Assembly, especially the upper chambers, the Senate seem to have resolved their long standing rift following recent developments between the two arms of government.
In a surprising move and against its earlier stance the Senate yesterday confirmed the appointment of eight more Resident Electoral Commissioner nominees for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Their confirmation on Thursday followed the consideration of a report on the nominees presented to the Senate by the chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Nazif Suleiman, during plenary.
This is even as the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has written the National Assembly seeking approval for the virement of N135,643,018,749 from the 2017 Appropriation Act.
While approving the eight nominees, the Senate however rejected the nominee from Niger State, Professor Mustapha Zubairu, noting that there were series of serious petitions against his nomination.
Confirmation of three other nominees, Dr Mahmuda Isa (Kebbi State) Ambassador (Dr) Rufus Oloruntoyin Akeju (Lagos State) and Ahmad Bello Mahmud was also stood down by the Senate. No reason was given by the Senate for its decision on two of the nominees, except that Akeju has a pending legal case against him.
The eight nominees who scaled through the process include; Dr (Mrs) Asmau Sani Maikudi (Katsina State), Dr. Sam Olugbade Olumekun (Ondo), Prof. Riskuwa Shehu (Sokoto State), Barr. Kassim Gana Geidam (Yobe State), Jibrin Ibrahim Zarewa (Kano State), Abdulganiyu Olayinka Raji (Oyo), Prof. Samuel G. Egwu (Kogi State) and Barr. Mike A. Igini (Delta State).
Congratulating the successful nominees, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki urged them to ensure the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in the country. Saraki also advised the RECs to see their appointments as a call to duty and should as such, display utmost degree of discipline and integrity in the execution of responsibilities and in the electoral process.
Meanwhile, the virement that the Acting President is seeking was part of the agreement reached by him and the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives prior to the signing into law of the N7.441 trillion Appropriations Act.
Osinbajo in a four -page letter dated July 18, 2017 and addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, explained that the funds will be utilised for the implementation of some critical priority items for which adequate provisions had not been made in the 2017 budget.
According to the Acting President, the sum of N46,004,049,292 is to be vired within projects being handled by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing while N66 billion is to be vired within projects of the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
Osinbajo’s letter which was read on Thursday by the Speaker during plenary, further states that the virements include: N33.247 billion from Ministry of Transportation; N3,181,973,545 from Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing; N14,130,719,780 from Office of the Secretary to the Government of Federation; N5 billion from Office of the National Security Adviser; N5,009,244,926 from Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and N5,494,065,749 from Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.
The sum of N1 billion is to be vired within projects of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; N7,698,811,674 from Federal Ministry of Interior and N80,500,000 from Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment; N3.150 billion from Federal Ministry of Defense; N770 million from Federal Ministry of Education; N1.7 billion from Federal Capital Territory Administration and N1.3 billion from Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.
Others include: N1 billion from Federal Ministry of Health; N735,035,00 from office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; N1,093,579,983 from Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment; N729 million from Federal Ministry of Information and Culture; N734 million from Federal Ministry of Communication and Technology; N2,387,541,000 from Federal Ministry of Water Resources; N1 billion from Federal Ministry of Mines and Steels Development; N241,001,800 from Federal Ministry of Environment, respectively.
Osinbajo in the letter explained that “prior to the signing discussions and consultations were held between the Executive and the leadership of the National Assembly on some critical priority items for which adequate provisions had not been made in the 2017 Appropriation Act.
“You would also recall that it was agreed that the Executive should submit a virement proposal to the National Assembly for your consideration. The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to forward the virement proposal,” the letter read in part.
In a related development, the Senate committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday asked the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency extend concession on the Naira – Dollar exchange to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and Christian Pilgrimage Commission.
This was just as the commission dispelled all allegations of extortion as reported in some news outlets recently by categorically stating that due process was followed in arriving at the cost fixed for this year’s Hajj.
Accordingly, the committee recommended to the Federal Government the concession of N200 to $1 for the 2017 Hajj to cut down on cost for intending pilgrims.
The Senate while calling on the Federal Government to engage in discussions with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to review the 50-50 carriage of pilgrims between Nigeria and Saudi Arabian Airlines, stressed that doing so “would provide more opportunities for more indigenous airlines to participate in the Hajj operations.”
These were part of recommendations contained in the report of the Senate committee sequel to investigations into the hike in airfare to this year’s Hajj exercise, and alleged extortion of pilgrims by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu (APC, Oyo Central), in her presentation of the report stated that the committee in its findings “the Hajj Commission did not unilaterally fix the airfare for the 2017 Hajj, but engaged the services of experts from the aviation sector, specifically the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.”
The lawmaker added that “the process went through series of negotiations and due diligence, noting that “the approved airfare for 2016 Hajj was between $1,700 to $1,750 whilst for 2017 the fares are $1,650 to $1,700.”
The committee on its part, however warned that “tour operators must be cautioned to stop making Hajj arrangement on presumption until the whole processes are concluded and the actual cost of all the relevant services are arrived at, so as not to mislead Nigerians.”
The committee further said that “NAHCON must be made to wield the bid stick on any erring tour operator to bring sanity to the system and ensure value for money to the Nigerian pilgrims who spent their hard earned money to perform their religious duties.” Share this:
