House of Reps
Imo governor abolishes pensions, gratuities for former governors, speakers, deputies
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has assented to a bill repealing the law that created pension allowances and gratuities for former governors, deputy governors, assembly speakers and deputy speakers. Signing the bill into law in Owerri on Friday, the governor noted that the erstwhile law runs contrary to the 1999 Constitution as amended, which stipulates that a pensioner must have worked for at least 10 years and must be up to 45 years of age. He regretted a situation where some of the beneficiaries of such payments also get a huge amount of money as salaries and allowances in other positions they occupied, such as serving as senators or members of the House of Representatives. He said: “Apart from the inconsistency of such a law to the provisions of the ground norm, which is the Consti...
Speaker Gbajabiamila inaugurates coronavirus committee, to interface with government
The House of Representatives on Tuesday inaugurated the 18 man ad-hoc Committee on Coronavirus pandemic. The committee has the task of working in tandem with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and by extension, the entire relevant machinery of the federal government to find a solution to the challenges posed by the epidemic. Performing the ritual at the national assembly complex, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila charged the members to give utmost attention to the welfare of frontline workers. He said: “The 18 man Committee we have come to inaugurate reflects the intention of the House of Representative to engage the executive arm of government in a partnership that serves the best interests of the Nigerian people as we join hands to confront and conquer the most severe chal...
House of Reps queries health minister on whereabouts of Chinese doctors
Lawmakers at the House of Representatives have questioned the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, demanding activities and whereabouts of the Chinese doctors. The lawmakers at their plenary on Tuesday said they are not satisfied with the statement of the Minister that the Chinese doctors are not guests of the Federal Ministry of Health but that of a Chinese firm in Abuja. The resolution of the House stems from a motion of urgent public importance raised by Representative Dachung Bagos. The House, in a separate motion, also resolved to investigate the status of medical and pharmaceutical research in the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria. They expressed worry that Nigerian scientists and researchers have not been given the necessary support and funding for medical research. The Minister o...
House of Reps urges speedy production of local coronavirus vaccines in Nigeria
The House of Representatives has stressed the need for speedy production of local vaccines for the treatment of COVID-19 in Nigeria. The House also mandated its standing Committees on Healthcare Services, Health Institutions and Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria to invite the Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Health, the Executive Director/CEO, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Executive Director, May and Baker Nigeria PLC to brief the Committees and deliberate on possible ways of getting the needed legislative support to fast track the production of vaccines in Nigeria and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action The resolutioms followed the adoption of a motion on notice, moved by Rep. J...
Lawmaker applauds appointment of Ibrahim Gambari as presidential chief of staff
A member of the House of Representatives, Wole Oke (PDP-Osun), on Thursday applauded the appointment of Prof. Ibrahim Gambari as Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari. Oke, in a statement to newsmen in Abuja, said that Gambari’s global wealth of experience in administration, spanning several years was a great asset to the nation at this time. The lawmaker, representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun, said that Nigerians would benefit from this action of President Buhari. He said that Nigerians and friends of the country should work together to move the nation forward. “Nigerians, across the federation and in the diaspora, must work concertedly with one another, to promote common grounds, on which the survival of our great nation depends. “The surest way of attaining this...
Plateau promises to commence palliative measures soon
The Plateau State Government has appealed to its citizens to be patient as it is doing more to commence palliative measures in earnest to alleviate their suffering, adding that it is aware of the people’s anxiety over lack of palliatives to them. The state Deputy Governor and Chairman, State Palliative committee on COVID-19, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, disclosed this Wednesday when it received some palliative items donated to the state by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Idris Maje. Tyoden said: “We are aware of your anxiety over lack of palliatives. In a few days, the exercise will begin in earnest. “Government is aware that you have been on lockdown for over three weeks. We thank you for your compliance. No government is happy to see its citizens suffer, but the times have...
House of Reps order release of Benue coronavirus index case
The House of Representatives has resolved to come to the rescue of Benue State’s coronavirus index case, Susan Idoko, who has accused the government of refusing to release her from isolation despite “not” being infected with the disease. The action of the House followed the unanimous adoption of a motion moved by a member, Blessing Onuh, at plenary on Tuesday. It was entitled, ‘Urgent Need to Look into the Release of Mrs Susan Idoko Okpe, Nee Lawani, Who was Quarantined by the Government Following Misinformation and Diagnosis.’ Adopting the motion, the House resolved to “mandate the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, through the Federal Ministry of Health, to critically evaluate her as a matter of urgency and if proved otherwise, should be allowed to go home.” The parliament also tasked t...
House of Reps wants local airlines to evacuate stranded Nigerians abroad
The House of Representatives has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Federal Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Aviation to ensure that local airlines enjoy the right of first refusal, where Nigerians need to be evacuated. This was sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Mohammed Bello (APC-Kano) and eight other lawmakers, at the plenary on Tuesday. While moving the motion, Bello said that the two ministries and the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID–19 had engaged foreign airlines to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Dubai, London and America, due to the COVID-19 currently ravaging the world. He listed the airlines to include Ethiopian Airlines, British Airways and Emirates. According to the lawmaker, the economic objective of Nigeria, under the 1999 Constitution, ...
Ogun PDP gets new executive committee
File Photo The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, deepened on Friday, as the faction loyal to Senator Buruji Kashamu, inaugurated its new state executive members to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years. The oaths of office which was done in batches of 15 persons were administered by a lawyer and notary public, Victor Owokoya and Oluwatoyin Omomehin, respectively. The inauguration, ceremony which took place at the State Party Secretariat in Abeokuta, also saw the new exco members getting cars from the Omo-Ilu Foundation, courtesy Senator Buruji Kashamu. Ogun PDP had been enmeshed in a battle of supremacy between the loyalists of Kashamu and party faithful loyal to a former House of Representatives member, Oladipupo Adebutu. Speaking with newsm...
