Tag Archives: House of Representatives

House Committee To Assess Safety At Kaduna Airport

Posted on by
1

The House of Representatives has directed its Committee on Aviation to ascertain the operational safety at the Kaduna International Airport.

The House gave the order in spite of the pass mark given by the Minister of Information on the operations at the airport.

The decision by the Lower Chamber was however, opposed by some lawmakers who argued that the Abuja Airport would be ready and operational soon.

The House Committee on Aviation has been mandated to ascertain if industry standards were complied with at the airport.

The Committee was also directed to assess the extent of work done so far at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and report to the House in one week.

 

Source: Channels TV

House Of Representatives’ Members Hold Public Hearing On Dormant Accounts

Posted on by
Reply

The House of Representative Committee on Banking and Currency has opened a public hearing on how to address dormant accounts in commercial banks.

The Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Jones Onyerere, said the amendment of the Financial Institution Act would help address the use of funds from dormant accounts as income for commercial banks.

The hearing session, which took place on Monday in Abuja, had in attendance representatives from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) among others.

In their various remarks, the CBN official, Kofo Abdulsalam-Alada, and the NDIC Director of Legal Services, Belema Taribo, suggested how to manage dormant accounts.

However, government agencies disagreed on who should manage the funds from dormant accounts.

Recent statistics from the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System reveal that the total number of inactive bank accounts in Nigeria stands at 30.2 million, despite efforts by banks to retain old customers and attract new ones.

About 64.128 million accounts that represent 68.7% of the total activated accounts domiciled in commercial banks are said to be functional.

Financial experts have described amendment of the Financial Institution Act to better manage dormant accounts as timely.

The passage of the bill is expected to eliminate the possibility of banks to convert dormant account balances into income, as well as strengthen risk management.

 

Source: Channels TV

Budget Defence: House Decries Uncompleted Projects In FCT

Posted on by
1

The House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has decried the high number of uncompleted projects in the territory in spite of huge allocations for the projects.

 

Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Herman Hembe (APC -Benue) expressed his displeasure on Thursday in Abuja at the 2016 Priority Budget Defence of the FCT.

 

He listed the projects visited by the committee on oversight as: Gurara Falls Road, Lower Usman Dam, Vice President’s residence among others.
Hembe expressed dissatisfaction at the level of completions of the projects.

 

The chairman said it was outrageous that at the Vice President’s residence, a mosque that will house 12 people was put at N96 million, the chapel that will house 20 people will go for N86 million.

He added that the gate house cost N55 million and the ADCs residence will cost N288 million.

 

The chairman also queried why N2 billion would be used to erect structures for the Principal Officers of the National Assembly.

 

“The Vice President’s residence has been paid for 88 per cent; we are not comfortable with the projects. How can you spend N96 million on a mosque that takes 12 people and you are defending it.

“Why do you keep patronising people like Julius Berger who keep embarrassing us? “Hembe said.

 

Hembe said that priority should be given to the Abuja Rail Project due to the collapse of roads by the use of heavy duty trucks.

 

The committee said that N4 billion allocated in the 2016 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari as counterpart funding for the FCT Rail Project was too small.

 

The committee added that the money should be reviewed upwards to N24 billion to enable completion by December, 2016.

 

Members of the committee also queried why the FCT should have a debt profile of N100billion.

 

FCT Minister Mohammad Bello who spoke, said the territory needed the guidance of the committee on appropriate steps to take on the projects.

 
“Should they (the projects) continue as they are or should there be a review?

 

“We will leave it to the committee’s wisdom to guide the FCT and we will be guided by what you decide,’’ Bello added.

 

(NAN)

Reps Criticise Social Media Gag Law, Back Buhari’s Anti-Corruption Crusade

Posted on by
1

The House of Representatives Committee on Media and Publicity has criticised the anti-social media bill proposed to the Senate by the Deputy Senate Leader, Sen. Bala Ibn Na’Allah, saying that the legislature will not do anything to close the space for free speech.

 

The Chairman of the committee, Mr Abdulrazak Namdas, expressed the disapproval while speaking to State House correspondents after a dinner hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari for members of the House of Representatives at the State House Banquet Hall on Wednesday.

 

“As Chairman, House Committee on Media, I must say that we cannot close space for free speech.

We would like to ensure that there is free speech. And the only thing we try to enjoin is that journalists, who are trained, who know the ethics of journalism, should also join the social media activity so that we can differentiate between the grains and the chaff.

I think that is most essential, but we should not leave it for just those who think they can just post anything.

Ideally, I think it is very important that we allow free speech. With time we will get to the level that we can regulate.

For now I think Nigerians will rely on them.

We came on the platter of change and it was this social media that brought us to power and we are making effective changes on that; I think we should live with that.’’

 

On the lawmakers’ interaction with the President, Namdas said the Reps were ready to support the Federal Government’s objective “particularly in the area of fighting corruption, generating employment and ensuring that we fight insurgency.

 

“I think as a legislative arm of government we will ensure that all these things that he has placed at the front burner in his administration we will ensure that we support him.’’

 

The Adamawa legislator recalled that when the National Assembly passed the supplementary budget presented by Buhari “when the question was put there was no single member who said `no’ irrespective of which party they came from.

 

“I think we are supportive of Mr President.”

 

Also speaking, Dr Chukwuemeka Ujam, the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Telecommunications, applauded the interaction, saying it was aimed at ensuring “good governance in the country.”

 

“It is interesting that two arms of government are seated right now, some part of the executive and the entire House of Representatives.

 

We want to join forces to move the country forward. Whatever progress can be made, we will make.

 

Listening to the speech of Mr President, he was candid; first of all, that he wants to secure the country and then manage it properly.

 

We agree with that.

 

If you also listened to the response by Mr Speaker, we agreed that we will work together, there will be times of rancour, but we will work seamlessly.’’

 

 

On the fine imposed on MTN for violating Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card registration regulation, the lawmaker said the Reps committee on Telecommunications was investigating “some salient points’’ in the matter.

 

Acknowledging that a motion to that effect was sent to the committee he said “we are just watching the scenario as it plays out and we will make our own points made known to the public’’.

 

 

(NAN)

Reps Task Media On Objective Reporting

Posted on by
1

The House of Representatives on Monday urged the media to be objective in reporting its activities.
Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs of the house, Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC-Adamawa), made the call at the inaugural meeting of the committee in Abuja. He said that objective reportage was crucial in actualizing the legislative agenda of the 8th National Assembly.
Namdas stated that the legislative agenda if implemented, would tackle unemployment, corruption and terrorism currently affecting the country.
He said that the house was committed to promoting the 8th legislative agenda to the public through the media, and, therefore, solicited the support of the media in promoting the agenda.
The lawmaker, who also promised to make information about activities of the house always available to the public, urged the media to ensure that their reports were balanced at all times.
“With the inauguration of committees, a lot of people have swung into actions.
“Ad hoc and standing committees are working and some are already planning public hearing, all in attempt to ensure we realize the objective of the 8th assembly
“We are balanced now and we have no problems, so we hope that the media will give us the desired support we require to ensure that we move the nation forward,’’ Namdas said.

 

(NAN)