News

Oduah, Ekwunife, Uba Top List Of Senators With Most Stagnated Bills In 4 Years

Published

1 year ago

January 13, 2023

Editor

A performance appraisals of the Nigeria’s 9th National Assembly, which was sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a copy of which was sighted by DAILY POST showed that senators from Anambra State topped list of lawmakers with most stagnated bills since the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly on June 11, 2019.

Lawmakers as a matter of their legislative mandate sponsor private or executive bills and in a situation where the bill is popular, it could be co-sponsored with as many senators as are disposed to the bill.

The 9th Assembly’s lifespan will elapse on June 11, 2023 and a look at the ‘bills dumping index’ reveals a damning performance of all the Senators from the three Senatorial flanks of Anambra State in terms of bills they have sponsored, but which were abandoned midway.

The senators from Anambra State are: Stella Oduah (PDP) representing Anambra North Senatorial District; Uche Ekwunife (PDP) representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, while Ifeanyi Uba (YPP) represents Anambra South Senatorial District. Whereas, Senators Oduah and Uche Ekwunife are ranking Senators, Ifeanyi Uba is a first timer to the 9th Assembly of the Young Progressive Party (YPP).

As at the time of this special report, Senator Stella Oduah sponsored 39 bills out of which 29 scaled first reading; 5 scaled through second reading after the general principles were read, debated and were referred to the committees from where nothing has been heard about the said bills again. Also, 5 of the bills haven’t been mentioned at all.

Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife, though a ranking senator with legislative experience, sponsored 29 bills while in the 9th National Assembly with 13 of those bills passed into law. 1 was assented and 10 of the bills dumped.

Senator Ifeanyi Uba, though a first timer, sponsored 20 bills in barely four years of his sojourn in the 9th National Assembly. 14 passed first reading with none passed into law, while 3 have moved into the relevant Committees and 3 of the bills are at an unknown stage.

This is however, with exception of bills they have co-sponsored with other Senators and their participation in legislative resolutions and motions.

They are all 10 in numbers with a high number of bills dumping index with senators from other states. Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar from Kwara North Senatorial district. He has 25 sponsored bills to his credit, with none passed into law. While 11 of those bills passed through first reading, 11 are at the committee stage.

Former Governor of Abia State and Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu sponsored 25 bills, out of which 11 scaled first reading with none passed into law in barely four years. Three of the bills have moved to Committee stage while 11 couldn’t be traced or their whereabouts known.

Senator Jibrin Barau representing Kano North Senatorial district and Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation who is a second timer to the Senate sponsored 21 bills in the last four years, but 11 of those bills passed through first reading and nothing was heard anymore. Seven of the bills have moved to the Committee stage and 3 cannot be accounted for.

Senator Gyang Istifanus Dung representing Plateau North Senatorial District has registered his name among low performers in terms of bills sponsorship as he has a total of 18 bills, out which none was passed into law, while 11 scaled first reading with 3 others unaccounted for.

Senator Gershom Henry Bassey representing Cross River South Senatorial District sponsored 22 bills in the 9th Senate, but only 10 scaled first reading with zero bills passed, two are the committee stage, while 8 could not be accounted for.

For Rochas Anayo Okorocha, a former governor of Imo State and Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District sponsored 15 bills, 9 of which scaled first reading, none passed, while 2 are the committee stage with 4 unaccounted for.

Senator representing Lagos East, Mukhail Abiru, though a first timer on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, sponsored 15 bills, 6 passed through first reading, none passed into law, 3 are at the Committee stage while 6 are nowhere to be found.

Speaking with DAILY POST on Thursday, a former Senator in the 8th National Assembly who emphasised on the respect he has for his colleagues and pleaded that his name be concealed, cited the lack of commitment by some lawmakers who are either in the lower or upper legislative chamber.

According to him, to sponsor a bill is tasking particularly in the area of research which he said must be aggregated with the needs of the people.

He said: “The bill’s sponsorship starts with a research based on the needs of the people which is not just your Senatorial district, but the entire 109 Senatorial districts. Anything short of that, other lawmakers will oppose the bill during the debate on the general principles.

“Secondly, some senators have encumbrances occasioned by legal issues that distort their commitment to legislative activities. A great number of senators often have to go to court to defend lawsuits. This in my opinion affects their dossier of performance.

“One cannot assess a lawmaker based on the bills sponsored because there are numerous legislative activities like influencing and citing of constituency projects, contribution to debates in the chambers and at committee sittings”, he said.

Meanwhile, the tradition of the lower and upper legislative chambers demands that bills not passed into law within a session would elapse with it and the fears are that all the pending bills may not see the light of the day before the expiration of the 9th National Assembly.
DAILY POST

News

Shettima Launches NEDC’s School Enrollment Drive Programme

Published

7 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched the Accelerated Senior Secondary School Education Programme (ASSEP) initiated by the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) in collaboration with the office of the VP to enhance child enrollment drive in schools within the North-East sub-region.

Speaking during the launching of the programme in Bauchi on Saturday, the VP said that consequences of the nation’s action and inaction were evident in all indices used to assess development.

He said while primary education provides a foundation, secondary education is a bridge, adding that the Northeast sub-region has been the victim of inability to enforce a uniform policy to drive school and the persistent cultural perversion to formal education in the country.

“We in the Northeast occupy a quantum of position in ranking of essential services. Education being a key sector of this country, this is especially pronounced in the post primary education, while the Northeast secondary school enrollment drive stands at 19 percent, far below the nation’s 39 percent,” he said.

Earlier, the Managing Director of NEDC, Mohammed Alkali, said that the primary education completion level of 85 per cent in the Northeast is among the best in Nigeria, but secondary school enrolment is a mere 15 per cent, the second worst nationally.

According to him, due to the challenges in the post-primary education segment, JAMB UTME applications and admissions into tertiary institutions in 2019 were the lowest for the Northeast compared to other regions.

He added that, nationally, the Northeast has the lowest number of teachers and the highest percentage 55 per cent of those available are without literacy skills.

The MD also revealed that the challenges in the post-primary education segment include weak quality indices and a wide demand-supply gap driven by economic and cultural factors.

“The Accelerated Senior Secondary Education Programme seeks to boost the post primary education rating across the North East region through improved enrolment into tertiary institutions.

“It’s also to improve skills development as well as the elevation of teacher quality. It would pay special focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and communication.

“These would foster creativity and critical thinking; motivates and inspires young people to generate new technologies and ideas to learn from inquiry-based tasks,” he said.

Alkali also explained that the programme would also raise awareness about after-school possibilities and the potential for diligent students to become successful and prominent contributors to the North East region and Nigeria at large.

He expressed gratitude to the Federal Government especially, the Vice President for the deep interest and commitment to human development in the North-East.

News

Edo Police Break Silence On Operatives Fighting Dirty In Viral Video

Published

8 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The Edo State Police Command says a trending video showing two operatives of the command engaging in a fight is a handiwork of mischief makers.

In the video which has gone viral on the internet, two policemen are seen fighting themselves, while a voice commentary in the background claims they are from the Igueben Decisional Police Station headquarters in the state.

A writeup also attached to a version of the video sighted by Info Daily also claims that the policemen were fighting because of sharing formula of money collected from motorists on the highway. The writeup also claims that the incident happened yesterday, May 17th, 2024.

But reacting to the viral video in a statement issued by SP Chidi Nwabuzor, Police Public Relations Officer, the command said contrary to the claim, the incident happened in 2020, adding that disciplinary measures were taken against the erring policemen.

The statement which issued electronically to newsmen in Benin on Saturday evening partly reads: “Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that it’s aware of a video trending on the internet showing two policemen that engaged themselves in a fight in public spaces and wishes to state as follows that;

“The now trending video happened in April 2020 in a community called Ebelle in the Igueben local government area of Edo State.

“The two erring policemen, namely; (i) F/NO.491112 CPL Ozimeade Aidonojie and (ii) F/NO. 516384 PC Salubi Stephen were attached to Ebelle Police Divisional Headquarters.

“They defaulted, tried in an orderly and upon conviction dismissed from the Force for the offence of discreditable conduct contrary to Paragraph ‘E’ Sub Section 111 of the Police Act and Regulations 370 Cap. P19 of Federation of Nigeria 2004.”

Nwabuzor in the statement reiterated the state Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, commitment to “making Edo State a desired secured state where the law abiding citizens and the general public go about their lawful businesses in making Edo State economic hubs of Nigeria without fear or intimidation.”

News

Excitement, Dance As ‘Looted Ancestral Stools’ Return To Oba Of Benin

Published

8 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

It was a moment of joy, excitement and dance at the palace of the Oba of Benin as the revered monarch, Oba Ewuare II took custody of two looted royal stools from the German government.

They were handed over to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, NCMM on behalf of the Nigerian government by the German authorities in 2022.

The Director-General of
National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mr Olugbile Holloway made the presentation on behalf of the Federal Government on Saturday May18, 2024 in Oba of Benin Palace, Benin City.

According to history, the artefacts — Bronze and wooden Royal stools (Ekete), made during the reign of Oba Eresoyen and Oba Esigie several Centuries ago, were looted from Oba Palace during the punitive expedition in 1897.

Addressing the Benin Throne during the presentation of the artefacts, Mr Holloway, pledged on behalf of NCMM, to work-hand-in hand with the Benin Royal Court in uplifting and displaying Edo heritage.

He revealed that as the Benin Bronzes and other art works are gradually making their way home (Nigeria), “NCMM will join hands with the Royal Court to create a befitting destination for people around the world to come and appreciate these works”.

“What you see before us were originally taken away from the Royal family in 1897.

“We have a stool made of Bronze and a wooden stool.

“I speak for every member of my team, to say that we remain loyal to the Royal Court. And if there is anything we can do, we will do to support this laudable initiative.

“This heritage is not just Benin heritage, but Nigeria’s heritage.
When we speak of Benin heritage, there is nobody that doesn’t know the great works of ours.

“I appreciate you, we will always do what we can do with our powers to make His Royal Majesty lineage in memory”, he said.

After unveiling the repatriated Artefacts, Oba of Benin, who danced joyfully to Benin traditional rendition in dramatic dance steps, with excited Chiefs and members of the Royal family, offered prayers to Almighty God and his ancestors.

The traditional ruler, who was visibly overwhelmed with joy, appreciated the German government and the Federal Government and the NCMM leadership for their efforts.

The royal father, thereafter, in a historic move, sat in one of the royal stools (Ekete), and personally presented a chunk of white, which, according to belief, symbolizes peace and blessings to the Director-General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mr Olugbile Holloway.

Oba Ewuare II also prayed for Mr Holloway and his team, accompanied by the Curator, National Museum, Benin, Mr Mark Olaitan, Director, Legal Services, NCMM, Barrister Babatunde Adebiyi on the visit where Royal Drummers gave a good account of their stewardship.