The house of representatives has resolved to investigate the resignation of at least 350 soldiers who recently asked to be disengaged from the Nigerian army. The soldiers, most of whom are involved in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents in the north-east, had applied to resign from military service. Their requests were approved. Most of them are reported to have cited loss of [...]
Tag "house of reps"
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The house of representatives has endorsed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former coordinating minister of the economy, for the office of the director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). At Tuesday's plenary session, the lower legislative chamber also called on other African candidates -- from Kenya and Egypt -- to step down for Okonjo-Iweala. President Muhammadu Buhari had nominated the former minister for the WTO [...]
BY ALABI AKINROGUN Strange things are known to happen all the time in Nigeria, and especially in matters of governance and public policy, mostly to the detriment of the population, despite occasional bright spots. As the Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka once quipped, if he had written about these strange happenings in Nigeria as fiction, before they happened, people would have [...]
The house of representatives committee on public accounts has launched an investigation into the alleged payment of N70.495 billion for abandoned Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) projects. The house panel said at its investigative hearing at the weekend that the money was paid as mobilisation fee to 1,773 contractors who did not execute the projects between 2008 and 2012. Wole Oke, the [...]
The house of representatives has resolved to investigate the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for "illegal withdrawals" from the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) account. At Tuesday’s plenary session, the green chamber accused the NNPC management of illegally withdrawing up to $1 billion from NLNG funds without due process. The resolution followed a motion from Ndudi Elumelu, minority leader, who said [...]
Benjamin Kalu, spokesman of the house of representatives, says the standing rules will be reviewed to reflect COVID-19 realities and engender citizen participation in the legislative process. Kalu disclosed this on Monday while speaking at the OrderPaper Online Parliamentary Engagement Nigeria (OPEN) webinar. The decision followed concerns raised about how the pandemic has curtailed citizen engagement and participation in governance, with the [...]
A house of representatives committee has insisted that cable and satellite television service providers in the country must introduce a pay-as-you-go subscription plan for customers. The house ad hoc committee, which is investigating service providers over their high tariffs, said the pay-per-view plan is to address the yearnings of Nigerians. The house had in March resolved to investigate complaints about high tariffs [...]
The house of representatives says Nigeria must reciprocate the attack on the country’s high commission in Ghana which it said was becoming a sad trend. Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house, said showing “diplomatic maturity” by merely demanding an apology will not address the issue. TheCable had reported how armed men demolished the staff quarters of the [...]
The house of representatives on Thursday interrogated the service chiefs over the rising insecurity in Nigeria. The head of the security agencies were at the green chamber to brief lawmakers on their efforts in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges. During the meeting which was held behind closed doors, the lawmakers were said to have expressed concerns over the rising insecurity and demanded to [...]
The house of representatives says its attempt to pass the infectious diseases control bill without subjecting it to public hearing was an oversight. Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker, said the lawmakers wanted a speedy passage of the bill to address health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill was introduced and passed for second reading in April without some of the lawmakers knowing about [...]
The house of representatives has asked the federal government to construct rural roads to connect communities situated around the Sambisa forest in Borno state. The green chamber said such roads will open up the areas and curb the frequent attacks launched on the residents by Boko Haram insurgents. The lawmakers made the call at Tuesday's plenary session following a motion by Haruna Mshelia [...]
Like its counterpart in the senate, the house of representatives leadership has paid a solidarity visit to Orji Uzor Kalu, senate chief whip, who was recently convicted of fraud. The principal officers of the house, who were led by Idris Wase, the deputy speaker, told Kalu at his Abuja residence on Monday that they had come to sympathise with him on [...]
The house of representatives has again summoned the nation's service chiefs over the rising insecurity across the country. At Thursday's plenary session, the lawmakers also kicked against negotiations with bandits by some governors in the north. While debating a motion introduced by Sada Soli from Katsina state, they said the service chiefs must brief them on efforts to address Nigeria's security challenges. Soli said [...]
The house of representatives has rejected castration of persons convicted of rape. At Thursday's plenary session, the lawmakers voted against castration as punishment for rapists as suggested by James Faleke from Lagos state. They were debating a motion on the increased sexual violence against women particularly the rape and murder of two girls in Oyo and Edo states recently. Barakat Bello, an 18-year-old girl, [...]
The house of representatives has resolved to probe bribery by security operatives enforcing the ban on interstate travel. At Thursday's plenary session, the lower legislative chamber also said it would set up a special task force to monitor and implement the interstate lockdown. TheCable had reported how security operatives collect bribe from travellers and drivers to compromise the ban on travel from [...]
A house of representatives panel has warned government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAS) against tampering with the revised 2020 budget In a statement, the house committee on appropriations said there are reports that MDAs are making adjustments in their various budgets following the review by the federal government. Although President Muhammadu Buhari had presented N10.59 trillion budget for 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced [...]
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