₦airaland Forum

Amidst this Pandemic Disease Is Nigeria doomed ni?

The House of Representatives has started taking delivery of the Toyota Camry 2020 model cars acquired for members as official cars, otherwise called utility vehicles, The PUNCH has reliably learnt.

Our correspondent sighted some of the cars at different parking lots within the National Assembly Complex, on Thursday.

The legislators had at an executive (closed-door) session on February 5, 2020, resolved to purchase 400 units of the exotic car.

The House has, however, kept sealed lips on the cost of each unit as the contract for the supply it was learnt was not awarded to accredited Toyota dealers.

Our correspondent observed that the House procured the V6 Limited Edition variant of the car.

Chairman of the Committee on House Services, Mr. Wale Raji, who confirmed delivery of the cars declined to respond to further enquiries.

The cars, which belong to the National Assembly, are usually auctioned to the lawmakers after four years.

A check on the website of Toyota revealed that each of the vehicles – depending on the variant, has a price tag of between US$25,000 to US $35,000, excluding the cost of shipping and custom duties, which is about 100 per cent of the actual cost of each unit.

For instance, those with higher specification, which most often than not is the preferred choice of lawmakers, could cost tax payers a tidy sum. Vehicles in this range are: XLE at $29,455, XLE V6 at $34,580, XSE at $30,005 and XSE V6 at $35,130.

Already, about 14 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado sports utility vehicles have already been handed out to presiding as well as other principal officers and chairmen of select House committees.


Some lawmakers who were contacted on Thursday said they had yet to receive vehicles delivered in “the first batch.”

Giving a breakdown of how the vehicles are shared, a member of the House, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said, the 400 saloon cars would be allocated to each of the 360 members and some top management staff, Chiefs of Staff to the (two) presiding officers as well as some of their special advisers and assistants.

The lawmaker explained that new members who did not get committee appointments would benefit from the first batch.

The source said, “I was told 100 have already arrived and they are sharing them to new members who are not chairmen and deputy chairmen (of committees). The next batch will be for returning (ranking) members who are neither chairmen nor deputy chairmen. The last batch will go to ranking member with appointments.”

The Committee on House Services and the National Assembly Management, led by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, had constituted a joint committee to oversee the acquisition, verification and distribution to the lawmakers.

The Committee on House Services, which also exists in the Senate, serves as the protocol and welfare department.

The joint committee was set up as some members had alleged that the National Assembly had become a “dumping ground” for smuggled and refurbished automobiles.


https://punchng.com/reps-take-delivery-of-exotic-cars-begin-distribution/

Good job. Sanwo Olu

Only God can help us in this Nigeria.

Who to believe now? It don finished

Build Hospitals, supply medical equipments these people won't do that. Please, God!!! Don't look at our behaviours.

Olufemi Atoyebi, Abuja

There were insinuations that the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, had gone into self-isolation on Wednesday after possible contact with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

The CoS had tested positive to COVID-19 on Monday.

He had travelled to Germany via Egypt on March 7, 2020 and was accompanied on the trip by the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulation Commission, Prof. James Momoh, and the Minister of Power, Sale Mamman.

He developed severe cough during a meeting on containing the coronavirus in Nigeria on Sunday.

On Monday, the health minister presided over a press conference held in Abuja where he gave an update on coronavirus.

He was however conspicuously absent during the receipt of medical items donated by Jack Ma at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday.

The Permanent Secretary at the health ministry, Abdullahi Mashi, received the items on behalf of the Federal Government.

The Wednesday press briefing on coronavirus was not held.

Top ministry officials who were contacted by our correspondent could not confirm if he was in isolation but they did confirm his absence from office.

When our correspondent called his mobile telephone, there was no response, while a text message sent to the line was not replied.

https://punchng.com/health-ministers-absence-sparks-self-isolation-rumour/

Torr!

More contributions from the house

Cardib

In my own judgement, sex has done good than harm.

Cc; sissy3
Dominique
Mynd44
Olorioko; lalasticlala

Please, FTC

Your wishes are highly welcome

SatoshiPips:
Lost my kid brother to their negligence a couple of years ago.
I almost lost a friend due to their arrogance weeks ago.

I detest naija nurses (the ones I've met sha)

heya!!! Sorry, This is pathetic

It's not always funny the way Nurses shout at pregnant women during delivery. Mothers can relate.

This is serious.

Southsoul:
Jagaban the jaguda of south west why is he sentencing him self to the gallow abi him wan sings a new song of corruption for us niii

lol

Obiaksnews:
The hate speech bill originated from within the senate, infact it was sponsored by senator Sabi from Niger state.

but what is his intention about this hate speech?

exminister:
one illiterate man sponsor the bill

exminister on what and what? Lol

Hate speech and fake news have been there from time immemorial and it is barbaric to say now that we want to hang people because they expressed their feelings or what they had in mind.

There's freedom of Speech

The United Nations and the United Kingdom have opposed the death penalty clause in the proposed National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speech Bill introduced by Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Sabi Abdullahi.

The UN described the death penalty as barbaric, noting that its inclusion in the bill was unacceptable.

According to the bill, any person who violates the law shall be liable to life imprisonment and where the act causes any loss of life, the person shall be punished with death by hanging.

But the spokesman, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Mr Olusola Macaulay, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Thursday, said the global body would not support the bill, noting that a UNESCO advocacy group, Media and Information Literacy Coalition, would soon meet with the National Assembly over the proposed legislation.

He said, “We are trying to pay an advocacy visit to the government and do some lobbying. There is a coalition working already, it was formed with the support of UNESCO.

“They are working to meet with the National Assembly to express their mind and possibly advise the government to have a different narrative to the issue of hate speech and fake news.”

Macaulay also said the UN would lobby the Federal Government on the legislation, adding that what was needed is public enlightenment and education about hate speech and not a law stipulating the death penalty for violators.

He said, “I’m not sure what the government needs now is a bill or an idea to shut down people or prevent people from being able to express themselves or express their freedom of thought or information. What I think the government should do more is to enlighten the people.”
The UN agency said most Nigerians were ignorant of issues relating to media and information literacy, noting that a harsh law was not the solution to the challenge.

The global body noted, “Every human being has the right to life and you cannot cut off people’s lives just because someone has expressed his opinion. Nobody is saying hate speech is good.


Hate speech and fake news have been there from time immemorial and it is barbaric to say now that we want to hang people because they expressed their feelings or what they had in mind. So, censoring people or limiting people from participating in politics might not be the correct thing. As I said, the best thing to do is to educate the people.”

Macaulay queried the government for not holding politicians engaging in hate speech to account, noting that many of them had said things that could destabilise the country without being held liable.

The British Government said it supports the right of individuals to express opinions and peacefully challenge authority as an essential part of a free and open society, noting that it was following discussions around the proposed legislation closely.

Commenting on the bill in an emailed response to inquiries by The PUNCH on Wednesday, Her Majesty’s Government said while it takes a strong stand against hate speech which could incite violence and damage relationships within the society, it supports “the right of individuals to express opinions and peacefully challenge authority as an essential part of a free and open society.”

The statement signed by the Senior Press and Public Affairs Officer, British High Commission, Abuja, Chris Ogunmodede, said, “The UK government is following discussions around the proposed Prohibition of Hate Speech bill closely.”

It added, “We take a strong stand against hate speech, which can incite violence and damage community relationships within society. We also strongly support the right of individuals to express opinions and peacefully challenge authority as an essential part of a free and open society.

“The UK strongly opposes the inclusion of the death penalty in any piece of legislation, as a matter of principle.”

https://punchng.com/un-uk-reject-death-penalty-for-hate-speech/