₦airaland Forum

The House of Representatives has resolved to embark on a one week break to enable its members sensitise their various constituents on the importance of educating their children.

Read more | http:///38OcJxg |

The House of Representatives asked the minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to explain alleged extortion, passport racketeering and corrupt practices by officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

Read more | http:///39pSyqo |

Weeks after assuring the presidency of approval, the Senate has considered and passed President Muhammadu Buhari’s $22.71billion ($22,798,446,773) loan request.

Read more | http:///3aA2Zbf |

Weeks after assuring the presidency of approval, the Senate has considered and passed President Muhammadu Buhari’s $22.71billion ($22,798,446,773) loan request.

Read more | http:///3aA2Zbf |

Reps minority leader, Mr. Ndudi Elumelu, called for the two-week postponement of parliamentary activities while contributing to a motion on "Emergency response to the dreaded Coronavirus" raised by Hon. Unyime Idem (PDP, Akwa Ibom).

An ongoing investigation by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts into the failure of federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with a constitutional requirement to make available their annual audited accounts to the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AuGF) has thrown up a lot of issues that have left Nigerians wondering if the federal legislature is not complicit in the gale of infractions being revealed daily from the public hearing.

In this exclusive interview with OrderPaperNG, Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Oluwole Oke, answers questions bordering on the issue of corruption and why the National Assembly cannot be held liable for the audit crisis bedeviling the public sector. Excerpts by Lizzy Chirkpi.

Read more | https://www.orderpaper.ng/interview-officials-cannot-spend-tax-payers-money-and-refuse-to-render-account-oke/ |

The Chairman Senate Committee on Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases, Chukwuka Utazi has appealed to the Presidency to direct the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika to issue a temporary ban on flights from and to China, because “China remains the main source of Coronavirus infection and spread.”

This was after he charged the Federal Government to create a "health war room" to tackle the outbreak of the virus following a confirmed case of COVID-19 in Lagos state, Nigeria.

Read more | https://www.orderpaper.ng/coronavirus-senator-wants-temporary-ban-placed-on-flights-to-and-from-china/ |

The Senate on Thursday passed a bill to regulate the use of information in electronic form for conducting transactions in Nigeria for second reading.

It will also criminalise online fraud, protect the rights of consumers/parties and their personal data, as well as the facilitation of electronic commerce in Nigeria.

The bill was read for the first time on the 13th November, 2019.

Read more | http:///398sjEG |

A bill to provide special financial support for the revamping of the Nigerian Armed Forces scaled second reading in the House of Representatives on Thursday.

Read more | http:///381x1Tu |

The dreaded coronavirus has finally arrived in Nigeria. All alert systems by the government are now fully activated. Or so it seems. But before late night Friday, Feb. 27 when the Minister of Health officially announced the outbreak in Nigeria, the National Assembly had swung into action- moving motions and the much it could to get us all prepared for the eventuality. Here’s a thread on what the lawmakers have been up to on the matter:

AIRPORT SCREENING: On……the House of Reps urged the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), & other relevant agencies to beef up screening at all entry points into the country as a preventive measure of the fast-spreading coronavirus. | http:///2PyDVsS |

BRING THEM HOME: In accordance to the actions taken by many countries to evacuate their citizens living in China, spokesman of the House, Mr. Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) moved a motion for Nigerians in China to be evacuated but the call was shoved off by members of the House saying Nigerians in China are not willing to come back. | http:///2S1Pdrv |
This Video tells the story succinctly: | http:///32AjP70 |
LET THEM STAY BACK IN CHINA: All attempts made by the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila for members to reconsider all angles of the call for evacuation was vehemently rejected. | http:///2SqeZEx |

FACE MASK SMUGGLING: With the continuous spread of the virus and the increase in demand for face mask in Asia, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP, Anambra) accused airport officials of aiding smugglers of surgical face masks, warning that it will be needed in Nigeria if eventually the virus gets to the country due to the population of the country. | http:///375s5wc |
Video | http:///2I0tpq7 |

CHINA ENVOY ASSURES : More than seven days ago, the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Zhou Pingjian gave assurance that Nigerians living in China do not have the deadly Coronavirus which has killed over two thousand Chinese citizens. | http:///37DaTie |

SHODDY SCREENING: Less than 24 hours ago deputy Senate leader, Senator Ajayi Boroffice expressed worries over the inadequate medical checks in Nigerian airports as Nigeria was listed among countries with high risks of getting infected with Coronavirus by the World Health Organization. | http:///398bIRv |

CORONAVIRUS WAR ROOM: With the first case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) confirmed by the Ministry of Health in Lagos State on Friday, the Chairman Senate Committee on Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases, Chukwuka Utazi, has charged the Federal Government to create a "health war room" to tackle the outbreak of the virus | http:///396yUzv |
This thread continues as more interventions issue out from the federal legislature. Meanwhile, stay safe; observe all precautionary measures; don’t panic and keep off fake news on the disease!

The House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted a motion urging the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to begin shaming sex traffickers, including widespread publication of names and pictures of convicted traffickers.

Read more | http:///2VlmSOV |

Minority leader, Eyinnaya Abaribe, lamented the death of Senator Ignatius Longjan, on Wednesday at the valedictory session for him saying, “Mr President, yet again we are losing another good man. A few days ago we were here doing this same thing, a valedictory for one of our colleagues. The question we always ask, Mr President, is why are we losing the good ones. All the wicked people are in this country, they do not die. It is the good ones that go...'

Read more |https://www.orderpaper.ng/longjan-senators-lament-why-are-we-losing-the-good-ones/

The House of Representatives has passed a bill to establish the Southwest Development Commission through second reading.

Sponsored by Olufemi Fakeye, the bill seeks to establish the regional commission to rehabilitate the Southwest.

It would be recalled that the establishment of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) led to the clamour by all the regions in the country to have one.

Read more |https://www.orderpaper.ng/proliferation-of-development-commissions-southwest-development-commission-scales-second-reading/ |

A public hearing on the controversial bill, Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulations, will hold on March 2, at the Senate wing, National Assembly, Abuja.

This was disclosed in a letter dated February 25, 2020, which was seen by OrderPaperNG. It was sent from the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal matters.

The bill has, since its introduction in November 6, 2019, generated widespread criticisms from the public with views that it is aimed at limiting free speech and expression.

Read more | https://www.orderpaper.ng/public-hearing-of-social-media-bill-to-hold-monday/ |

The House of Representatives joint committee on Treaties, Protocols, Agreements and Petroleum Resources (Upstream) charged international oil companies to comply with extant laws that demand that a percentage of their profits should be set for their host communities.

Read more | http:///37Yzu0X |

The bill seeking to confer immunity on presiding officers of legislative houses scaled second reading on Tuesday amidst opposition by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Read more | http:///2VniLSw |

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has said that the House would not accept extrajudicial killings, harassment, intimidation and other forms of violence unleashed on innocent citizens by some men of the Nigeria Police.

Read more| https://www.orderpaper.ng/gbajabiamila-to-npf-nigerians-will-no-longer-tolerate-police-brutality/ |

The official convoy of the Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, on Thursday saved five victims who were involved in a fatal auto crash along the Onicha-Ugbo – Asaba expressway. Read more https://www.orderpaper.ng/lawans-convoy-rescues-5-accident-victims-in-delta-state/

Recreational and Vocational training have been proposed for repentant Boko Haram members in the bill sponsored by Sen. Ibrahim Gaidam (APC, Yobe), which has been a topic of public discourse as it has met widespread rejection, since its introduction in the Senate yesterday. Read more
https://www.orderpaper.ng/for-the-record-some-provisions-in-the-proposed-national-agency-for-education-rehabilitation-de-radicalisation-and-integration-of-repentant-insurgents-bill/

The Senate has disclosed that the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning will hold a round table discussion aimed at producing a forward looking national planning and budgeting process. Read more | http:///2vNNNYS |

The House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions disclosed plans to conduct a nationwide tour of correctional facilities to have a first hand view of activities in the prisons. Read more | http:///2STye9P |

The Chinese ambassador to Nigeria has disclosed that no Nigerian living in China has been infected with the deadly Coronavirus and promises to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians in China. Read more |http:///37DaTie |

Lawmakers have called for improved security measures in the legislative complex, after a recent news report indicating that Boko Haram terrorists may attack the National Assembly. Read more | http:///38DQEC5 |

The president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has directed that important bills including Petroleum Industry Bill and Electoral Amendment bill are listed for fast passage. Read more | http:///2HCdBKg |

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, has revealed that the sum of N8.15 trillion was shared between the federal,  states, local governments and other statutory recipients by the Federation Accounts and Allocation Committee (FAAC) in 2019. Read more |https://www.orderpaper.ng/how-fg-states-others-shared-n8-15-trillion-in-2019-neiti/|

Deputy president of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege has condemned the killing of eight persons in Uwheru Kingdom, in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. Read more |https://www.orderpaper.ng/omo-agege-condemns-attack-on-delta-communities-urges-apprehension-of-perpetuators/|

The House of Representatives (PDP) caucus has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Adams Oshiomole, the National Chairman of the APC for violating the Electoral Act. Read more |https://www.orderpaper.ng/bayelsa-reps-pdp-caucus-demand-prosecution-of-oshiomhole-apc-candidate-for-violating-electoral-act/|

OrderPaperToday– Deputy president of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege has condemned in “strong terms”, the killing of eight persons in Uwheru Kingdom in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

Suspected herdsmen allegedly aided by soldiers were said to have attacked Avwon, Agadama, Ohoror, and other communities of Uwheru Kingdom, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday. Read more...https://www.orderpaper.ng/omo-agege-condemns-attack-on-delta-communities-urges-apprehension-of-perpetuators/

OrderPaperToday- The House of Representatives Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus has called for the immediate prosecution of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole and the deputy governor candidate of the APC in the last Bayelsa election for violating the Electoral Act. This is just as they hailed the Supreme Court judgment that led to the emergence of Senator Diri Douye as governor of Bayelsa last Thursday. Read more... https://www.orderpaper.ng/bayelsa-reps-pdp-caucus-demand-prosecution-of-oshiomhole-apc-candidate-for-violating-electoral-act/