Plenary proceedings of the House of Representatives for Thursday, September 30th, 2021

After leading the opening prayer and the National Pledge, the Speaker examined and approved the votes and proceedings for Wednesday, September 29th, 2021

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PUBLIC PETITION

1. Rep. Beni Lar (Plateau state) laid a petition on behalf of a complainant over the disappearance of a suspect in the custody of the police whose whereabouts are still unknown, as there has been no communication from the police on his whereabouts, and they have not been able to present him to his friends or relatives. They are craving the intervention of the House in unravelling the circumstances behind his persistent unavailability.

The petition was referred to the House committee on public petitions

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MOTIONS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

1. Rep. Ndudi Elumelu moved a motion on the incessant abuse of the 2021 Appropriation Act by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government and it was seconded by Rep. Mohammed Monguno.

In his lead debate; Rep. Elumelu said some MDAs are in the habit of either falsely claiming not to have been allocated funds as budget releases, or diverting such funds to other purposes other than that for which they were originally budgeted for. This, he noted is fraudulent and frustrating to the economic drive of the Federal government for the betterment of Nigerians. He mandated all standing committees of the House to ensure they effectively oversight such affected MDAs. He also called on the House Committees on Finance and Appropriation to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Finance to ensure such agencies are duly sanctioned. This he stated should be done within two weeks before the president lays the 2022 budget proposal before members of the National Assembly.

The Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila stated that if true; such diversions of public funds are criminal as the budget is a blueprint of what government wants to do for the nation and not a personal piggy bank.

The motion was voted and adopted.

2. Rep. Babajimi Benson moved a motion on the call for the declaration of bandits and their sponsors as terrorists and it was seconded by Rep. Egberongbe Adewale.

Rep. Benson in leading the debate urged members of the House and all well-meaning Nigerians to join the Nigerian Senate in urging the presidency to declare bandits and their sponsors as terrorists so they can be tried under the Anti-terrorism Laws. This, he stated will be a strong deterrent to the sponsors who would want to protect their identity and business interests. Rep. Benson called on President Muhammadu Buhari to implement the recommendations of the national security summit organized by the House of Representatives, as measures from all arms of government are critical in fighting the rising trends of banditry and terrorism in Nigeria.

Speaker Gbajabiamila reiterated the commitment of the House of Representatives and the Senate to continue fighting all forms of banditry and insecurity to a standstill.

The motion was voted and adopted.

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ORDERS OF THE DAY

BILLS

1. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Federal Polytechnics Act, Cap. F17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Establish Federal Polytechnic, Fagge Kano State to provide Opportunities for Technical Education in Furtherance of Government Economic Objective of Ensuring Efficient, Dynamic and Self-Reliant Economy; and for Related Matters (HB.711) – Third Reading.

Debate

Rep. Peter Akpatason moved for the third reading of the Bill and it was seconded by Rep. Muhammed Wudil.

The Bill was voted on, approved for third reading, the Clerk read the long title and it was passed

2. A Bill for an Act to Establish National Hydrographic Agency to Carry out Hydrographic and Oceanographic Surveys, including Ocean Meteorology for National Defence; and for Related Matters (HB. 1021) – Third Reading.

Debate

Rep. Peter Akpatason moved for the third reading of the Bill and it was seconded by Rep. Yusuf Buba Yakub.

The Bill was voted on, approved for third reading, the Clerk read the long title and it was passed

3. A Bill for an Act to Establish Federal University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship, Saki, Oyo State; and for Related Matters (HB. 548) – Third Reading.

Debate

Rep. Peter Akpatason moved for the third reading of the Bill and it was seconded by Rep. Muktar Betara.

The Bill was voted on, approved for third reading, the Clerk read the long title and it was passed

4. A Bill for an Act to Provide for Establishment of Federal College of Education (Technical), Yauri, Kebbi State to Provide Full-Time Courses, Teaching, Instructions and Training in Technology, Applied Science, Arts, Social Sciences, Humanities and Management to Carry out Research in the Development and Adaptation of Technologies; and for Related Matters (HB.629) – Third Reading.

Debate

Rep. Peter Akpatason moved for the third reading of the Bill and it was seconded by Rep. Aminu Suleiman.

The Bill was voted on, approved for third reading, the Clerk read the long title and it was passed

5. A Bill for an Act to Provide the Legal Framework to Establish Federal Medical Centre, Akpugo, Nkanu West, Enugu State; and for Related Matters. (HB.1098) (Rep. Nnolim Nnaji) – Second Reading.

Bill stepped down by leave of the House

6. A Bill for an Act to Establish Federal Medical Centre, Zuru; and for Related Matters (HB. 1443) (Rep. Kabir Ibrahim Tukura) – Second Reading.

Bill stepped down by leave of the House

7. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria Act, Cap. T3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Ensure that only Licensed or Registered and Qualified Persons who Exhibit thorough Professional Conduct Teach in Schools; and for Related Matters (HB. 308) (Rep. Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi) – Second Reading.

Debate

Rep. Sulaiman Gumi moved for the second reading of the Bill and it was seconded by Rep. Rurum Alhassan Usman.

The Bill was voted, approved for second reading and referred to the House Committee on Basic Education and Services.

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MOTIONS

8. Urgent Need to Rehabilitate Avu-Etekwuru Road and Complete the Abandoned Oguta/Nnebukwu Bridge in Imo State:

Rep. Uju Kingsley Chima:

The House:

Notes that Avu-Etekwuru road is a major road linking Ohaji/Egbema and Owerri-West Local Government Areas of Imo State and is also an access road for Multinational Oil Companies and over thirty (30) Communities in the two Local Government Areas;

Also notes that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) awarded contracts for the rehabilitation of Avu-Etekwuru Road and construction of a bridge across Oguta lake to link Nnebukwu Community and Egwe/Oguta Communities;

Further notes that legislative oversight have been carried out at the contract sites in the presence of the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the contractors to ascertain the level of work done and the reasons for the undue delay in completing the projects;

Aware that the contracts were awarded over 15 years ago and the contractors were mobilized but no significant progress has been made at the sites as the contractors are demanding for an upward review of the contracts due to the high cost of materials;

Worried that the Road has become impassable as it has deteriorated and in the process, cutting off the three neighbouring Local Government Areas of Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Owerri-West from other parts of Imo State;

Cognizant that if the road is not given the urgent attention it deserves, more lives and properties will be lost too, flooding in Avu and Etekwuru and other Communities where the construction of the bridge was abandoned in Oguta;

Resolves to:

(i) Urge the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to urgently rehabilitate the Avu-Etekwuru Road to ease free flow of traffic on the Road;

(ii) also urge the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to urgently review and redesign the projects to conform with modern engineering designs and costs so that the jobs can resume in earnest;

(iii) mandate the Committees on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to liaise with the relevant agencies to ensure compliance.

Debate

Rep. Chima moved the motion on the urgent need to rehabilitate Avu-Etekwuru road and complete the abandoned Oguta/Nnebukwu bridge in Imo state and it was seconded by Rep. Shettima Alli.

The motion was voted and adopted.

9. Alleged Police Brutality in Obinomba Community of Delta State:

Rep. Ossai Nicholas Ossai:

The House:

Notes that on October 4, 2020, a video went viral showing officers of the disbanded Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) dragging two men from a hotel and then shot one of them outside, which triggered a nation-wide #EndSARS protest that lasted for many weeks;

Also notes that following the End SARS protest, the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) called for an end to police brutality in Nigeria;

Worried that at about 8:30 pm, on Friday, 24 September 2021, men of the Nigeria Police Force, without reason, allegedly shot sporadically into the air in Obinomba Community of Delta State before storming into a nearby hotel and murdered one Ojarikre Gift who was celebrating his birthday in the hotel;

Aware that the alleged killing led to massive protests by women and youths of the Community who erected barricades at several spots on the ever-busy Sapele-Agbor Expressway;

Disturbed that the reported murder is one out of many cases of extrajudicial killings in the country and violates the operational ethos of a modern Police Force;

Resolves to:

Mandate the Committee on Police Affairs to visit the bereaved family and conduct investigations into the circumstances surrounding the alleged killing in Obinomba Community of Delta State with a view to bringing the culprits to book and report back within three (3) weeks for further legislative action.

Debate

Rep. Nicholas Ossai moved the motion on alleged police brutality in Obinomba community of Delta state and it was seconded by Rep. Mohammed Tahir Monguno.

The motion was voted and adopted.

10. Need to Investigate the Operational Activities of Public Health Institutions in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja:

Rep. Mohammed Auwal Jatau:

The House:

Notes that Public Health Institutions were established to control, manage and remedy healthcare challenges of Nigerians who have one form of sickness or the other;

Concerned that the Management of Public Health Institutions in the Federal Capital Territory rather than strengthening the Institutions for sustainability, engages in sharp practices where supplied drugs and medical facilities are misused or converted to personal use, thereby letting patients bear the brunt;

Also concerned that patients in Public Health Institutions in the Federal Capital Territory are compelled to donate blood for transfusion and pay heavily for laboratory tests, regardless of whether the blood is utilized or not for the purpose;

Worried that most of the drugs purchased by patients within the hospitals were attested to be sub-standard and expensive as the pharmacists, in collaboration with the Public Healthcare Institutions, diverted the standard drugs, hospital facilities and modern equipment to private clinics, while the hospitals remained neglected without government intervention.;

Disturbed by the irregularities perpetrated in the Federal Capital Territory Health Institutions where delivery kits are sold to pregnant women at the cost of six thousand naira and a bed space goes for between two to five thousand naira, depending on the location, which could be cheaper in a private hospital;

Cognizant of the need to take necessary measures to address the irregularities ravaging the Public Healthcare Institutions in the Federal Capital Territory so as to restore public confidence in the Government;

Resolves to:

Mandate the Committee on Federal Capital Territory to investigate the irregularities in the operational activities of Public Health Institutions in the Federal Capital Territory and report back within two (2) weeks for further legislative action.

Debate

Rep. Mohammed Jatau moved the motion on the need to investigate the operational activities of public health institutions in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and it was seconded by Rep. Jimoh Olajide.

The motion was voted and adopted.

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The Chief Whip of the House, Rep. Mohammed Tahir Monguno moved a motion for the suspension of the relevant rules of the House to enable the Speaker of the House to preside over the Committee of the Whole due to the unavailability of the Deputy Speaker and it was seconded by Rep. Ahmadu Jaha.

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CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS (HOUSE IN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE) Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila presiding:

11. Committee on Tertiary Education and Services:

Rep. Aminu Suleiman:

“That the House do consider the Report of the Committee on Tertiary Education and Services on a Bill for an Act to Provide for Establishment of Federal College of Education (Technical) Ako, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State; and for Related Matters (HB 430) and approve the recommendations therein” (Laid:1/7/2021).

Synopsis of the report:

Rep. Aminu Suleiman stated that the Bill seeks to assist in deepening the quest for education as the southeastern part of the nation lack sufficient colleges of education to cater to all Nigerians seeking higher education and living in the region.

Summary of voting:

Clauses voted on and carried: 1-27

Clause amended and carried: 28

12. Committee on Tertiary Education and Services:

Rep. Aminu Suleiman:

“That the House do consider the Report of the Committee on Tertiary Education and Services on a Bill for an Act to Establish Federal College of Agriculture, Malumfashi, Katsina State; and for Related Matters: (HB. 424) and approve the recommendations therein: (Laid:1/7/2021).

Synopsis of the report:

Rep. Aminu Suleiman stated that the Bill is also on establishment referred to the Committee where all the necessary steps were taken to ensure its value and practicability. He urged members to consider and approve it.

Summary of voting:

Clauses voted on and carried: 1-25

Clause amended and carried: 26

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HOUSE IN PLENARY

The House reverted to plenary and adopted the report of the Committee of the Whole following a motion by Rep. Peter Akpatason and seconded by Rep. Muktar Betara.

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Adjournment:

The House at 13:15 adjourned plenary till, Tuesday, October 5, 2021, by 11:00 following a motion for adjournment moved by the Deputy Leader of the House, Rep. Peter Akpatason and seconded by Rep. Segun Odebunmi.

Courtesy:

Media Unit, Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives.