Plenary proceedings of the House of Representatives for Tuesday, October 5th, 2021

The Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila presiding.

After leading the opening prayer and the recitation of the national pledge, the Speaker went on to examine and approve the votes and proceedings for Thursday, September 30th, 2021
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Submission of the revised 2022-2024 medium term expenditure framework to the House of Representatives for consideration and approval. This revised edition takes into cognizance the effects of the Petroleum Industry Act and other financial realities. He sought the speedy action by the House of Representatives on the communication. The letter was referred to the House committee on finance for further legislative actions.

Rep. Nicholas Ossai moved a point of order seeking for members to have a chance to debate the amendment before it be sent to the House committee on finance as that is necessary before the presentation of the budget by the president.

This position was also re-echoed by the minority leader of the House, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu stating that it was expedient for members to debate the changes in the amendment as it is sure to affect several aspects of life in the constituencies they represent.

The Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila stated that order 12, rule 19(1) of the House orders quoted by both Rep. Ossai and Rep. Elumelu covers debate on the budget and not the M-TEF, hence the point of order is anticipatory.

Rep. Onofiok Luke called for members to at least have a copy of the amended MTEF, so they can have an informed position, even if there is no debate on it. This he stated is necessary for them to have an informed position on the 2022 budget proposal to be brought in by the president.

The Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila asked the clerk of the House to ensure the copies of the letter from the president be circulated to members of the House.
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MATTER OF PRIVILEGE
1. Rep. Ben Roland Igbakpa came under order 6(2). He noted that Nigeria runs a democratic society which clearly separates powers between the three Arms of government. Rep. Igbakpa expressed worry how on October 1st, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari in his Independence day speech alluded that some members of the National Assembly sponsor terrorist activities. This he stated makes all 469 members of the National Assembly look like prime suspects. He stated that while on a short trip to Ghana, he was kept in the airport for over 4 hours and later missed the reason for which he embarked on the trip. It was later explained to him that he was delayed due to the recent measures put in place as a result of the statement of President Buhari which has raised special attention to the presence of members of the Nigerian National Assembly. This is so that they do not escape Nigeria and cause problems abroad. This he stated made him ashamed as a privileged member of the House of Representatives. He called on the President to name and shame these sponsors of terrorism and not let the whole members of parliament suffer the shame. Rep. Igbakpa also called on the leadership of the House to liaise with the presidency to clarify the issue. The matter was duly noted.
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MOTION OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

1. Rep. Chris Azubogu moved a motion on the urgent need to curb the increasing spate of killings in Anambra state and it was seconded by Rep. Uchenna Eke. Rep. Azubogu in leading the debate stated that hardly does a day pass without chaos and attacks on public infrastructure or private properties. He expressed worry that if urgent steps are not taken; it could spiral into an uncontrollable situation. He called on the relevant security agencies to mobilize men and resources to ensure Anambra state returns to peace and normalcy. Rep. Azubogu also called on the House committees on national security/ intelligence and that on police affairs to ensure the prayers of the motion are carried out and report back to the House within 3 weeks for more legislative action.

Rep. Munir Dan-Agundi proposed an amendment for a-one minute-silence for those who have died in the chaos including the husband of late Professor Dora Akunyili

Rep. Obinna Chidoka called for speedy action by the leadership of the House to as a matter of urgency intervene in the issue.

The Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila asked Rep. Chidoka what the root cause of the issue was?

Rep. Chidoka stated that the agitators for the state of Biafra have been infiltrated by violent elements who have turned on any government or political structure to reek violence on them. The motion was voted on and adopted as amended.
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PRESENTATION OF BILLS

1. Federal College of Education (Special), Patani (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (HB. 1609) (Rep. Mutu Nicholas Ebomo) – First Reading. – First Reading.

2. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2021(HB. 1610) (Rep. Mutu Nicholas Ebomo) – First Reading.

3. National Health Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (HB. 1611) (Rep. Sergius Ogun) – First Reading.

4. Orthopaedic Hospitals Management Board Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (HB. 1612) (Rep. Dennis Idahosa)

5. Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (HB. 1613) (Rep. Francis Ejiroghene Waive) – First Reading.

6. National Broadcasting Commission Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021(HB. 1614) (Rep. Francis Ejiroghene Waive) – First Reading.

7. Federal College of Nursing and Midwifery, Abiugborodo, Delta State (Establishment) Bill, 2021 HB. 1615) (Rep. Thomas Ereyitomi) – First Reading.

8. Fire Service Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (HB. 1616) (Rep. Unyim Idem) – First Reading.

9. National Productivity Centre Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021(HB. 1617) (Rep. Simon Chukwuemeka Atigwe) – First Reading.

10. Trade Disputes Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021(HB. 1618) (Rep. Simon Chukwuemeka Atigwe) – First Reading.

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PRESENTATION OF REPORT

Committee on Foreign Affairs:
Rep. Yusuf Buba:
“That the House do receive the Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Oversight Visit to the Nigerian Consulate, Atlanta, Georgia, United Sates of America, and the Nigerian High Commission in Kingston, Jamaica”.

The report was laid following a motion moved by Rep. Yusuf Buba and seconded by Rep. Garba Datti Mohammed
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ORDERS OF THE DAY

BILLS
1. 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) – Third Reading.

Debate
Rep. Garba Datti Mohammed moved for the third reading of the Bill and it was seconded by Rep. Mohammed Tahir Monguno. 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 Federal College of Agriculture, Malumfashi, Katsina State; and for Related Matters: (HB. 424) – Third Reading.

Debate
Rep. Garba Mohammed Datti moved for the third reading of the Bill and it was seconded by Rep. Yunusa Ahmad. 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 Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to make Provisions for Right to Food and Food Security in Nigeria; and for Related Matters (HB. 1499) (Rep. Mohammed Tahir Monguno) – Second Reading.

Debate
Rep. Mohammed Tahir Monguno moved for the second reading of the Bill and it was seconded by Rep. Tunji Olawuyi. Rep. Monguno stated that food security is one of the fundamentals of governance hence the Bill seeks to ensure the feeding right of all Nigerians. He stated that the Bill is not socialist in nature; but seeks to guarantee the right to life and ensure no Nigerian dies of hunger. This he stated is aimed at ensuring each state makes provisions and creates the enabling environment for ensuring individuals are at least fed. He called on members to support the passage of the Bill for the benefits of the Nigerian masses. The Bill was voted on, approved for second reading and referred to the special Ad-Hoc committee on the review of the constitution.

4. A Bill for an Act to Establish Nigeria Food Vendors Bio Data Collation Agency with the Function to, among others, Regulate Train and Engage in Bio-Data Capturing of all Food Vendors in Nigeria in order to Develop a Standard Food and Water Vendors Identification Number for easy Traceability System of any Food Poisoning and Mishandling cases and also Collaborate with Financial Institutions both Nationally and Internationally to Empower the Food Vendors with Funds as Soft Loan to enable them acquire the necessary Food Processing Machines and other Food Equipment to enable the Food Vendors meet up with International Standard Requirement of Food Safety and Hygiene Practice; and for Related Matters (HB. 1505) (Rep. Abubakar Yunusa Ahmad) – Second Reading.

Debate
Rep. Yunusa Ahmad moved for the second reading of the Bill and it was seconded by Rep. Munir Dan-Agundi. Rep. Ahmad in shedding light on the Bill stated that it intends to establish the proposed agency to amongst other things, generate adequate data for accountability against mismanagement in preparing/handling food for public consumption as well as for the strict adherence to food hygiene in order to avoid food poisoning and diseases resulting from negligence in food processing. He stated that the agency would cover other areas also not covered by the mandate of NAFDAC, especially in the processing of menial/staple food. The Bill was voted on, approved for second reading and referred to the House committee on healthcare services.

5. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Federal University of Ndufu-Alike Ikwo Act, 2015 to make Provisions for a Change of Name of the Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo to Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo; and for Related Matters (HB. 768) (Rep. Chinedu Nweke Ogah) – Second Reading.

Debate
Rep. Ogah moved for the second reading of the Bill and it was seconded by Rep. Abubkar Bichi. The Bill was voted on, approved for second reading and referred to the House committee on tertiary education and services

6. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Motor Vehicle (Third Party Insurance) Act, Cap. M22, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Proffer Stiffer Penalties to conform with Contemporary Realities; and for Related Matters (HB. 994) (Rep. Francis Charles Uduyok) – Second Reading.

Bill stepped down by leave of the House.
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MOTIONS

7. Deplorable State of the Road Linking Kwara and Kogi States:
Rep. Raheem Tunji Olawuyi:

The House:

Notes that the road from Ajase-Ipo, Kwara State through Omu-Aran to Eruku-Egbe to Kabba in Kogi State is a Federal Road;

Also notes that most of the inter-state roads across the country, especially major roads that connect the North to the South, have over the years suffered neglect as a result of non-provision of funds by the authorities concerned;

Worried that no major construction work has been carried out on Omu-Aran to Eruku-Egbe Road for a long time despite series of avoidable accidents that have claimed a lot of lives, as the Road is viable for the transportation of agricultural produce to Urban Cities, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja;

Also worried that Motorists going to Kwara State from Abuja or Kabba are often compelled to go en-route Ekiti State because of the pitiable condition of Kabba-Omu-Aran road;

Alarmed that the current deplorable state of the Ajase-Ipo-Omu-Aran-Eruku-Egbe-Kabba road, provides enabling environment for armed robbers and kidnappers to carry out their heinous activities, thereby subjecting thousands of road users to untold hardship including untimely death;

Cognizant of the need for urgent intervention by the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to rehabilitate the road as an immediate palliative to reduce the burden of commuters travelling a long distance to access Kwara, which ordinarily takes about two hours but takes five hours through Ekiti;

Resolves to:

(i) Urge the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to, as a matter of urgency, rehabilitate the Ajase-Ipo-Omu-Aran-Eruku-Egbe-Kabba road;

(ii) also urge the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to prioritize the completion of the Ajase-Ipo-Omu-Aran-Eruku-Egbe-Kabba road;

(iii) mandate the Committees on FERMA, Appropriations, Finance and Works to include the fund for the construction of Ajase-Ipo-Omu-Aran-Eruku-Egbe-Kabba road in the 2022 Budget estimates.

Debate
Rep. Olawuyi moved the motion on the deplorable state of the road linking Kwara and Kogi states and it was seconded by Rep. Sani Balla.

Rep. Olusola Fatoba proposed an amendment to prayer 2 to incorporate the rehabilitation of 2 strategic roads in the same region. The motion was voted on and adopted as amended.

8. Need to Investigate the Alleged Violation of Right to Property, Intimidation and Brazen Disregard of Court Orders by the Nigeria Police Force:
Rep. Robert Tyough​​​​​​​ Rep. Chinyere Igwe
Rep. Dumnamene Dokor:

The House:

Notes the continuous Trespass of a parcel of land of about 1 acre known as “Ohia Nkpa Rameli Farmland “, now known as MOPOL Barracks, GRA Phase 1, off Mummy B Road, Port Harcourt belonging to Mazi and Mrs Hyacinth Ofoelue Okoronkwo, the rightful owners of the land;

Recalls that in 2004, the Nigerian Police dispossessed the rightful owners and unlawfully encroached into the Land, where the Nigerian Police Force, Built Staff quarters for men and officers of the Nigerian Police Force giving it the name MOPOL 19 Barracks;

Also recalls that the rightful owners of the said land, in a bid to recover the land from the Nigerian Police Force initiated a law Suit No. PHC1165212004 involving Mr & Mrs Okoronkwo Ofoloelue v Commissioner of Police & 1 or and obtained judgment and injunctive reliefs against the Nigerian Police Force including the sum of N1, 000,000 (One Million Naira) only, awarded as cost against the Nigerian Police Force and recovered through garnishee proceedings;

Also notes that the said judgement of River State High Court delivered on 22, June 2005 was neither appealed nor complied with by the Nigerian Police Force;

Aware that the rightful owners of the said land have, consequent upon the judgement of the High Court of Rivers State obtained an Order for Enforcement and a Writ of Possession which they served on the Nigeria Police Force through the Commissioner of Police, River State and Inspector -General of Police but same were ignored by the Nigerian Police as they remain in unlawful possession of the land to this day;

Also aware that based on a reminder to the Nigerian Police Force on the need to comply with the Judgment, Order of Enforcement and Writ of Possession, the Inspector -General of Police mandated the Officer in Charge Legal, River State Police Command through the COMPOL Legal to investigate the matter and report back to him and the outcome of the investigation confirmed that the Nigerian Police Force has no title to the land and should comply with the judgment of the High Court of Rivers State which the Nigerian Police Force have to ignore to date;

Cognizant of the need for urgent intervention to ensure that the Nigerian Police is not ostensibly involved in such brazen acts of intimidation and breach of the rights of Nigerian citizens as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended) but to comply with the judgement of the River State High Court so as not to tarnish the image of the Force and erode public confidence in the institution responsible for law and order;

Resolves to:

Mandate the Committees on Human Rights and Justice to investigate the matter and report back within eight (8) weeks.

Motion stepped down by leave of the House

9. Need to Address the Power Outage in Baruten/Kaiama Federal Constituency of Kwara State Occasioned by Non-powering/Connection of Transformers by the Electricity Distribution Companies of Nigeria:
Rep. Mohammed Omar Bio:

The House:

Notes that one of the reasons for electing Lawmakers into the National Assembly is to provide adequate representation for their Constituents which includes the facilitation of projects that are beneficial to their Constituents;

Aware that Members of the National Assembly have facilitated different types of projects including Transformers to provide electricity supply as part of their constituency development programmes, but that has become a herculean task for the Electricity Distribution Companies of Nigeria (DISCO) to connect the Transformers thus leaving some of them abandoned, unused, depreciated , thereby questioning the good intentions of the Federal Government at developing/connecting all parts of the country to the national grid. A good example is Ilesha Baruba, Gwanara, Gure in Baruten Local Government Area and Tungan Atiku, Tungan-Maje town in Kaiama Local Government Areas of Kwara State;

Cognizant that if this challenge is not addressed urgently by the appropriate authorities, it will make people lose confidence in the government of the day;

Resolves to:

(i) Condemn in strong terms the attitudes/activities of Agencies, Companies and Parastatals that are frustrating the delivery of dividends (such as the acts of the Electricity Distribution Companies of Nigeria (DISCOS) of democracy to the citizenry;
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(ii) urge the Minister of Power to direct the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOS) to immediately connect and energize the Transformers facilitated by the Lawmakers to save the citizens from perpetual darkness;

(iii) mandate the Committees on Power and Legislative Compliance to ensure implementation.

Debate
Rep. Bio moved the motion on the need to address the power outage in Baruten/Kaiama federal constituency of Kwara state occasioned by the non-powering/connection of transformers by the electricity distribution companies of Nigeria and it was seconded by Rep. Emmanuel Effiong.

Rep. Ben Igbakpa proposed an amendment for the House committee on power to engage all the electricity distribution companies to ascertain why these transformers are not being powered nationwide? This is so that the effects of the prayers of the motion can have a national impact. The motion was voted on and adopted as amended.

10. Need to Address the Increasing Incidents of Food Poisoning in Nigeria:
Rep. Simon Chukwuemeka Atigwe:

The House:

Notes the increasing incidents of food poisoning which have led to loss of lives across the country especially among Children;

Aware that in some cases majority of the children died after eating certain meals prepared by their parents, while those who did not die immediately were rushed to hospitals for medical attention;

Observes that in cases where the death of Children occurs, such parents live in agony and with the psychological trauma of losing their children;

Cognizant of the need to urgently address the deadly incidents of food poisoning in Nigeria by adopting measures to prevent such occurrences;

Resolves to:

Mandate the Committee on Health Care Services to conduct a Public Hearing on the increasing incidents of food poisoning in Nigeria and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.

Debate
Rep. Atigwe moved the motion on the need to address the increasing incidents of food poisoning in Nigeria and it was seconded by Rep. Ndudi Elumelu. The motion was voted on and adopted.
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Adjournment:
The House at 13:20 Pm adjourned plenary till, Wednesday, October 6, 2021 by 11:00 A.M following a motion for adjournment moved by the deputy leader of the House, Rep. Peter Akpatason and seconded by Rep. Bello Kaoje

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