PROCEEDINGS OF THE NIGERIAN SENATE OF TUESDAY, 5TH OCTOBER, 2021

Welcome to a new Legislative Day in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege led the Principal Officers into the Chamber, took the official prayers and began the day’s proceedings at 11:10am.

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS
Senator Betty Apiafi moved for the adoption of Votes and Proceedings for Wednesday, 29th September, 2021.

The motion was seconded by Senator Abdullahi Gobir

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION
Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege read a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, on:

i. Request for the Confirmation of Appointment of Hussein Baba Yusuf as the Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja;

ii. Submission of the revised FGN 2022-2024 Medium Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF)

PETITIONS
1. Senator George Sekibo submitted a petition from one of his constituents.

Petition was laid and referred to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to report back in two weeks.

2. Senator Ayo Akinyelure submitted five petitions from the Office of the President of the Senate:

i. Petition from Sir Daniel N. Chukwudozie against the Department of Petroleum Resources and Halklin Exploration & Production Ltd, Hon. Minister of Petroleum Resources and four others on report of case fraud, criminal breach of trust, fraudulent misrepresentation, forgery, corruption and improper revocation of the Atala Marginal Field (OML 46) and re-award of the same to Klklin Exploration and Production Limited by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) under suspicious circumstances inter alia;

ii. Petition from Faruk Adamu and two others (as referred to Senate by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa) against the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Plea for the Senate’s intervention in wrongful termination of their appointments with the Federal Road Safety Corps;

iii. Petition from Inspector Olisa Emmanuel against the Nigeria Police Force on a letter of appeal for promotion;

iv. Petition from F.O.C. Uzoegwu against Mr. Okechukwu Anyogu and others from Ozalla Community, Enugu State on invasion, threat to life and wanton destruction of Properties worth over N500,000,000 (Five Hundred Million Naira) of their clients by men of Ozalla Abor Community assisted by full armed military men and cultists in attempt at annihilating their clients’ whole community;

v. Petition from Michael Orban and Kyoive Maureen against Union Homes Savings & Loans and Savings on Merger/Acquisition – Union Homes Savings and Loans and Aso Savings – Customers Investments – Access frustration and total denial of Utilisation.

Petitions were laid and referred to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to report back in two weeks.

POINT OF ORDER
1. Senator Oluremi Tinubu cited Order 42 and 52 to seek the Leave of the Senate to present a motion on urgent need to tackle the Apapa gridlock in Lagos State and embrace the newly introduced Electronic Call-Up system of admitting trucks into the terminal.

Senator Solomon Adeola seconded, said “This motion affects the revenue of this country. Mr. President, my Distinguished colleagues, if you have been following what has been happening, this is about the third or the fourth time that we are coming up with this same motion concerning the state of affairs in the areas of infrastructure in Apapa Express way, where the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is located. Mr. President, the body of the motion is self-explanatory enough concerning the problem confronting millions of Nigerians who are doing business with the Nigerian Ports Authority. We cannot be a lawless country, we are law abiding people/country. I am fully aware that the government of the day has done a lot to ameliorate the suffering of the people and they have put a lot of measures in place to stem the tide of these uncontrollable truck drivers who have on their own decided to be lawless and that has resorted into a lot of issues around this axis. Mr. President, I think it is high time we invite the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of State for Transportation to come and brief this Senate on what has been done and what they are doing in this regard.”

Senate resolved to:
i. Commend the Federal Government for the reconstruction of Oshodi-Apapa expressway and the completion of the Apapa Port score line of the Lagos-Ibadan way;

ii. Urge the private terminal operators to explore water transport as an option in the movement of containers;

iii. Urge the Federal Government to collaborate with the Lagos State Government and other critical stakeholders to evaluate all petrol tankers and heavy duty vehicles along the Apapa Port access roads;

iv. Urge the Federal Government to collaborate with the Lagos State Government to ensure that tank firms are relocated to other areas;

v. Urge the Federal Ministry of Works to commence the reconstruction and repair of all access roads to sea port namely; the Apapa Creek Road, Apapa-Oshodi Express Way and Tincan Island;

vi. Direct the Committee on Marine Transport to investigate the implementation of the E-Call up system and allegations of extortion by port officials and report back to the Senate on the way forward; and

vii. Direct the Committees on Marine Transport, Works and Downstream Petroleum to meet the Nigeria Ports Authority, Concessionaires, Nigerian Union of Petroleum Engineers and all other stakeholders to ensure resolution of pending conflicts and ensure synergy amongst stakeholders.

PRESENTATION OF BILLS FOR FIRST READING
1. Health Education Practitioners Board of Nigeria (Registration, etc) Bill, 2021 (SB. 299) by Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe

Health Education Practitioners Board of Nigeria (Registration, etc) Bill, 2021 (SB. 299) was read the First Time.

2. National Veterinary Research Institute, Gombe (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 782) by Senator Saidu Alkali

National Veterinary Research Institute, Gombe (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 782) was read the First Time.

3. Institute of Culture and Tourism Oke-Igbo, Ondo State (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 819) by Senator Nicholas Tofowomo

Institute of Culture and Tourism Oke-Igbo, Ondo State (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 819) was read the First Time.

4. Legal Education (Consolidation) Act Cap L10 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 820) by Senator Smart Adeyemi

Legal Education (Consolidation) Act Cap L10 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 820) was read the First Time.

5. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act No. 7 2007 (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 821) by Senator Jarigbe . Jarigbe

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act No. 7 2007 (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 821) was read the First Time.

CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS
1. Report of the Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes
Confirmation of the Nomination of the following persons for Appointment as Secretary and Members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by Senator Suleiman Kwari

Senator Suleiman Kwari moved that Senate do receive and consider the report of the Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes on the Confirmation of the Nomination of the following persons for Appointment as Secretary and Members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC);

1. George Abang Ekungu – Secretary to the Commission – Cross River State

2. Luqman Muhammed – Board Member – Edo State

3. Anumba Adaeze – Board Member – Enugu State

4. Alh. Kola Raheem Adesina – Board Member – Kwara State

5. Alh. Yahaya Muhammad – Board Member – Yobe State

Senator Ayo Akinyelure seconded.

Senator Suleiman Kwari laid and presented the report.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Suleiman Kwari, in his presentation, said after a thorough scrutiny of the nominees, the members of the Committee were satisfied with the nominees’ qualifications and experience and equally recommend that the Senate do confirm the nominations of the persons.

“I rise to second the motion and report presented by the Chairman of the Committee on Anti-Corruption.” – Senator Abba Moro

“Let me commend the Committee for a job well done. They did very well in scrutinizing all this nominees and from the Report as read by the Chairman, proper work was done in scrutinizing each and every one that was nominated by the President. I wish to say that the report of the Committee should be adopted as recommended and I urge my colleagues to give it a nod.” – Senator Barau Jibrin

“I bring to the notice of the House a discrepancy especially one of the nominees, Alhaji Yahaya Muhammad where there is an overlap in his sequence of education.” – Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia

Senate resolved into Committee of the Whole to consider the report.

Senate reverted to Plenary to report progress.

Senate in the Committee of the Whole and Plenary Confirmed:

George Abang Ekunugu as Secretary to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC);

Luqman Muhammed as Board Member of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC);

Anumba Adaeze as Board Member of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC);

Alh. Kola Raheem Adesina as Board Member of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); and

Alh. Yahaya Muhammad as Board Member of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

2. Report of the Committee on Health (Secondary & Tertiary)
Tertiary Hospital Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 136) by Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe

Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe moved that the Senate do receive and consider the report of the Committee on Health (Secondary & Tertiary) on the Tertiary Hospital Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 136).
Senator Chukwuka Utazi seconded.

Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe laid and presented the report.

Senate resolved into Committee of the Whole to consider the report.

Senate in the Committee of the Whole considered Clauses 1-27 as recommended, Schedule as recommended, Interpretation as recommended, Explanatory Memorandum as recommended, Short and Long Title as recommended.

Senate reverted to plenary to report progress.

The Senate in Plenary approved Clauses 1-27 as recommended, Schedule as recommended, Interpretation as recommended, Explanatory Memorandum as recommended, Short and Long Title as recommended.
Tertiary Hospital Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 136) was read the Third Time and PASSED!

CONSIDERATION OF BILLS FOR SECOND READING
1. A Bill for an Act to amend the provisions of the River Basin Development Authorities Act CAP R9 LFN 2004 for equitable distribution of River Basin Development Authorities and for other matters connected therewith, 2021 (SB. 297) by Senator Ike Ekweremadu

Senator Chukwuka Utazi who led the debate on the general principles of the Bill on behalf of the sponsor, Senator Ike Ekweremadu said that the Bill seeks to create an additional River Basin Development Authorities to cater for some states from the South-East.

“River Basins are not established based on geo political zones but rather on availability of lands. If lands are available, government can move in to construct dams, build canals and other things that can make it possible for farmers to go into farming all year round. The whole of North West has only one River Basin Development Authority. That of Kano is owned by the State government. So it all depends on the land available; if the land is not available you cannot do magic. I am not against another River Basin Authority in South East but we have to look at the availability of land. I would rather suggest that we expand the existing River Basin serving the South to construct more dams and more boreholes for the people. I believe in equity and social justice. In doing that, you also have to look at getting lands. If the land is available, I have no objection, let it be done.”– Senator Adamu Aliero

The Bill was read the Second Time and referred to the Committee on Water Resources to report back within four weeks.

2. A Bill for an Act to amend Compulsory Treatment and Care for victims of Gunshots Act, 2017 to expand its scope, establish a Medical Emergencies Assistance Fund and align punishments contained therein with current realities and for related matters, 2021 (SB. 748) by Senator Oluremi Tinubu

Senator Ajayi Borrofice seconded, said “I want to congratulate Senator Oluremi Tinubu for sponsoring this Bill. A right to live is part of fundamental human rights.”

“This Bill is a demonstration of the desire to acknowledge the sanctity of the human life. In my very eye, I saw an innocent Nigerian who was denied treatment because they were acting in provision of the law. One life is as important as the life of one thousand people.” Senator Emmanuel Bwacha

“Let me join my colleagues in commending the mover of this motion, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. Just like the earlier speaker mentioned, this is a straightforward motion. In this time and age, it is a shame to come up with motions like this, the question is who is not affected? I want to support this because innocent lives have been lost severally. I think this is timely and I want to believe that everybody is in support of this Bill.” – Senator Ibikunle Amosun

The Bill was read the Second Time and referred to the Joint Committees on Health, & Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and to report back within four weeks.

3. A Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal College of Education Idanre, Ondo State and for other related matters 2021 (SB. 300) by Senator Ayo Akinyelure

Senator Nicholas Tofowomo seconded, said “I have known Idanre for more than 50 years; they have been aspiring to having a higher institution for more than 40 years. In Nigeria, we have about 93 Federal Colleges of Education, this is inadequate looking at the population of Nigeria. Idanre has over 20 Secondary Schools, more than 30 Primary Schools and with this College of Education, it will improve education in that axis and lives will change.”

The Bill was read the Second Time and referred to the Committee on Tertiary Institution and TETFUND to report back within four weeks.

MOTIONS
1. Approval for the restoration of the suppressed Nsukka South State Constituency, Enugu State in compliance with the decision of the Federal High Court and Section 115 of the constitution by Senator Chukwuka Utazi

Senate resolved to:
i. Approve the restoration of Nsukka South State Constituency from Nsukka East State Constituency, Enugu State as ordered by the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/281/2015 and in compliance with sections 91 and 115 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended);

ii. Approve that the Independent National Electoral Commission complies with this resolution by ensuring that the restoration of Nsukka South State Constituency from Nsukka East State Constituency takes effect after the 2023 State Houses of Assembly election in compliance with Section 115 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended);

iii. Seek the concurrence of the House of Representatives in line with Section 115 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (as amended).

ADJOURNMENT
Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege ruled that Senate be adjourned till another legislative day.

Plenary was adjourned to Wednesday, 6th October, 2021.

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Signed
New Media Unit
Office of the President of the Senate
Federal Republic of Nigeria