By Tom Okpe The Federal Ministry of Environment and its agencies have urged the House of Representatives to increase their budgetary allocations for 2025, while reviewing it’s 2024 allocation. The Ministry, alongside its agencies, the National Park Service, Environmental Health Council of
By Tom Okpe House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Urban Development and Regional Planning, Rep Awaji-Inombek Abiante, has expressed concern over conversion of residential areas to commercial and industrial areas. Abiante raised the concern when the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Shuaib Belgore appeared before the Committee
By Tom Okpe The House of Representatives Committee on Information and National Orientation has decried the N8.7 billion budgetary allocation for the Ministry in the 2025 operations. The Committee, at its budget defence session on Wednesday in Abuja, rejected N1.2 billion Capital component of the budget, describing it as grossly inadequate. Chairman of the Committee, […]
By Tom Okpe The House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise has frowned at the Nigeria Custom Service, NCS, and other Government Agencies’ over its refusal on response to invitation by the House to appear before an investigative hearing on its operations and management of the nation’s borders. The Committee, alongside the House Committee […]
…says leads to opportunities to address challenges By Tom Okpe The House of Representatives Committee on Environment has frowned at what it described as an abysmally low release of funds to the Ministry of Environment, saying it has led to several missed opportunities to address environmental challenges, facing the country. Speaking at the budget defence […]
By Tom Okpe The House of Representatives Committee on Finance has directed Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Agency, ICRC, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Nigeria Sugar Development Commission, NSDC, to provide details of their budget performances in order to ascertain their level of compliance with extant financial regulation, laws. The directive was
…as Kalu announces membership of sub-committees BY TOM OKPE The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review Chairman, Rep Benjamin Okezie Kalu has said it will engage the Nigerian Governors Forum, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Conference of Speakers of State Legislature, Chairmen of the 18 Political Parties, Civil Society Organisations, amongst others, as part of
By Tom Okpe The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, has queried Head, National Office, West African Examination Council, WAEC, Nigeria, Josiah Dangut, over a N6 billion deficit, the agency incurred in 2023. Dangut was accompanied by the Registrar; Angus Okeleze, Senior Deputy Registrar; Victor Odu, Acting Director of Finance; Segun Jerumeh,
By Tom Okpe Chairman, House Committee on Solid Minerals, Rep Jonathan Gaza, has disclosed that illegal mining costs the country $9 billion each year, with the only fund coming from a 3% royalty paid by few licenced miners. This was after the revelation of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, that those involved […]
By Tom Okpe The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate and settle, amicably, the lingering dispute between the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Inspector-General of Police, which has resulted in an impasse, halting the 2023/2024 Police recruitment exercise. This was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance, moved by […]
The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into controversial clauses in the Samoa Partnership Agreement signed recently by the Federal Government. According to a statement signed by House Spokesman, Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr, on Tuesday, this is to ensure that they align with constitutional provisions, extant laws, and national interests. The move follows
By Tom Okpe The House of Representatives Committee on Rural Development has summoned the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Temitope Fashedemi to appear before it, unfailingly or, use provision of the 1999 Constitution against him. The Permanent Secretary is to appear before the Committee, to answer questions on activities of rural development
***describe recent town hall on State Police as pro-masses innovation The 10th House of Representatives and its leadership have been commended for their focus, dedication and commitment to nation-building. The Society for Open Parliament (SOP) made this known in a statement co-signed by its President Comrade Johnson Babatunde and Secretary General Patrick Eza.
..Query Accountant General over payment of N15bn to Remita ..To probe sale of Govt aircraft to individuals ..Accuse CBN of complicity BY TOM OKPE The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has queried the payment of N15 billion to Remita, a payment platform from the Office of the Accountant General for the Federation (OAGF). […]
By Tom Okpe The House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Monitoring and Evaluation, Rep Obinna Aguocha has said, success or failure of the 10th House of Representatives, rests squarely on effectiveness of Monitoring and Evaluation exercise of respective Committees in the House. According to him, the Committee last week wrote letters to over 50 Committees […]
By Tom Okpe The tripartite Committees of the House of Representatives, investigating implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility, by multinational oil companies and other corporate bodies in the South-South, has threatened to issue warrant of arrest on any organisation that failed to honour its invitation. Chairman of the committees, Rep (Prof) Obiageli Lilian Orogbu
By Tom Okpe Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on ICT, Rep Stanley Olajide has reiterated the 10th Assembly’s resolve towards the passage of bills on State Policing as part of ongoing efforts aimed at tackling, ravaging insecurity across the country. The House member, representing Ibadan North West/South West of Oyo State federal constituency, gave
The House of Representatives is considering a bill to punish employers who fail to pay their workers’ salaries on time. The proposed bill, titled the Employees Remuneration Protection Bill, has been introduced to address the issue of delayed or unpaid wages across the country. It is sponsored by a member representing the Agege federal constituency […]
By Tom Okpe The House of Representatives Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planning, has reiterated need to build national consensus on implementation of integrated and sustainable Urban Development and Physical Planning across the States, as part of National agenda on its development. Chairman of the Committee, Awaji Inombek D Abiante, stated this at the […]
By Tom Okpe Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep Tajudeen Abbas has made a N45m cash donation to the last week Military drone victims in Tudun Biri, Kaduna State, last week. The Speaker made the donation through members, ‘Northern Regional House Caucus,’ on Monday, 11 December 2023. A Nigeria Army drone strike, accidentally killed […]