Source: House of Representatives Speaker’s Media Office.
Ten (10) major decisions of last week; Mainagate, Unpaid Salaries, Roads and Biometrics: Highlights from the House of Reps
Last week, the House had 10 bills introduced into the legislative mill, passed others through second reading an adopted motions on issues ranging from the Maina reinstatement controversy to unpaid salaries in Kogi state, to harmonisation of data collection and infrastructural development across the nation.
Presented below are 10 major decisions/steps taken by the House during the week;
1. Adhoc Committee to investigate Maina’s reinstatement and promotion: Following reports of the reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina, the wanted ex-chairman of thepresidential taskforce on pensions regime, Hon. Jagaba Adams Jagaba (chairman of the House Committee on Interior) moved a motion of urgent public importance on the need to investigate circumstances surrounding his disappearance, reappearance and subsequent reinstatement and promotion. The motion was adopted and the House commended the President for being proactive in directing his immediate sack, constituted an adhoc committee to conduct the investigation, and called upon the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately arrest Maina in order to serve as a deterrent to others who might have corrupt tendencies.
2. Edward Soje’s suicide and unpaid salaries in Kogi state: The House adopted a motion by Hon. Sunday Karimi on the urgent need to save the souls of Kogi people as a result of undue hardship being faced by Residents of Kogi State as a result of mounting unpaid salaries. He prayed the House to call the Kogi State Government to be responsible to its people and the Central Bank to investigate the released bail-out funds and punish mismanagement. Although some Members argued that the matter ought to be tabled before the Kogi State House of Assembly, Speaker Dogara stated that bailout funds given to states are federal funds, which the House has jurisdiction over.
3. Declaration of State of Emergency on Federal Roads: The House adopted a motion by Hon. Segun Alexander Adekola and Hon. Afe Olowookere, calling for the declaration of a State of Emergency on the rehabilitation of federal roads across the country. Hon. Adekola, while moving the motion, said that the declaration was necessitated by the dilapidation of most federal roads and the fact that road infrastructure deficit is estimated at N2trillion while less than 45% of budgetary allocation currently goes to roads. He also stated that the absence of public private partnership scheme and the failure of successive administrations to prioritize road construction and maintenance, is largely accountable for accidents and attacks by hoodlums who rob and kill at will on highways. The House urged the Executive to declare a state of emergency on the dilapidated Federal roads in the country and initiate measures to rehabilitate them, and mandated the Committee on Works to ascertain the status of Federal Roads across the country, the contracts awarded for their rehabilitation, the budgeted sums and states of execution from 2007 till date, and report back within twelve (12) weeks for further legislative action.
4. Harmonisation of Biometric Data System: In response to