Welcome to a new Legislative Day in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan PhD, CON led the Principal Officers into the chambers; took the official prayers; and began the day’s proceedings at 10:41am.
Senator Degi-Eremienyo Biobarakuma moved for the approval of votes and proceedings of Thursday, 5th March 2020. Senator Christopher Ekpenyong seconded.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan PhD, CON read a letter from Mr. President on the transmission of the Finance Act 2020 Amendment Bill for the kind consideration and passage into law by the Senate.
PETITION
Senator Abba Moro raised a petition on behalf of a constituency member, Alex Ogbu, a journalist, who was gruesomely murdered by the Nigerian Police on Tuesday 21st January.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan PhD, CON referred the petition to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to report in two (2) weeks.
POINT OF ORDER
Senate Leader, Abdullahi Yahaya cited Order 43 and drew the attention of the Senate to the effects of the Corona virus on the economies of the world and the need to formally prepare for the current crash in crude oil price.
“The leader has raised the issue of Corona Virus afflicting several countries. This has crashed the oil price and our economy depends on export of crude. As a parliament, we need to be proactive so that we are also able to take a decision. What the leader said is a good order and in good time. The Senate would constitute a joint Committee to liaise with their ministries and relevant stakeholders to ensure the implementation of the budget. The Committees on Finance, National Planning, Petroleum Upstream and Appropriation will constitute a joint Committee and the Committee on Finance will be the lead Committee.”- Senate President, Ahmad Lawan PhD, CON.
Senator Adamu Aliero cited Order 42 and 52 and moved a motion on the need to integrate the Almajiri education into modern system of education as a matter of urgent national importance.
Senate resolved to:
- Call on the federal government to upgrade the existing almajiri model schools and build more to increase the number of schools enrollment thereby reducing the number of out of school children on the streets;
- Mandate its Committee on Basic and Secondary Education to come up with ways and means of collaborating with state governments on how to get the fourteen million children that are currently out of school enrolled in Basic and Secondary Education Programme; and
- Call on the National Orientation Agency to initiate a sensitization program specifically on the issue of the almajiri and its negative impacts in children in the society especially in the northern part of Nigeria.
“We all know that the out of school children at the moment is a big problem to us as a country and therefore it is our duty to do whatever we can to ensure they are enrolled in primary and secondary schools as possible.”- Senate President, Ahmad Lawan PhD, CON.
Senator Betty Apiafi cited Orders 42 & 52 and moves a motion on the International Women’s Day, celebrated on the 8th of March annually.
“Women are part of people responsible for all us being here and because of that I am calling the attention of this Ninth Senate to please do whatever is possible to encourage women participation in politics and economic activities.”- Senator Aishatu Dahiru.
“Women form a greater percentage of those that go out to vote for us and it will be very necessary that Nigeria adhere to the Beijing Convention. I want to support this motion and call on my colleagues to please approve the prayers.”- Senator Eyakenyi Akon Etim.
“There should be proper inclusion of women in everything. We cannot advance and progress except we recognize the resilience that women come with.”- Senator Stella Oduah.
“I will like to use this opportunity to salute the great amazons in this Chamber.”- Senator Chimaroke Nnamani.
“let me congratulate the ladies of this chamber, the women of Nigeria and women of the world. It is only fair that the women have a fairer share or participation in governance. Even though we have eight female members, all of these Distinguished ladies in this chamber has done so well before they entered this chamber. I therefore congratulate you. No party can afford to neglect the women of Nigeria. I am sure there would be need for constitutional review to ensure women in Nigeria are given better opportunities for them to occupy the rightful place that they should have. I am mostly concerned about the women who are not mentioned, the rural women. We need to think about them and empower them.”- Senate President, Ahmad Lawan PhD, CON.
Senate resolved to:
- Celebrate all our women and girls who have made outstanding achievements;
- Celebrate all Nigerian women and girls;
- Urge all concerned with the amendment of Nigerian Constitution to ensure gender parity is a priority in the Constitution amendment;
- Urge all registered political parties to make it a policy to give women equal opportunities in all elective and appointive positions;
- Urge employers of labor to give women equal opportunities to allow women achieve their true potentials; and
- Urge corporate organisations to ensure parity in top management positions and the boardroom.
PRESENTATION OF BILLS- First Reading
- 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 327) by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.
1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 327) was read the First Time.
- Federal Nephrology and a kidney Research Research and Treatment Centre Hadejia (Est, etc) Bill, 2020 (SB. 385) by Senator Hadejia Ibrahim.
Federal Nephrology and a kidney Research Research and Treatment Centre Hadejia (Est, etc) Bill, 2020 (SB. 385) was read the First Time.
- 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 388) by Senator Michael Nnachi.
1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 388) was read the First Time.
- Constitutional Court of Nigeria (Est, etc) Bill, 2020 (SB. 386) by Senator Sani Musa.
Constitutional Court of Nigeria (Est, etc) Bill, 2020 (SB. 386) was read the First Time.
- Institute of Information and Communication Technology (Est, etc) Bill, 2020 (SB. 387) by Senator Dimka Hezekiah.
Institute of Information and Communication Technology (Est, etc) Bill, 2020 (SB. 387) was read the First Time.
PRESENTATION AND CONSIDERATION OF A REPORT
- Report on the Companies and Allied Matters Act, cap. C20, LFN 2004 Bill, 2020 (SB. 251) by Senate Leader.
Minority Leader seconded that the Senate do receive and consider the report on the Companies and Allied Matters Act, cap. C20, LFN 2004 Bill, 2020 (SB. 251).
Senate Leader laid and presented the report.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Senate dissolved into the Committee of the Whole for the clause by clause consideration of the Report on the Companies and Allied Matters Act, cap. C20, LFN 2004 Bill, 2020 (SB. 251).
Senate reverted to plenary and reported progress.
Companies and Allied Matters Act, cap. C20, LFN 2004 Bill, 2020 (SB. 251) was read the THIRD time and PASSED.
“This is another very important milestone in legislation in Nigeria particularly the Ninth Assembly. We want to see our country attracting and sustaining businesses. This Bill having passed in the Senate and House of Representatives will soon be signed into law by Mr. President.”- Senate President, Ahmad Lawan PhD, CON.
CONSIDERATION OF A BILL- Second Reading
- A Bill for an Act to repeal the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency Act CAP N90 LFN 2004 and enact the Nuclear Nigerian Airspace Management Agency Act for the purposes of providing effective Air Navigation Services in Nigeria ensuring safety and regularity of Air Navigation in Nigeria and to any other place which Nigeria has responsibility of providing Air Navigation Services and related matters, 2020 (SB. 194) by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi.
“The content of this debate clearly shows that there is a necessity for us to decompose the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.”- Senator Bala Na’allah.
A Bill for an Act to repeal the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency Act CAP N90 LFN 2004 and enact the Nuclear Nigerian Airspace Management Agency Act for the purposes of providing effective Air Navigation Services in Nigeria ensuring safety and regularity of Air Navigation in Nigeria and to any other place which Nigeria has responsibility of providing Air Navigation Services and related matters, 2020 (SB. 194) was read the Second Time.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan PhD, CON referred the Bill to the Committee on Aviation to report within four (4) weeks.
MOTION
- Need for the Central Bank of Nigeria to regulate the activities of cooperatives and thrift societies in Nigeria by Senator Aishiru Oyelola Yisa.
The motion was stood down for further legislative input.
ADJOURNMENT
Senate Leader moved that all items on the order paper be stood down to another legislative day. Minority Leader seconded.
Plenary is adjourned to Wednesday, 11th March 2020.
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