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 10:43am.
Senator Hadejia Ibrahim moved for the approval of votes and proceedings of Tuesday, 17th March 2020. Senator Istifanus Gyang seconded.
POINT OF ORDER
Senator Danjuma Goje cited Orders 42 & 52 and moved a motion on the issue of Coronavirus.
“Given the gravity of this issue worldwide there is a need for this Senate to extensively discuss this issue so as to give necessary advise to the Federal Government.”- Senator Danjuma Goje
“What is going on around the world is nothing for us to take with levity. I want to support the motion that the Federal Ministry of Health and other agencies have to sensitize the people on sanitation. This is a time for us to take our hygiene seriously and the government should sensitize the public on general cleanliness. We should go about our businesses the best way we can.”- Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
“This is a very serious issue. The dynamic of this epidemic is not yet fully understood. More drastic measures should be taken to ban people from worst hit countries from coming into Nigeria.”- Senator Ajayi Boroffice.
“We should not be complacent, we are doing well but we should do more. I want to advise the Federal Government to take urgent steps to stimulate the economy so that our economy does not go down. Let us borrow and let us spend. If we do not spend our economy will go down.”- Senator Barau Jibrin.
“The issue at stake is one that calls for proactive measures. The Federal Ministry of Health should bring all the public health team to do the needful so that we can contain this.”- Senator Aliyu Sabi.
“What we should be doing is to better our relationship with God. Our borders are so porous, members from other western countries move in freely. The danger that this will bring will be worse than what is happening in Italy. Let us look inward because the idea of hand washing is not even working. We should go more than that.”- Senator Emmanuel Bwacha.
“The virus is a respecter of no one. Let the Federal Ministry of Health release guidelines on keeping personal hygiene. Our airports and seaports are still open and we do not have the machinery to fight this coronavirus. So it is more threatening. Mr. Senate President, let no one from this Chamber travel out, we should all be here.”- Senator George Sekibo.
“We can advise ourselves as legislators that if we have reasons to travel outside the country we should quarantine ourselves for two weeks when we return to our country”- Senator Samuel Egwu.
“The problem we have has to do with management. It is time for us to take drastic action before we are forced to. We need to replicate how China has been able to contain the epidemic. We need to take charge and make strong pronouncements about taking adequate measures. We need to do the right thing and focus more on prevention.”- Senator Hadejia Ibrahim.
Senate resolved to:
- Urge Mr. President, C-in-C to address the nation on the situation of the Covid-19 in Nigeria;
- Urge the Federal Government to take more precautionary measures including but not limited to travel bans, restrictions on large gatherings, tighter border controls, stringent checking of people coming into Nigeria including mandatory 14 day quarantine, banning of some countries and other measures that the Federal Government deem fit to take;
- Urge the Federal Government and Nigerians to keep abreast of all measure related to Coronavirus worldwide;
- Urge the Senate to give full support to the Federal Government in fighting the menance of Coronavirus;
- Urge the Federal Government to open testing centres in each state of the Federation;
- Urge the Federal Government to stop airlines coming in from countries known to have been affected with the Coronavirus;
- Government should urge corporate organizations, including schools, offices, restaurants, mosques, churches and indeed our homes to make regular hand washing mandatory;
- Urge the Federal Government to shut down all international airports except Abuja and Lagos to ensure proper check of citizens coming in;
- Urge the federal, state and local government in charge of department of public heath to ensure all public health requirements and hygiene be properly monitored in accordance with the health enactment of state and local government;
- Urge the Federal government to ensure and immediately constitute a meeting of the National Council of Health to harmonize their responses and advocacy to Covid-19;
- Urge the government to enforce the quarantine of Nigerian citizens coming from countries that have been declared high risk; and
- The federal government should set up a special intervention fund for the purpose of tackling this Coronavirus.
“This is the most important issue that every part of the world is concerned with. Even though we are lucky, we should not rest on our horse, we must ensure that we marshal all available resources to protect our citizens. We need to be very careful, this is something that is entirely new to the world. We should work with the executive to ensure that we provide those facilities, particularly the testing centres. We need to have testing centres at least in each geographical zone. We need to have a standard which must be set by the Federal Ministry of Health. Everything we have said here is because we are concerned with the health of our people.”- Senate President, Ahmad Lawan PhD, CON.
PRESENTATION OF BILLS-First Reading
- 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 383) by Senator Philip Aduda.
1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 383) was read the First Time.
- 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 405) by Senator Matthew Urhoghide.
1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 405) was read the First Time.
- 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 403) by Senator Bassey Akpan.
1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 403) was read the First Time.
- 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 408) by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 408) was read the First Time.
- Institute of Information and Communication Technology Kaduna South (Est, etc) Bill, 2020 (SB. 407) by Senator Uba Sani.
Institute of Information and Communication Technology Kaduna South (Est, etc) Bill, 2020 (SB. 407) was read the First Time.
CONSIDERATION OF A REPORT
- Report of the Ad-hoc Committee on Nigerian Security Challenges on the need to restructure, review and reorganize the current security architecture in Nigeria by Senate Leader.
Minority Leader seconded that the Senate do consider the report of the Ad-hoc Committee on Nigerian Security Challenges on the need to restructure, review and reorganize the current security architecture in Nigeria.
Senate Leader presented the report.
“I want to commend this Committee on this important task. My comment on this will be to support the establishment of National Defense Fund. I support the combined special operation that will identify and destroy hideouts of bandits and kidnappers across the country.”- Senator Istifanus Gyang.
“I must commend the Committee for a job so meticulously done. Part of what we should work on is the need to work on the psyche of our judicial officers.”- Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.
“What is missing in this report is that this Committee did not take out time to look at the relationship between the government and the governed. The spirit of patriotism is lacking and so people are not making sacrifices needed in fighting insecurity. Let us look inward as a nation, we should bring out the spirit of patriotism. Let the Communities play a role in partnering with Local Government, State and federal government in establishing community policing.”- Senator Rochas Okorocha.
“A lot of scholarly work is being put into the report. This report in my view must be taken in batches.”- Senator James Manager.
“There are beautiful recommendations in this report. If these recommendations are implemented, it will boost morale of the officers. On a whole the report has the tendency to restore our hope in security architecture if only it would be implemented.”- Senator Emmanuel Bwacha.
“I think the boosting of morale of officers should be the most critical component of this task.”- Senator Bassey Akpan.
“It is our wish and hope that report like this will see the light of the day.”- Senator Adeola Solomon.
“Let me commend the Senate Leader for a very good job. I think we can ask our Committee to get inputs from other Distinguished members and include in the report to have a comprehensive set of recommendations for the executive. Committees are supposed to be very alert. Each Committee should look at components that concern them and follow up with oversight. This is the worst we can get in the security situation of the country. I believe that we need to work hard to implement the recommendations that we passed. The leadership of the Senate will take personal visit to Mr. President with a view to remain in the same page. We should also look at immediate things we need to do as a government to support our armed forces.”- Senate President, Ahmad Lawan PhD, CON.
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 Thursday, 19th March 2020.
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