By Martin Odiete, Abuja …As Lawan warns MDAs to submit audited accounts or risk punitive measures from N’Assembly The Senate on Tuesday approved the sum of Two hundred and thirty-eight billion, One hundred and forty-nine million, Three hundred and Twenty-five thousand, Eight hundred and thirty-two Naira Seventy kobo (N238,149,325,832.70) for the Nigeria Customs Service for the 2020 financial year. The approval came following presentation and consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff. Chairman of the Committee, Senator Francis Alimikhena (APC, Edo North), in his presentation said out of the total expenditure for the year 2020, N98.61 billion representing 41.41 percent is for Personnel cost; N15.95 billion representing 6.70 percent is for Overhead Cost; and N123.59 billion representing 51.89 percent is for Capital Cost. According to the lawmaker, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has a revenue framework of N1.5 trillion to be remitted to the Federation account; and N178.7 billion to Non-Federation account for the 2020 fiscal year. He further disclosed that the NCS in 2020 will undertake the recruitment of three thousand two hundred (3,200) officers and men, as well as implement the Customs Service Salary structure for 15,892 officers and men of the Service. Lawmakers who spoke in support of the adoption and passage of the committee’s report include: Senators Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North); Ibikunle Amosun (APC, Ogun Central); Bassey Akpan (PDP, Akwa-Ibom North West); Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi (APC, Niger North); and Yamaha Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi North). Other Senators, however, kicked against the Seven percent Cost of Collection (N112,424,425,326) due to the Nigeria Customs Service from the federation account, one which they argued was not justified, particularly because the service is a revenue generating agency. The lawmakers who kicked against the seven percent collection by the service from the federation account are: Senators Olamilekan Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West); James Manager (PDP, Delta South); Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC, Kebbi South); and Gabriel Suswam (PDP, Benue North East). Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, while objecting to some items in the 2020 budget for the NCS as contained of the committee’s report, queried the allocation of over one hundred and twenty million naira for the purchase of television units. However, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, in his concluding remarks, commended the Customs Service for beating its revenue target in 2019. He maintained that the Seven percent collection from the Federation account due the agency is an incentive intended to motivate the revenue generating agency to live up to the expectations of its responsibility. “This Customs Service is a revenue generating agency, last year the report says they performed so well and even collected above the target, this is what we want. “So, if there’s anything we would be doing is to encourage our revenue generating agencies to perform. We should be giving them incentives even when there’s none actually, so that we are able to get more and more resources. “I believe that from those of our colleagues who have served in the Customs know there’s improvement in the customs service today.” While charging committees of the Senate to properly oversight relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government, Lawan advised the Committees to get an understanding as to why their annual budgets make provision for certain items in dispute. “I think what is crucial is for us to be up-to-date and prompt with our oversight. All those expenditures that are expected to be done, we should be able to understand how and when they are done.” Lawan warned Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government that over the years have failed to submit audited reports of their annual expenditure to comply before the end of the first quarter of 2021, or risk facing drastic action by the National Assembly during appropriation. “The Second aspect is the audited accounts. It is a sad commentary that the agencies of government have not been submitting their audited accounts. This is unacceptable, and I think we need to take drastic action here. “This is a new dawn. We have passed the budget last year, the operation or implementation of the budget has started, and we expect every MDA to present their audited accounts before the end of the year, especially towards the end of December, or at least the first quarter of next year. “If any agency refuses or fails, without any cogent reason, we have every reason to take a drastic action when it comes to appropriation, because not to account for what you’re given the previous year is to say that you’re not prepared to take a new budget. “So, I’m advising the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), especially those that are not up-to-date with their audited accounts to do so, because we could decided as a National Assembly, to take punitive measures against agencies of government that are not up-to-date with their audited accounts,” the Senate President said.
Senate seeks to establish Agency for persons with Special needs The Senate on Tuesday considered a bill seeking to establish a National Agency for the Research and Management of Persons with Special Needs. The bill which scaled Second Reading on the floor during plenary was sponsored by Senator Betty Apiafi (PDP, Rivers West), and was read for the first time on December 5, 2019. The lawmaker said, the bill among other things, seeks to create an agency charged with improving the social, economic, mental and with Physical well-being of persons diagnosed with disorders that have special needs. Among cases of special needs which the bill seeks to provide for are persons with Down’s syndrome; Autism; Cerebral palsy; Dyslexia; Bipolar disorder; Albinism and hypo-pigmentation; Vitiligo; Psoriasis; Lupus; Scleroderma; Severe Atopic Dermatitis; Lamellar Ichthyosis; Sickle cell disorder; Thalassemia; Haemophilia; Hydrocephalus/Neural disorders; and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. The piece of legislation, according to Apiafi, while “addressing the plight and hardship of citizens with Special needs in Nigeria”, would cater for various disorders. The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, after the bill was considered by the upper chamber, referred same to the Committee on Sports and Social Development for further legislative work.
………Senate President inaugurates Committee on Nigerian security challenges President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday inaugurated an adhoc committee of the Senate to look into the current security architecture of the country and recommend ways to improve on the present security situation. The senate had last week after exhaustive deliberations on the security situation in the country resolved to set up the adhoc committee on “Nigerian security challenges: urgent need to restructure, review and reorganize the current security architecture”. …………Inaugurating the 18-member committee, Lawan charged the members to be rigorous in their
assignment “in order to deepen the understanding of the nature of the security crisis, have a realistic assessment of the problem and proffer workable solution”. He said, “the constitution guarantees protection of the life and property of every Nigerian and the Government’s commitment to uphold same. “It is well known that Security Sector Governance (SSG) aims at elaborating rules that set standards for state and human security by applying the principle of good governance to the security sector. “This makes security provision, oversight and management more effective and more accountable, within the framework of democratic civilian control. “The Legislature also further seeks a Security Sector Reform (SSR) that will transform the security sector and assign roles and responsibilities in a manner that is consistent with democratic norms and the principles of good governance. “These principles include respect for the rule of law, transparency, accountability, and public trust. “The nation must initiate the process to formulate or re-orient the policies, structures and capacities of institutions and groups engaged in the Security Sector in order to make them more effective, efficient, accountable, and responsive to democratic control and to the security and justice needs of the people.” The Senate President charged security agencies to give all the necessary corperation for the committee to discharge its duties effectively. “We don’t want a situation where security agencies will hoard information from us. What we are trying to do is to support our security agencies to function optimally,” he said. In his remarks, the chairman of the committee and the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi said in spite of challenges of limited time and funds, the committee would strive to lay the desired solid foundation for peace and security. Members of the committee include the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Senator Mohammed Ndume, Senator Aliyu Wammako, Senator Dauda Jike, Senator Kashim Shettima, Senator Ibn Na’Allah, Senator George Sekibo, Senator Ibrahim Gobir. Others are Senator Suleiman Kwari, Senator Kabiru Gaya, Senator Gershom Bassey, Senator Stella Oduah, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Senator Abba Moro, Senator Abubakar Yusuf and Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
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