By Martin Odiete

The Senate has mandated its Committees on Foreign Affairs and Trade and Investments to, as a matter of urgency, interface with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate the status of Nigerian businesses in Ghana.

The decision to do so was reached during plenary on Tuesday following the consideration of a motion on “The need to investigate alleged ill treatment and injustices suffered by Nigerian Traders and Businesses in Ghana”.

Sponsor of the motion, Senator Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah (YPP, Anambra South) said many Nigerian businesses were established in Ghana following the desire of the Ghanaian Government to promote trade relations with Nigeria under President Kufour.

According to the lawmaker, the presence of Nigerian businesses created thousands of jobs and contributed to the growth of the Ghanaian economy.

“As at the end of 2010, Nigerian businesses accounted for sixty percent of foreign investments in Ghana from the African continent.

“Of recent, the once flourishing economic relations between Nigeria and Ghana have come under repeated threats as a result of recent hostile posture of Ghanaian authorities and indigenous Ghanaian Traders Union towards Nigerian traders through the adoption of discriminatory regulations aimed at frustrating Nigerian traders and businesses such as the passage of the Ghana Investment Promotion Commission (GIPC) Act,” he stated.

The GIPC Act, according to Ubah, “raised the amount of money in registering businesses owned by foreigners – who are mostly Nigerians – in Ghana to USD$200,000 and further restriction and prohibition of foreigners from trading in particular markets.”

The lawmaker bemoaned what he described as the “molestation of Nigerian traders and other hostile acts directed against Nigerian businesses such as the recent closure of over six hundred shops and businesses belonging to Nigerians carried out by the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) on December 2, 2019.”

He added that the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act 865 of 2013 prohibits ECOWAS citizens from engaging in Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs).

Ubah disclosed that among the many obstacles placed on the way on Nigerian entrepreneurs is the requirement of proof of importation of USD$1million into Ghana as applicable to citizens of non-ECOWAS member states such as China and India.

The lawmaker recalled that Nigeria and Ghana had previously set up a Joint Task For-e from the Trade Ministries of the two countries to inspect business facilities of companies registered under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) to address threats to business interests of Nigerians in Ghana.

According to Ubah, all measures and protection offered Nigerian traders under the ECOWAS framework have failed to address incessant threats to Nigerian businesses in Ghana, warning that “the situation may deteriorate into a serious diplomatic and economic crisis.”

Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf, in his contribution, said the allegation of discrimination against Nigerians was for the most part in the motion speculative.

Yusuf argued that the introduction of legislation by the Ghanaian authority was most likely aimed at insulating their economy and protecting the interests of local entrepreneurs.

“I support the intendment of this motion, it is very good and the intendment is excellent. However, I differ from the procedure of achieving the intendment of this motion.

“Some few weeks ago, we passed a bill here on procurement, and we were trying to protect the interest of our local or indigenous companies.”

“I have read through the motion and I find that there are so many areas that are highly speculative, and I don’t think in this chamber we work on things that are speculative.

“To talk about the $200,000, I think they (Ghanaians) are trying to protect themselves, it is not targeted at Nigerians.

“In as much as they (Ghanaians) have come out with certain policies, I think we should be very careful to embracing the issue here and debating it.”

“My own suggestion on this is that we should be very careful how we handle this kind of motion so that we do not create a diplomatic row”, Senator Yusuf cautioned.

Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia South) said, “I think the intendment of this motion is the protection of our citizens living out of Nigeria.

“Maybe the drafting may have been such to raise our emotions where we talk about the question of discriminatory acts and so forth.

“I think that we should just let this motion seek to make sure that we call attention to the fact of what is happening to our citizens outside of this country, and see a way of making sure that they are not unduly punished for reasons best known to the countries where they belong.”

In his concluding remarks, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said “this situation is another dimension of a lack of understanding, or maybe lack of intervention and early engagement between the two countries.”

“I think the time has come for Nigerian authorities to engage the Ghanaian authorities with the single mind of getting a solution to this problem because this has been happening for a long time.

“So, we need to know what is happening, and together with the executive arm of government, we have to find a solution to this,” Lawan said.

Senate urges Executive to rehabilitate Calabar–Itu highway

…Holds a minute silence for victims of boat mishaps

The Senate has urged the executive arm of government to immediately mandate Julius Berger to, as a matter of economic emergency, resume the rehabilitation and finalization of the Calabar–Itu Federal highway.

This was even as the upper chamber held a minute silence in honour of those who lost their lives in the ocean pathway of Calabar and Oron.

The Senate, in a motion sponsored by Senator Sandy Onor (PDP, Cross River Central), called on the executive to fund the dualization of the Calabar-Itu highway so as to accelerate commitment on the path of Julius Berger and ensure speedy completion of the project.

According to Onor, the highway which is significant to the economy of South-South and South-East States and was awarded to Julius Berger by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in 2017, has been abandoned for months, thereby causing heavy gridlock.

The lawmaker added that almost all retail and commercial purchases for the Cross-River market come from Onitsha, Aba and Port-Harcourt.

“The entire South-South and South-East States depend substantially on Cross-River State for the purchase of quality chippings for roads, buildings and other forms of construction activities

“This gridlock has therefore undeniably locked down critical economic activities in all the aforementioned states, thereby creating terrible economic downturn with obviously devastating consequences on the citizenry,” he said.

The lawmaker warned that the deteriorating state of the road, if not quickly addressed, would escalate the level of poverty and worsen the already alarming security situation in the zones.

Senate begins consideration of Buhari’s loan request

The Senate on Tuesday referred President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2016 – 2018 External Borrowing Plan request to its Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.

The President’s request was forwarded to the Committee for further legislative work following its presentation by the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, during plenary.

The Committee has Senator Clifford Ordia (PDP, Edo Central) as Chairman and Senator Bima Mohammed Enagi (APC, Niger South) as Vice Chairman.

President Buhari had in a letter dated November 26, 2019, said the Eighth National Assembly approved only a part of the External Borrowing request forwarded to it in September 2016.

This, according to him, stalled the Federal Government’s implementation of critical projects spanning across the mining, power, health, agricultural, water and educational sectors.

The letter read: “Pursuant to Section 21 and 27 of the Debt Management Office (Establishment) Act, I hereby request for Resolutions of the Senate to approve the Federal Government’s 2016 – 2018 External Borrowing plan, as well as relevant projects under this plan.

“Specifically, the Senate is invited to note that: While I had transmitted the 2016-2018 External Borrowing Plan to the Eighth National Assembly in September, 2016, this plan was not approved in its entirety by the Legislature, only the Federal Government’s Emergency projects for the North East, (Four (4) States’ projects and one (1) China Exim Bank Assisted Railway Modernisation Projects for Lagos – Ibadan Segment) we’re approved, out of a total of thirty-nine (39) projects.

“The Outstanding projects in the plan that were not approved by the Legislature are, nevertheless, critical to the delivery of the Government’s policies and programmes relating to power, mining, roads, agriculture, health, water and educational sectors.

“These outstanding projects are well advanced in terms of their preparation, consistent with the 2016 Debt Sustainability Analysis undertaken by the Debt Management Office and were approved by the Federal Executive Council in August 2016 under the 2016 – 2018 External Borrowing Plan.

“Accordingly, I have attached for your kind consideration relevant information from the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the specific outstanding projects under the 2016 – 2018 External Borrowing plan for which legislative approval is currently sought.

“I have also directed the Minister to make herself available to provide any additional information or clarification which you may require to facilitate prompt approval of the outstanding projects under this plan”, the letter read.

Senate invites Interior Minister over Buhari’s Visa-On-Arrival policy

The Senate on Tuesday resolved to invite the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to appear before its Committees on Interior, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to brief the upper chamber on the legal and constitutional issues surrounding the implementation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent visa-on-arrival policy.

The decision to invite the Interior Minister was reached sequel to the consideration of a motion brought to the floor on the “Urgent need to seek domestication of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement by an Act of the National Assembly prior to Implementation of the Proposed Visa On Arrival For Citizens of African Countries as recently directed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).”

Sponsor of the motion, Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi (APC, Ekiti North) who came under order 42 and 52 of the Senate rules, said that the Visa-On-Arrival policy is in furtherance of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement that was signed by Nigeria in July 2019.

According to the lawmaker, Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Treaties Act, 1993, requires the National Assembly to enact legislation for the purpose of giving effect to all treaties after their ratification by the President and other members of the executive arm of government.

He said that “neither the Federal Executive Council nor a member of the National Assembly has yet submitted to the National Assembly any Bill for domestication or to enable effect to the said African Continental Free Trade Agreement, which is the necessary prerequisite before its implementation.”

He added, “it is premature and constitutionally and legally impossible for the provisions of the said agreement to have any effect within the territory of Nigeria.”

“The National Assembly has not delegated its powers to enact legislation for the domestication of international treaties and agreements as prescribed under Section 12 of the 1999 constitutional  to either the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) or to any other agency or official of the Executive arm of government.

“The Presidential Executive Directive and the Nigerian Immigration Service that all Africans could come to Nigeria without visa from January 2020 is a clear usurpation of legislative powers of the National Assembly as prescribed under section 12 of the Constitution,” the lawmaker said.

Adetunmbi warned that Nigeria’s National Security, in view of the current insurgency and terrorist challenges of Boko Haram, could be jeopardized by the proposed 2020 visa-on-arrival policy of the Nigerian Immigration Service.

Senator Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North) called on the National Assembly to provide legal backing to the visa-on-arrival policy through the enactment of required legislation.

“All that needs to be done in terms of legislation should be done before implementing this very commendable policy”, he said.

The lawmaker added that the visa-on-arrival policy is practiced in developed countries of the world, adding that same opens a country’s economy to emerging markets and investment opportunities.

Another lawmaker, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), spoke in support of the domestication of the policy by the National Assembly.

“It is necessary for us to state here that when international agreements are entered into by Nigeria, they should be properly domesticated to give it a bite of legality and legitimacy.

“I think the visa aspect of this agreement needs to be looked into very closely and critically.”

He recalled that years back, a part of Nigeria in Bakassi was ceded to Cameroon and yet to be legally backed with a law to that effect by the National Assembly.

“Our people out there are in a quandary as to where they belong,” he said.

In his concluding remarks, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, called on the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to forward all treaties and agreements entered into by the Federal Government to the National Assembly for ratification.

“There are other treaties and agreements we have signed as a country, and I think the Attorney-General of the Federation should forward those to the National Assembly for us to ratify them appropriately and give them the legal backing that they require”, Lawan said.

Buhari approves Amshi as Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission

*Names two additional nominees for NAHCON

President Muhammadu Buhari has formally approved the nomination of Ahmed Kadi Amshi as Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission. 

Amshi’s nomination was contained in a letter dated December 11, 2019 and read on the floor by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan. 

The letter reads: “Further to your letters (NASS/9th/S/SP/PRE/1/NASC/06/11/19 dated November 6, 2019 and NASS/9tg/S/SP/PRE/1/NASC/25/11/19 dated 25th November, 2019, I write to convey my approval of your nominations for the appointments of Chairman and Commissioners of the National Assembly Service Commission as follows:

Engr. Ahmed Kadi Amshi, Chairman (Yobe, North East); Babagana Modu, Member (Borno, North East); Abubakar Tutare (Taraba, North East); Hakeem Akamo (Lagos, South West); Tunrayo Akintomide (Ondo, South West); Atanomeyorwi Francis (Delta, South South). 

Others are: Bassey Etuk (Akwa-Ibom); Bailyaminu Yusuf Shinkafi (Zamfara, North West); Sani Saidu Kazaure (Jigawa, North West); Julius Ucha (Ebonyi, South East); Nnamdi Anyaechie (Imo, South East); Auwalu Aliyu Ohindase (Kogi, North Central); and Muazu Is’haq (Nasarawa, North Central). 

In a related development, President Buhari also on Tuesday requested the Senate to confirm the appointments of two (2) additional nominees as members of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). 

The letter reads: “Pursuant to section 3(1)(d) (II) and (III) of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Act, 2006, I am pleased to forward for confirmation by the Senate two (2) additional nominees, Bala Muhammad and Yusuf Nwoha, as members of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON). 

“The Distinguished Senate may wish to recall that I recently sent sixteen (16) nominees to be considered by the Senate, for appointment as members of NAHCON. At that time, I indicated that makes of the remaining nominees would be conveyed to the Senate, once ongoing consultations were concluded. 

“Having now concluded those consultations, I hereby request for the confirmation, by the Senate of the appointments of the following two (2) additional nominees as members of NAHCON, namely: Bala Muhammad as the representative of Jama’atul Nasril Islam; and Yusuf Chinedozi Nwoha as representative of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.”

Bills for Federal Medical Centre Rigasa, Oil Palm Industrial Park scale second reading in Senate

A bill seeking to provide the Legal Framework to establish a Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Rigasa, Kaduna state on Tuesday scaled a second reading in the  Senate.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Uba Sani representing Kaduna Central.

Also on Tuesday, the Senate passed for a second reading A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of Oil Palm Industrial Park and for matters connected therewith 2019.

In his lead debate on the bill on FMC, Sani said it was in response to the yearnings of his constituents in Rigasa area.

The residents of the area, he said watched helplessly on daily basis as women and children die due to lack of well equipped healthcare centers.

He said, “this move for the establishment of the Federal Medical Centre is therefore informed by the need to bridge the existing gap between primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare delivery in Kaduna State and Nigeria as a whole.

“The gap between primary, secondary and specialist healthcare in Nigeria is widening.

“There is no seamless transition from one to the other due to a number of factors that include accessibility to medical facilities, affordability of medicare, as well as inadequate medical personnel at primary and secondary healthcare levels”.

He said the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Zaria, the main tertiary healthcare institution in Kaduna State, is overpopulated and could no longer adequately meet the demands for specialist health care by the citizenry.

Senator Sani noted that the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital is already overstretched as it receives thousands of in and out patients monthly, with complex medical cases from the North of Nigeria being referred to it.

He said, “The Nigerian National Health Policy is very clear on the role of the different tiers of government in healthcare delivery.

“Primary healthcare is to be provided by Local Governments, secondary healthcare by State Governments and tertiary health care by the Federal Government.

“In making this policy operational, Federal Medical Centres (FMCs) fill vacuums created by either the non existence or inadequacy of a Federal University Teaching Hospital In a State”, he said.

A bill seeking to establish the Palm Oil Industrial Park was on Tuesday passed for second reading by the Senate.

Sponsor of the bill for the Oil Palm Industrial Park, Senator Michael Ama Nnachi (PDP, Ebonyi South) said the Park, if established, would  among other things accelerate the development of farming communities across the country, and price support programme that would guarantee minimum price for palm oil and its allied products.

He said the Park would also provide employment generation through involvement of youths in the outreach and processing activities of the enterprises operating within the zones.

Leading the debate on the bill, Nnachi said the objective of the bill was to develop commercial agriculture, attract private sector palm oil processing companies, add value to palm oil value chain and reduce Nigeria’s dependency on palm oil importation.

He outlined the goals of the bill as reducing national dependency on food importation and assured national food security at low and stable prices.

According to him, “it will create wealth for rural and largely agricultural communities that depend on agriculture for a livelihood and create new sustainable jobs in agricultural production, processing and related activities.

“It will transform selected areas into highly developed Palm Oil Industrial Parks with trained personnel and efficient services to be available to investors.

“It will stimulate the repatriation of Nigeria’s capital by providing attractive climate and incentives for business activities in the Parks”.

He recalled that Nigeria was in the 1960s a net exporter of palm oil contributing up to 43 percent of the global production.

“Even though palm oil production has sluggishly increased to about 850,000 MT per annum, the gap between production and consumption is widening as consumption is growing more rapidly than production.

“Thus, the country has become a net importer of palm oil in the last 10 years. Nigeria is importing an ever increasing amount of palm oil to meet the yearning supply gap, which is currently about 300,000 MT per annum.”

The establishment of the Park, he said would improve the efficiency of processing technology leading to higher yields and greater production.