12 - 2019 - Emporium Reporters

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

December 17, 2019December 17, 2019 Emporium Reporters

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…

Senate begins consideration of Buhari’s loan request

December 17, 2019 Emporium Reporters

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…

Senate urges Executive to rehabilitate Calabar–Itu highway …Holds a minute silence for victims of boat mishaps

December 17, 2019December 17, 2019 Emporium Reporters

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…

Endless Borrowing Will Lead to Endless Sorrowing, By Atiku Abubakar

December 17, 2019 Emporium Reporters

John Quincy Adams once said “there are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt.” He may have very well been referring to Nigeria of the last three years. Barely two weeks ago, I warned during my Founder’s Day lecture at the American University of Nigeria, Yola, that Nigeria had taken almost as much foreign debt in the last three years, as she had taken in the thirty years before 2015 combined. Now that is frightening. And very true. Frightening,…

President Buhari signs 2020 Appropriation Bill into Law

December 17, 2019December 17, 2019 Emporium Reporters

President Muhammadu Buhari today in state Abuja, signed into law 2020 Appropriation bill . The signing of the budget was witnessed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Speaker , House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Secretary to the Government of Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation Senator Jibrin Barau and Senior Special Assitant to the President on National Assembly(Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare . Read full speech of the President: PROTOCOLS 1. It is my pleasant duty, today, on my 77th birthday, to sign…

NASS support for Buhari is for Nigeria’s long-term development – Omo-Agege

December 17, 2019 Emporium Reporters

The National Assembly’s support for the Buhari administration was all about Nigeria’s long-term development and not mere politics, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has said. Senator Omo-Agege who was conferred with various awards of recognition by five groups drawn from the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria at his office on Tuesday in Abuja, stated that the 9th Senate Legislative Agenda draws heavily from Buhari’s Next Level Agenda so as to ensure a populist, development-focused unity of purpose. Senator Omo-Agege who was represented by his Chief of…

Wase Eulogises Buhari at 77, says he’s a compassionate leader

December 17, 2019December 18, 2019 Emporium Reporters

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Ahmed Wase has felicitated with President Muhammad Buhari,GCFR on his 77 birthday, describing the president as a humane, compassionate and patriotic leader. In a congratulatory message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Umar Muhammad Puma, Wase observed that at 77, President Buhari is well matured, better experienced and imbued with wisdom to take Nigeria to greater heights. “I wish to congratulate our leader and father,President Muhammadu Buhari on his 77 birthday. It is a great milestone to attain such an…

Diseases Outbreak: Senate moves to establish medical centre in Rigasa

December 17, 2019 Emporium Reporters

The Nigerian Senate, on Tuesday, took a bold step to push for the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Rigasa, Kaduna state, to control the spread of communicable diseases and reduce mortality rate. Rigasa, a satellite town in Kaduna state, has been without functional and well equipped medical facility to cater for the ever growing population. This has accounted for many avoidable deaths, with children and women, (especially during childbirth), being the worst hit. In order to establish an accessible and affordable medical facility, the Senate, on Tuesday, passed…

EXCLUSIVE: Beware Buhari. 2020 Budget passed by N’Assembly contains ₦264billion fraudulent projects

December 17, 2019 Emporium Reporters

When the Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriation, Ibrahim Barau, was presenting the just passed 2020 budget, he justified the increase in the budget by saying the top-up would offset the infrastructural deficit in the country. The president’s initial proposal was ₦10.33 trillion. However, when the National Assembly passed the bill last Thursday, certain new projects inserted into the budget moved it up to ₦10.594 trillion (₦10,594,362,364,830). The budget the president will sign today, Tuesday, or later this week, is loaded with items federal law enforcement agents have typically characterised as frivolous and…