HIGHLIGHTS:

 House Further Amends Electoral Act

 Reps Approve Extension Of FCT 2017 Budget Implementation Period
 Lawmakers Seek Ways To Improve Utilisation Of Ikorodu Lighter Terminal,
Others.
 African Nations Must Unite To Fight Terrorism - Dogara
House Further Amends
Electoral Act

The House of Representatives has made fur-

ther amendments to the Electoral Act, 2010,
making changes to the law guiding elections
as preparations begin for 2019 general elec-
tions.

Highlights of the amendments include the

change in the order in which elections are to
be held, with that of the National Assembly
holding first, followed by governorship and
state assembly polls and presidential election
and conduct of fresh election in the event
that a candidate dies before the conclusion
of an election.

The lawmakers adopted the recommenda-

tions of the report of the Hon Aisha Dukku-
led House Committee on Electoral and Politi-
cal Party Matters on the proposed amend-
ment of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended)
in the committee of the whole, which was
presided over by Deputy Speaker Lasun
Yussuf.

The amendments sweep across time frame

for replacement of candidates by political
parties, withdrawal of candidates, replace-
ment of candidates in event of death, time
for display of names and logo of parties by
INEC, order of conduct of general elections,
among others.

Reps Approve Extension
Of FCT 2017 Budget
Implementation Period
Following the request forwarded to the parliament
by President Muhammadu Buhari for extension of
the period of implementation of the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT) 2017 budget, the House of Repre-
sentatives has passed a bill for an Act to amend the
Federal Capital Territory Appropriation Act, 2017.
The president had stated in his correspondence to
the House that the period is short, going further to
seek the approval of the House to let it run for an-
other three months.
The bill, which was raised on the floor by House
leader, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, was passed in the
Committee of Supply presided over by Speaker Ya-
kubu Dogara and will now await concurrence with
the Senate, before transmission to the president to
assent.
When passed, the 2017 FCT budget will be empow-
ered to run till 31st March, 2018 or until the 2018
FCT Appropriation bill is passed into law (whichever
comes first).
Lawmakers Seek Ways To
Improve Utilisation Of Ikorodu
Lighter Terminal, Others.
Legislators in the House of Representatives have
mandated the Committees on Ports, Harbours and
Waterways, Customs & Excise and Legislative Com-
pliance to carry out an investigation into the cur-
rent state of existing ports and terminals in the
country with a view to making them effective.
This was sequel to a motion raised by Hon. Babaji-
mi Benson on the need to address underutilisation
of Ikorodu lighter terminal and to make it an export
gateway.
The House noted that the multi-billion Naira in-
vestment is almost moribund as it is operating be-
low capacity, thus contributing nothing significant
to the nation’s economy though its staff strength
keeps increasing.
It added that it was cognizant that given the huge
economic challenges confronting the nation, which
are manifested in reduced job opportunities, busi-
ness collapses etc., expanding the capacity of the
terminal to an export gateway and putting its facili-
ties to maximum use will open up the economy by
increasing Nigeria’s non-oil export volume, create
jobs, decongest other ports and further earn for-
eign exchange for the country.
Diversification Of Economy:
Reps Call For Phased Ban on
the Importation of Fish and
Fish Products into Nigeria.
In order to shore up the revenue of the country by
diversifying into other sources of income order
than crude oil, the House has urged relevant agen-
cies in the executive to develop a policy framework
for the implementation of a phased ban on the
importation of fish and fish products so as to cre-
ate an enabling environment for increased private
sector investments in the fisheries sub-sector with-
in a period of four (4) years.

This resolution was contained in a motion moved

by Hon. Tasir Olawale Raji, which was adopted by
the House.

The lawmakers noted that the diversification of the

economy away from crude oil through key sectors
such as agriculture remains pivotal to the realisa-
tion of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of
the present administration, adding that the Fisher-
ies sub-sector, which is a vital component of Ni-
geria’s Agriculture and the national economy, ac-
counting for about 4% of the country’s Gross Do-
mestic Product, has remained largely under-
developed despite having the potential to provide
cheap sources of protein, income, employment
and foreign exchange.

The House further noted that Nigeria has, over the

years, resorted to importation to meet the deficit
of about 1.9 million metric tonnes in domestic fish
supply at an estimated cost of USD625 million in
foreign exchange annually, thereby putting unsus-
tainable huge pressure on the country’s foreign
reserves and fluctuating earnings from crude oil.

The lawmakers added that Nigeria has all it takes

to become self-sufficient in fish production and
also become a major hub of fish exportation in the
West African Sub-region and urged the executive
to vigorously pursue the goal of self-sufficiency in
fish production so as to ensure food security and
reserve for export.
PIGB Gets Approval In House of
Reps One of the bills drafted
from the Petroleum Industry
Bill has been passed by the
House of Representatives.
The bill is for an Act to provide for the governance
and institutional framework for the petroleum in-
dustry.
Female Police Officers To Get
The Bill was raised for third reading by Hon.
Monguno Tahir after which it was passed by the Relief As House Amends Laws
House.
To Uphold Their Rights
PIGB is one of the splinter bills that will provide
Concerned about the infraction of the rights of fe-
framework for the governance of the petroleum
male police officers through the requirement that
sector to make it more efficient, effective and
they must obtain prior permission of their Commis-
atttactive to investors.
sioners of Police before undertaking marriage, the
House of Representatives has passed an amend-
Others bills are in the legislative mill and will be
ment bill through second reading to put an end to
passed subsequently by the lawmakers.
the practice.

The bill is for an Act to amend the Police Act, and

the Police Regulations, respectively to prevent con-
tinued infraction of Section 42 of the Constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)
by the requirement of Female Police Officers to re-
quest prior permission of their Commissioners of
Police before undertaking Marriage.

Speaking on the general principles of the bill, its

sponsor, Hon. Bassey Ewa, noted that the practice of
controlling the marriage rights of female Police Of-
ficers is wrong, as it can only be controlled by the
courts, churches or mosques depending on the faith
practiced by the person.

He also faulted deployment of junior cadre officers

to parts of the country where they have no prior
knowledge of the people and their practices, saying
it hampers their ability to be successful in their du-
ties.

The bill was referred to the Committee on Police

Affairs for further legislative processing.
Reps To Investigate Huge
Debts Owed Indigenous
Companies by International
Oil and Gas Companies (IOCS)
The House of Representatives has resolved to set
up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the huge
debts being owed local companies and indige-
nous contractors by International Oil and Gas
Companies with a view to ensuring that such
debts are paid promptly.
This was sequel to the adoption of the resolution
of a motion sponsored by Hon. Kingsley Chinda.
The House noted that several indigenous compa-
nies that had rendered services, executed con-
tracts and/or supplied items to International Oil
and Gas Companies (IOC’s) operating in the
country are being owed huge sums of money by
those IOC’s, as a result of which those companies
are going through difficult times.
It said it is aware that those contracts, which run
into millions of naira or dollars and can span over
short or long durations, are very significant to
and serve as the life wire to several of those
companies and the main source of livelihood for
the contractors.
The lawmakers stressed the urgent need to save
those indigenous firms and contractors from
likely bankruptcy and liquidation by reason of
the huge debts being owed them as it would
lead to job losses with the attendant hardship it
will bring in its wake.
African Nations Must Unite To
Fight Terrorism - Dogara
....calls for active vigilance by citizens, parliaments to
protect democracy
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon
Yakubu Dogara, has called for active vigilance by
citizens of any democracy, saying this is how to en-
sure that liberty that democracy promises is
achieved.
Dogara, who was speaking when a delegation of
MPs from Puntland State of Somalia paid him a
courtesy visit in his office, also explained that this is
the role of an independent parliament.
He added that for any democracy to thrive, an in-
quisitive, vibrant parliament must be on ground to
check the excesses of the executive and judiciary,
especially as the media and civil society organisa-
tions may not be independent in many nations.
The Speaker said one of those great things that par-
liament does is ensuring that elections are reflective
of the wishes of the majority of the people because
in a representative democracy, the system has to be
free and fair and must hold within an environment
that is devoid of intimidation.
He added that Nigeria will continue to provide sup-
port to other African countries in order to help in
their development and achieve a system that will
benefit the whole continent.
BUDGET DEFENCE SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE BUDGET DEFENCE SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE
ON DEFENCE ON INTERIOR
BUDGET DEFENCE SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEARING OF THE COMMITTEE
TERTIARY EDUCATION
ON FERMA

PUBLIC HEARING OF THE COMMITTEE ON POWER BUDGET DEFENCE SESSION OF THE

COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONEMTAL