#TodayInSenatePlenary PROCEEDINGS OF THE NIGERIAN SENATE OF TUESDAY, 28TH NOVEMBER, 2017.

Welcome to a new Legislative Day in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu took the official Prayer and led the Chambers into today’s proceedings at 10.50am.

Senator Kabir Marafa moved for the approval of votes and proceedings of Thursday, 23rd November, 2017, Senator Matthew Urhoghide seconded.

PETITIONS

Senator Joshua Lidani and Senator Akpan Bassey laid Petitions and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu referred the petitions laid to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to report back in 2 weeks.

POINT OF ORDER

Senator Ali Ndume cited order 42 and spoke on the state of security in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe State and sought the leave of the Senate to bring it as a motion on another Legislative day.

Senator Tayo Alasoadura cited orders 42 and 52 and spoke in respect of a motion on the need to enforce the terms of the 1993 product sharing contract (PSC) agreement between international oil companies (IOC) and Federal Government. He sought the leave of the Senate to bring it as a motion on another Legislative day.

Senator Kabir Marafa cited orders 42 and 53(6) and spoke in respect of the confirmation of the Resident Electoral Commissioners that took place on Thursday and sought the leave of the Senate to revisit the issue of the nominee from Zamfara state who was not confirmed having ascertained that he was born and schooled in Zamfara State.

CONSIDERATION OF BILLS- Second Reading

1. A Bill for an Act to amend the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act 2000 and for other matters connected therewith, 2017 (SB. 578) by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

‘Since the establishment of this Bill 17 years ago, the Gas processing companies has refused to pay anything to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which is deteriorating the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act in the Southern region.’- Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

Senator Foster Ogola seconded and supported the Bill and said the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act was put in place to make sure we have enough revenue in that sector. He went further to say that the focus should not only be on the oil companies but the gas companies as well.

‘I support this Bill, we need more resources in the Niger Delta region.’- Senate Leader.

‘It is our obligation to notch up the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) because it adds up to the revenue net of our Nation.’- Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

The Bill for an Act to amend the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act 2000 and for other matters connected therewith, 2017 (SB. 578) was read the *SECOND* time.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu referred the Bill to the Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to report back in a week.

2. A bill for an act to authorize the issue from consolidated revenue fund of the Federation the total sum of N8,612,236,953,214 (eight trillion, six hundred and twelve billion, two hundred and thirty six million, nine hundred and fifty three thousand, two hundred and fourteen naira) only, of which N456,458,654,074 (four hundred and fifty six billion, four hundred and fifty eight million, six hundred and fifty four thousand, seventy four naira) only is for statutory transfers, N2,233,835,365,699 (two trillion, two hundred and thirty three billion, eight hundred and thirty five million, three hundred and sixty five thousand, six hundred and ninety nine naira) only is for debt service, N3,494,277,820,219 (three trillion, four hundred ninety four billion, two hundred and seventy seven million, eight hundred and twenty thousand, two hundred and nineteen naira) only is for recurrent (non debt) expenditure while the sum of N2,427,665,113,222 (two trillion, four hundred and twenty seven billion, six hundred and sixty five million, one hundred and thirteen thousand, two hundred and twenty two naira) is for contribution to the development fund for capital expenditure for the year ‪ending 31st December, 2018‬ second reading 1st Allotted day)

‘The 2018 budget document is imaginary.’- Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.

‘Performance of the 2017 budget is very abysmal, we end up having budget that is below expectation and we are already doing same with the 2018 budget.’- Senator Joshua Lidani.

‘The global economy is unstable, we are still dependent on oil. The necessary institutions are not performing to their optimum in line with the budget. I wonder if the President, Muhammadu Buhari is having a second look at the budget presented by civil servants.’-Senator Yusuf A. Yusuf.

‘I am more concerned about the implementation, the last 2 years has not been successful. We are at 1.9million barrel per day, oil prices are rising, I don’t think we should have excuses on non performance. We need a stronger database to capture more revenue.’- Senator Adesoji Akanbi.

‘We cannot discuss 2018 budget without going back to the previous 2years, what impact are we going to see in road maintenance? On the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC)2017 budget, only N500million has been released from a budget of N11.4billion and these are key parastatals expected to perform magic.’- Senator Gbenga Ashafa.

‘This Government has demonstrated with the 2018 budget estimate that they are sensitive to people’s plight.’- Senator Gbenga Ashafa.

‘The 2018 budget is a budget of active imagination, some Government agencies are bloated,we spend millions of naira on National Orientation Agency (NOA), what is their use?, the only way out is to reduce the cost of governance.’- Senator Ben Murray Bruce.

‘The budget in some area is very encouraging in the sense that non oil expectation is high on the budget estimate, we need to build a more robust income base that is not focused on oil.’- Senator Tayo Alasoadura.

‘In the 2018 budget we are given N8.6trillion, how do we know what the execution level will be based on low execution of previous budget.’-Senator Francis Alimikhena.

‘I thank everyone for the contribution, I commend my colleagues for keeping their language clean and speaking their mind on the 2018 budget debate. We need to look at how we can reduce deficit.’- Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

‘Some research agencies are not researching anything and are still being funded, we need to point them out so we don’t spend money on them.’-Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

ADJOURNMENT

Senate Leader moved that all other items on the order paper be stood down to another Legislative day. Minority Leader Seconded.

Plenary is adjourned to Wednesday, 29th November, 2017.

#GavelBangs.

Signed:

Digital Communications Department,

Office of the President of the Senate,

Federal Republic of Nigeria.