National Assembly Roundup: Guns at Presidential Villa, NASS probe of NNPC, other top stories from Senate

The federal government on Thursday opposed a bill seeking to provide a legal framework for the mining, production and exportation of bitumen in the country.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the government’s position at a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development at the National Assembly complex, Abuja.
Mr Alake, represented by Emma Oganiru, argued that the bill is unnecessary, inconsistent with global best practices, and would increase the cost of governance.

The bill, sponsored by Jimoh Ibrahim, the senator for Ondo South senatorial district, passed a second reading last November and was referred to the committee for further legislative action.

During the public hearing, the minister said creating a commission to regulate a single mineral resource could set a challenging precedent, leading other regions to demand similar commissions for their local minerals.

Mr Alake also noted that the federal government is already planning to propose a bill to establish the Nigeria Solid Minerals Corporation, which would oversee the development of mineral resources such as gold, limestone, iron ore, bitumen and others.

Mr Ibrahim, while speaking at the public hearing, noted that the global Bitumen market is valued at $110 billion and projected to reach $146.59 billion by 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of four per cent.

Over 277 guns around the National Assembly

Ondo South senator Jimoh Ibrahim, at plenary on Wednesday, said there were over 277 guns within the National Assembly and the Presidential Villa. The senator was contributing to a motion sponsored by the Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, on recent bombings in Gwoza town of Borno State.

Mr Ibrahim explained that an application on his mobile phone can detect the number of guns around his location. He did not, however, mention those bearing the guns.

Insight into the Mambilla Power Project

During plenary on Thursday, senators discussed comprehensively the reasons behind the failure of the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project. The 3,050 MW hydroelectric power project is located in Kakara village of Taraba State, North-eastern Nigeria. It was initiated by a Chinese company, CGGC, at a total cost of $5.9 billion.

Based on the existing agreement, the company will fund 85 per cent of the project while the Nigerian government will fund the remaining 15 per cent, equivalent to $868.8 million.

When completed, it will be the largest power-generating installation in the country and one of the largest hydroelectric power stations in Africa. But successive governments have refused to commit the 15 per cent funding.

Among the senators who spoke on why the project has not been completed were Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central, Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North)*, Aminu Tambuwal ( PDP, Sokoto South), Victor Umeh (LP Anambra Central) and Sani Musa (APC, Niger East).

Senate probes NNPC on adulterated fuel importation

The Senate on Wednesday constituted a 15-member committee to unravel the circumstances surrounding the persistent importation of hazardous petroleum products by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the committee’s composition during the plenary.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, is the committee chairman.

Other members are Asuquo Ekpeyong (Cross River), Abdullahi Yahaya (Kebbi), Tahir Monguno (Borno) Olamilekan Adeola (Ogun) Diket Plang (Plateau) and Abdul Ningi (Bauchi), Khabeeb Mustapha (Jigawa), Ipanibo Banigo (Rivers), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos), Osita Izunaso (Imo), Sahabi Ya’u (Zamfara), Olajide Ipinsagba (Ondo) and Ekong Sampson (Akwa-Ibom).The resolution to investigate the importation of hazardous petroleum products was a sequel to a motion sponsored by Mr Ekpeyong.

In the motion, Mr Ekpeyong expressed displeasure with the persistent importation of contaminated fuel into the country.The senator said 12 cargoes conveying 660kt of diesel were exported by refineries to offshore Lome, Togo, Nigeria and some West African countries on 16 June. He noted that the petroleum products are below the standard quality of Nigeria and have been circulated across the markets. Mr Ekpeyong warned against the consequences of contaminated fuel on vehicles and generators.

Borno bombing and security chiefs

The Senate on Wednesday rejected a motion to stop service chiefs from diverting funds meant for the procurement of ammunition to the construction of universities and other unprioritised projects.
The upper chamber, however, condemned the suicide bombings in Gwoza, Borno State on Saturday.
It also observed a minute silence in honour of those who lost their lives in the attack.

The resolutions followed a motion sponsored by the Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, calling on the upper chamber of the National Assembly to sympathise with the people of Gwoza town for the bombing incidents.
Mr Ndume (APC, Borno South), while presenting his motion, said about 32 people were killed in the attack and several others injured.

He said the attack had raised concerns about the security situation in the region and the safety of the people.
The whip, therefore, demanded that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) provide relief materials to victims of the attacks.

He also urged the federal government to direct various security agencies in the country to deploy technology in the fight against insurgency and secure hotspots inhabited by the insurgents, namely, the Lake Chad Region, Sambisa Forest, and the Mandara Mountains, respectively. Mr Ndume requested a minute silence in honour of those who lost their lives in the attack.