Insecurity, external borrowing, others top Senate discussion last week

Just like the previous week, insecurity was one of the major deliberations of the Senate last week.

The Senate in the previous week dedicated a day to discuss insecurity across the country and the need to review Nigeria’s security architecture. While the Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, called on the president to resign, other lawmakers urged the president to dismiss all the service chiefs and appoint new ones.

They also summoned the Inspector General of Police, Mohammad Adamu, to discuss the matter.

Insecurity has gotten worse across the nation and is caused by different armed groups and individuals.

These include resurgent Boko Haram attacks in the North-east and increased cases of killings and kidnappings across the country.

Amidst the insecurity, the presidency has said Nigerians have reasons to be grateful as the situation is better than it was before President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office.

The Senate in the past week, also confirmed the appointments of some nominees sent by President Muhammadu Buhari.

This is even as they queried Ministries, Departments and Agencies who they say, are delaying the approval of the foreign loan requested by the president.

Here are some major events from the upper chamber last week:

Tuesday:

** The Senate approved N238.1 billion (N238,149,325,832.70) for the Nigeria Customs Service for 2020.

The approval followed the presentation of the report of the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs which considered the proposed budget for the Service.

Chairman of the committee, Francis Alimekhena (Edo North), who presented the report, said the budget is based on the federal government’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

Wednesday:

** The Police IG appeared before the lawmakers in plenary – in response to the summon by the Senate the week before. The meeting was held behind closed doors.

During the session, Mr Adamu briefed the Senate on “security challenges in the country on the concept and practical implementation and modalities of community policing policy.”

Thereafter, he answered questions bordering on national security challenges, assaults on major roads across the country, illegal circulation of firearms and encouraging synergy between the federal and state governments, Senate President Ahmad Lawan disclosed after the meeting which lasted about four hours.

** Mr Lawan queried some ministries for failing to appear before the Senate committee on local and foreign debts, to defend their borrowing plan request.

The ministries are Education, Power, Niger Delta, Humanitarian and Disaster Management and Water Resources. Others are Health, Communications and Agriculture.

The ministries are to defend their borrowing plan following President Muhammadu Buhari’s external loan request.

** The Senate confirmed the appointment of Ahmed Amshi as the chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission.

The lawmakers also confirmed other members of the commission.

Thursday:

** The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, presided over plenary. It was his first since the inauguration of the ninth Senate in June 2019.

He is also to head the Constitution Review Committee which was announced by the Senate President.

** A senator, Abba Moro (PDP, Benue), raised alarm over a strange disease which he said, has killed up to 15 people.

He called on the Ministry of Health to investigate and ascertain the nature of the disease as well as find a cure.