Major discussions from the Nigerian Senate last week

Lawmakers of the Upper Chamber only used two of three days in the past week to deliberate on national matters.

This is because they dedicated the whole of Wednesday to eulogise their late colleague, Ignatius Longjan, in a valedictory session.

Nonetheless, the senators were able legislate on several issues, ranging from health, to economy and as usual, security.

Here are some major discussions from the Senate last week:

Monday:

– The sponsor of the bill that seeks to establish an agency for the rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram members, Ibrahim Gaidam, has explained why he introduced the bill in the Senate.

Among other reasons, he said the commission would help repentant insurgents to re-enter mainstream politics, religion and society. It would also promote reconciliation and national unity, he said.

Tuesday:

– The Senate called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reconstitute the board of the Federal Character Commission (FCC).

This is even as the commission was alleged to be selling job slots for as high as N3 million.

–  The  Senate Committee on Environment expressed disappointment over the slow pace of work on the Ogoniland Clean Up project despite the release of $360 million.

The panel was disappointed that two years after the release of funds, not a single site out of the sixty-five contaminated sites marked for clean-up was certified “clean”.

– The Senate has fixed March 9 for the public hearing of the Social Media bill. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. at Senate Conference Room 022, Senate New building, National Assembly, Abuja.

Wednesday

– The Senate honoured Mr Longjan as the lawmakers dedicated the whole day to a valedictory session for the late senator.

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Mr Longjan died on February 9. He was 75. He represented Plateau South Senatorial District under the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

Thursday:

– The Deputy Senate Leader, Ajayi Boroffice, decried Nigeria’s poor preventive measures towards Covid-19 (coronavirus). The lawmaker narrated his experience on a recent trip to South Africa. He said the country has already adopted more preventive measures compared to Nigeria.

A case of the virus was confirmed in Lagos on Friday and both the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire and Information, Lai Mohammed, have asked Nigerians to remain calm and not panic.

– A bill that seeks to amend the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004, scaled second reading at the Senate.

The bill, sponsored by the Senate Leader, Abdullahi Yahaya, seeks to, among other things, provide for the incorporation of companies.

* Find details of the proposed State Police Bill HERE.

The bill, among other things, seeks to establish the federal police, state police, National Police Service Commission, National Police Council, and State Police Service Commission for the states.