Senate Archives - Page 18 of 109 - Parliament Reports

Prior to the appointment, Akpabio had mentioned that President Bola Tinubu had just assented to some bills establishing the regional development commissions.  The Senate has appointed Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu (APC,  Abia north) as chairman of the newly established South East Development Commission (SEDC) committee while Sen. Ken Eze (APC, Ebonyi Central) was appointed as the vice chairman. The announcement was made by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, during Tuesday’s plenary. Prior to...

Tensions escalated when Sen. Ningi began to criticise the ministry’s renewed hope housing scheme, questioning its visibility and transparency.   The budget defence session of the senate committee on housing and urban development descended into heated bickering on Wednesday as senators clashed over the seeming repeated allocations for mass housing. Tensions escalated when Sen. Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi central) began to criticise the ministry’s renewed hope housing scheme, questioning its visibility and transparency. Earlier, the...

Prior to the investigative hearing, Julius Berger Nigeria sent an apology to the senate for refusing to appear before its committee on works for explanation on abandoned projects. The senate committee on works has mandated Julius Berger Plc to accelerate the completion of the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene highway and other critical infrastructure projects under its jurisdiction, emphasising urgency, quality, and sustainability in delivery. This ultimatum was made during an investigative hearing on Tuesday where the committee...

Given the critical role the information sector plays in advancing the agenda of President Tinubu, Sen. Eze noted that the committee unanimously agreed to return the proposed budget. The senate committee on information and national orientation has rejected the N8.9 billion budget proposal for the federal ministry of information and national orientation in the 2025 budget, deeming it grossly inadequate. Consequently, the committee has summoned the minister of budget and economic planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, for...

FIRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji said all grey areas in the tax reform bills have been resolved, with no further meetings required.  The senate has signaled progress on the tax reform bills, with public hearings set to be held soon, paving the way for their passage at third reading. Chairman of the senate ad-hoc committee on tax reforms, Sen. Abba Moro (PDP, Benue south) confirmed this on Monday while speaking to journalists after a two-hour closed-door...

While efforts are underway to stabilise the grid, Adelabu admitted that the collapse can only be managed until necessary funds are provided. Minister of power, Bayo Adelabu has painted a mixed picture of progress and persistent challenges in Nigeria’s power sector detailing the complexities surrounding the national grid collapses experienced in 2024, funding shortfalls, and the pressing need for investment to achieve sustainable energy security. Adelabu said these when he appeared before the senate committee...

Senators pressed the finance minister on the status of the 2024 budget implementation, particularly the allocation for capital expenditures.  The senate has called on ministers and heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to provide detailed explanations regarding various government policies under their supervision. The call came during separate budget defense sessions organised by senate committees on Thursday. Among those questioned were Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister for the economy, and Sen....

The senate will hold an “open day” this Thursday, providing a platform for a diverse group of stakeholders, including heads of MDAs to offer their input on the budget.  The senate has announced plans to suspend plenary sessions for a two-week period upon its resumption on January 14, 2025. This is in line with the National Assembly plans to begin the committee-level review of the proposed N49.7 trillion 2025 budget. Additionally, the senate will hold...