The bill was passed separately by the Senate and the House of Representatives on Thursday.

A breakdown of the budget showed N3.645trn for statutory transfers, N14.317trn for debt servicing, N13.64trn for recurrent expenditure and N23.963trn capital expenditure (development fund), with fiscal deficit put at N13.08trn.

The Deficit-to-Gross domestic product (GDP) Ratio was put at 1.52%.

Last Week, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu increased the 2025 fiscal year budget from an initial N49.7trn to N54.2trn, seeking approval from the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abubakar Bichi, while presenting the bill for consideration, stated that the committee met with the Presidential Economic Planning team to further discuss revenue projections and expenditure for the 2025 Appropriation Bill.

According to him, the 2025 Appropriation Bill was presented late, compared to that of 2024.

He urged the executive to present subsequent budgets to the National Assembly not later than three months before the next financial year, to maintain the January to December budget cycle.

The post Just-In: NASS Passes ₦54.99trn 2025 Budget appeared first on Daily Dates Nigeria.

The late Deputy Comptroller Essien, was in charge of the reconciliation of revenue for the service.

Essien passed away on the 25th of June 2024 while making presentation before the National Assembly House Committee on Public Accounts.

According to the statement, late Essien died during his presentation, approximately three minutes in.

“Deputy Comptroller Essien requested water and showed signs of discomfort. Despite immediate efforts to assist him, he unfortunately passed away.

“Deputy Comptroller Essien was born on the 16th of November 1967 and joined the Nigeria Customs Service on the 27th of November 1989 with over three decades of service to our nation. Hailing from Nsit-Ubium in Akwa Ibom State, he was known for his diligence and exceptional service record in the Accounts Unit. His role as the DC Revenue was pivotal in ensuring the accurate reconciliation of revenue, which he performed with utmost precision and dedication.

“The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, On behalf of the entire officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service, extends heartfelt condolences to the family of Deputy Comptroller Essien.

“The loss of such a dedicated and valued team member is deeply felt across the Service. We are committed to supporting and assisting his family and colleagues as they navigate this difficult period.”

The CGC stated, “Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. His exemplary service and unwavering commitment to duty will be remembered and cherished by the entire NCS community. The Nigeria Customs Service will forever remember Deputy Comptroller Essien for his outstanding contributions, his exemplary service, and his dedication to the nation. We honour his memory, and his legacy will continue to inspire us all.”

“Deputy Comptroller Essien is survived by his loving wife and children. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

The post Customs Explains How Deputy Comptroller Etop Essien Died in NASS appeared first on Daily Dates Nigeria.

The President participation was in-line with the official statement as earlier issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Bayo in the statement wrote: “the President will address a joint session of the National Assembly, which has lined up a programme to commemorate 25 years of the nation’s Democratic journey at both the execution and legislative levels.

Onanuga noted “President Tinubu speech will dwell on the achievement of his administration and Nigeria’s democracy since the military ceded power in 1999.”

He disclosed that, at the end of the speeches, President Tinubu will commission the National Assembly Library and Resource Centre, now to be known as Bola Ahmed Tinubu Building,” Onanuga stated.

The post Tinubu Attends Joint Sitting of NASS, Reintroduce Old National Anthems appeared first on Daily Dates Nigeria.

84 (12) of the Electoral Act which prevents appointive political office holders from contesting for election from party primary level without resigning, Daily Dates Nigeria reports.

The request was rejected after the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC Kebbi North) made the lead debate for the second reading of the bill on Wednesday.

The Senators kicked against it and voted no when put to voice votes by the Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

President Buhari last week wrote the Senate seeking an amendment of section 84 (2) subsection 12 in the 2021 Electoral Act.

Specifically, President Buhari asked the National Assembly to amend section 84 (2) Subsection 12 which states that no political appointee shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of any candidate for an election.

In the letter, he said the amendment is necessary as the clause constitutes a fundamental defect and leads to the disenfranchisement of political officeholders.

In his view, the section disenfranchises serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at conventions or congresses of any political party, for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it holds earlier than 30 days to the national election.

President Buhari stressed that the provision introduced qualification and disqualification criteria that ultra vires the Constitution by way of importing blanket restrictions to serving political officeholders.

The Federal High Court in Abuja in a ruling on Monday, March 7 stopped President Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, from tampering with the newly signed amended Electoral Act 2022.

Ruling on an ex-parte application by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Justice Inyang Ekwo agreed with the counsel to the party, James Onoja, that the Electoral Act has become a valid law and cannot be tampered with without following due process of law.

The post Electoral Act: Senate Rejects Buhari’s Request To Amend Section 84 (12) appeared first on Daily Dates Nigeria.

The amendment, which are products of the public hearings conducted between May and June, 2021, are as follow:

Abrogation of the State Joint Local Government Account

This seeks to among others provide for a Special Account into which shall be paid all allocations due to Local Government Councils from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State to engender their financial autonomy

Establishment of Local Government as a Tier of Government

The aim is to guarantee Local Government as a tier of government with democratic existence, tenure to remove it from the apron strings of State Governments.

Also related to Local Government are amendments to change the names of Afikpo North and Afikpo South, Egbado North and Egbado South, Barikin Ladi and to correct the name of Atigbo and Obia/Akpor Local Government Areas.

Financial Independence of State Legislature and Judiciary

This is to make State Houses of Assembly and the judiciary financially independent so as not to be under the control and interference of the executive.

Compliance with Legislative Summons

The proposal is to compel persons to obey or comply with legislative summons to provide answers to matters of public importance.

First Legislative Session

The amendment is aimed at regulating the first session and inauguration of Members-elect of the National and State Houses of Assembly.

Legislative Bureaucracy

This is to institutionalise Legislative Bureaucracy-management and staff of National and State Houses of Assembly in the Constitution.

Constitution Alteration Bill

It is to provide for the procedure for passing a Constitution Alteration Bill where the President withhold Assent.

Overriding Executive Veto in Money Bill

This is to provide a procedure for overriding Executive Veto in respect of Money Bill (appropriation) so as to make law.

Placing VAT on Exclusive List

The proposed amendment seeks to include Value Added Tax (VAT) on the Exclusive Legislative List. It will make the collection of VAT an exclusive reserve of the Federal Government.

Removal Legislative Presiding Officers

The amendment seeks to provide for the procedure of removing the President of the Senate, Speakers of the House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly.

Pension for NASS Presiding Officers

The proposal is to provide pension for Presiding Officers of the National Assembly; President of the Senate and Speakers of the House of Representatives and their Deputies.

Revenue Courts

This amendment seeks the establishment of the Federal Revenue Court and the Revenue Court of a States.

Strengthening the Judiciary

The proposal is to further strengthen the Judiciary for timely dispensation of Justice.

Timeline for Civil and Criminal Cases

The amendment seeks to set timelines within which Civil and Criminal Cases are heard and determined at Trial and Appellate Courts in order to eliminate unnecessary delay in justice administration.

Related to the Judiciary are amendments to:

• Ensure Uniformity in the Retirement Age and pension Rights of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of Records Delete the Reference to the Provisions of the Criminal Code, Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Act, Criminal Procedure Code or Evidence Act.
• Exclude the Period of Intervening Events in the Computation of Time for Determining Pre-election Petitions, Election Petitions and Appeals there from.
• Allow Court or Tribunal proceedings to be conducted remotely, virtually, online or through any media platform or technological innovation.
• Expand interpretation of Judicial Office to include Courts or Tribunals created by an Act of the National Assembly or a State House of Assembly.
• Provide for the Post Call Qualification of the Secretary of the National Judicial Council.
• Impose the requirement of fair hearing in the process of recommendation of removal of Judicial Officers by the State Judicial Service Commission.
• Include Judges of the National Industrial Court in the Composition of Election Tribunal.

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National Assembly, on Thursday, appealed to the members to call off their ongoing strike in the interest of all Nigerians.

The lawmakers assured the resident doctors that their grievances would be resolved in the shortest possible time, Daily Dates Nigeria reports.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, and his House of Representatives counterpart, Yusuf Tanko Sununu, made the appeal during the flag-off of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) sensitization campaign in eight states.

Oloriegbe said, “I appeal to our resident doctors to please go back to work. A strike by any doctor can lead to loss of lives and any life lost can never be regained.

“Every issue about the strike is mostly about money, and we can always pay arrears, but there are no arrears to life.

“In view of this, whatever the issues are, they can always be resolved through dialogue. I call on them to go back to work while discussions are going on.

“The issues are with the Ministry of Health. They have held a meeting, and meetings will continue to ensure that the issues are resolved.”

“It is important that Nigerians have access to health care and access to qualified and competent doctors in our public hospitals. I hope they will listen and yield to this call and ensure that services are restored.”

The Chairman, House Committee on Health, Yusuf Sununu also said “We do know that there are some issues raised and we are working hard to ensure that those issues are resolved within the shortest possible time.

“I do hope that they will get the cooperation of everybody, including the Executive arm of the government so that we can fast-track the calling off of this strike.”

NAFDAC earlier announced that it has embarked on a public sensitisation campaign across the nation, to combat the high rate of unregulated products and their inherent dangers to public health.

NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye lamented the alarming rate at which substandard products were being paraded.

Adeyeye noted that it has become crucial for the agency to embark on a significant sensitisation campaign to regulate substandard products in Nigeria.

According to her, the awareness campaign is important to promote and protect the health of citizens.

The NAFDAC boss earlier disclosed that significant sensitisation campaigns were scheduled to hold in eight states of the federation, adding that the first phase of the sensitisation campaigns will be held in selected states across the country from August to September 2021.

Adeyeye noted that the sensitisation campaigns are being organised in phases as the agency intends to cover all 36 states of the federation within available resources.

She also mentioned that a well-informed, sensitised, and educated citizenry is the bedrock of effective regulation.

According to her, citizens need to be informed about the deleterious effects of unwholesome food, falsified medical products, harmful cosmetics, poor water, and other substandard products.

The post NASS Appeals To Resident Doctors To Suspend Strike appeared first on Daily Dates Nigeria.

The Upper legislative chamber, Senate rejected Lauretta Onochie’s appointment after Kabiru Gaya, Chairman of the INEC committee, presented a report in plenary.

Lauretta was nominated for the job by President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2020.

While presenting the report on Thursday, Gaya said the presidential aide was disqualified on federal character principles, adding that there is currently a serving commissioner from Delta state, where Onochie hails from.

The post Senate Takes Stand On Lauretta Onochie As INEC Commissioner Nominee appeared first on Daily Dates Nigeria.

In reaction to this, Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, in a statement said: “National Assembly is not responsible for the maintenance and renovation of the complex.

The Senate also added that the “N9billion approved for the renovation of the National Assembly complex in the 2020 Appropriation Act was never released by the Federal Government of Nigeria, Daily Dates Nigeria reports.

NASS noted that it is true that an initial appropriation was made due to the decaying nature of the National Assembly Complex which has not witnessed any major maintenance or overhauling since the construction.

He added that the amount was reduced to 9billion naira after the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Contrary to the widespread falsehood being peddled both in the mainstream and online media as a fall out of the reported incident of the leaking roof of the National Assembly Complex after a heavy downpour on Tuesday, 21 June 2021, it is pertinent to inform the General Public that the National Assembly and its leadership is not responsible for the maintenance and renovation of the National Assembly Complex and they have not received a sum of 37 billion naira or any amount for the renovation of the Complex.

“Even with this reduction, the sum of 9 billion or any amount is yet to be cash-backed or released to the National Assembly. None of this amount is even appropriated for the National Assembly bureaucracy or its leadership.

“It must be reiterated that the National Assembly Complex is a National Monument which falls under the purview of control of the Federal Capital Development Agency. In essence, the FCDA is responsible for its maintenance as well as renovation and not the Leadership of the National Assembly as being falsely bandied about.

“The leakage witnessed at the foyer of the National Assembly yesterday (Tuesday) justifies the apprehension of the leadership of the National Assembly and the FCDA and further underscores the need for an urgent intervention in revamping the dilapidated structures within the complex before it falls into further dilapidation with the attendant huge cost of a possible replacement.” The statement read in part.

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