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Senate urges Agip oil to remediate Ijaw community affected by spill 

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2 years ago

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Senate-President-Lawan
Senate President Ahmad Lawan
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Senate urges Agip oil to remediate Ijaw community affected by spill 

The Senate has urged the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited to accelerate environmental action on remediating Ogboinbiri community affected by crude oil spill in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State within the next ninety days.

This was just as the chamber commended the oil company for providing some monetary compensation to the affected community as consolation for the hardship caused by the spill.

The call by the upper chamber was contained in recommendations adopted by the Senate after it considered a report by the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over the alleged failure by Agip Oil Company to pay compensation to the community affected by crude oil spillage.

Chairman of the Committee, Patrick Akinyelure, in his presentation, said the panel received a petition from Dunobene Perekeme on behalf of Ogboinbiri community.

According to him, the Committee in its findings observed that the incident of oil spill occurred on June 5, 2021, during the nationwide lockdown, and was reported to the relevant government regulatory agencies.

He noted that the impact of the oil spill had grossly affected the means of livelihood of residents of Ogboinbiri community who were predominantly fishermen, lumbers and farmers.

Akinyelure, disclosed that the clean-up of the affected area was done without the participation of the host community to ascertain whether or not the claim of third party inference by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC) was the cause of the spill.

The petitioner, Dunobene Perekeme, in his petition to the Committee, requested NAOC to ensure proper clean-up and remediation on the environment without delay.

He also requested that relief materials be provided to the victims of the crude oil spill to cushion the effect of loss of livelihood by the polluter (NAOC).

Perekeme, while reeling out a list of demands, requested that a total of N3.5 billion naira be paid as specific and general damages for the claimants whose properties, means of livelihood and health were impacted by the spill.

Out of the total sum, he explained that N500 million naira was for compensation to all claimants as damages to their properties.

In addition, he noted that N20 million naira would be paid to each claimant as damages for their health, bringing the total amount to N2.02 billion naira on health claims.

He said the sum of N1 billion naira on the other hand was intended for general damages to the claimants for loss of livelihood to ameliorate their suffering.

Meanwhile, the Senate on Wednesday commended the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria for tempering justice with mercy and reabsorbing Olubukola Enaohwo who appointment was terminated on May 2, 2019.

The intervention by the Senate followed a petition received from Olubukola Enaohwo against FMBN for alleged unjustified termination of her appointment.

The panel observed that though the petitioner’s employment was temporary, her employer’s (FMBN) decision to terminate same was not justified given that she (Olubukola) had spent eight years of her life in service.

In a related development, the chamber has urged the Nigerian Institute of Science and Laboratory Technology (NISLT) to forthwith, release the original copy of the appointment letter it withdrew from Mr. Franklin Onyebuchi Ekpe, following a petition received from the latter.

It also directed that the petitioner (Ekpe) be documented and absorbed without delay into the service of the Institute with effect from February, 2019; and all salaries and entitlements accrued to him over the period duly paid.

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Senate Blocks First-time Senators from Contesting Senate President, Deputy Senate President Offices

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October 3, 2023

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Nigerian Senate
Senate in Session
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**Approves nine other standing committees

The Senate has amended its standing rules to prevent first-time senators from contesting for the office of the President of the Senate and that of the Deputy President of the Senate.

The amendment was carried out at the plenary yesterday after the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion for the amendment of standing rules to accommodate new standing committees. 

The motion, which was seconded by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Simon Mwadkwon, overwhelmingly received support of all the senators across all political affiliations when the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio put on voice vote.

At the plenary, also, the Senate carried out nine other amendments aimed at accommodating new standing committees.

As shown in its motion, the Senate created the Committee on Atomic and Nuclear Energy, which would oversee the Nigeria Nuclear Energy Regulatory Commission, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission and their annual budget estimates.

The Senate also bifurcated the Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) into two different standing committees namely the Committee on FCT and Committee on FCT Area Councils.

The Senate resolved that the Committee on FCT would oversee matters affecting the FCT, Planning and Development of the new Federal Capital Territory and control of development within the Federal Capital Territory and its annual budget

The upper chamber further resolved that the Committee on FCT Area Councils would oversee Area Council Mandate, Area Council Service Commission, Area Council Staff Pension Board, Auditor- General for the Area Council and other agency or department under FCT.

The Senate similarly divided the Committee on Sports into two standing committees to now reflect the Committee on Sports Development as well as Committee on Youth and Community Engagements.

According to the Senate, the jurisdiction of the Committee on Sports Development shall include Federal Ministry of Sport Development, National Lottery Commission, National Institute for Sports, Nigeria Football Federation, Sport Arena Development, national and international sporting activities, sports administration and annual budget estimates.

The Senate further said the jurisdiction of the Committee on Youth and Community engagements should include Federal Ministry of Youth Development, National Youth Service Corps, Citizens and Leadership Training Centre, Offices of the Senior Assistant to the President on Community Engagement in the six geo-political zones, youths movements activities and associations and its annual budget estimates.

The Senate also divided the Committee on Solid Minerals, Steel Development and Metallurgy into the Committee on Solid Mineral Development and the Committee on Mines and Steel Development.

The Senate said the Committee on Solid Mineral Development “shall oversee Federal Ministry of Solid Mineral Development, Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, Mining Cadastre Office and Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientist, Nigerian Metallurgical Training Institute, Solid Minerals Development Fund, Nigeria Institute of Mining and Geoscience, National Metallurgical Development Centre, exploration of minerals extraction and quarry, geological survey and minerals investigation as well as explosives.

“The Committee on Mines and Steel Development shall oversee Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Aluminum Smelting Company of Nigeria, Ajaokuta Steel Development Company, National Iron Ore Mining Company, National Steel Raw Material Exploration Agency and their budgets.”

 

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NLC,TUC Make U-Turn Suspend Planned Strike, FG To Pay Workers N35,000

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1 day ago

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October 3, 2023

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NLC and TUC Flags
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Organised labour have suspended its planned nationwide indefinite strike action for the next month.

This was contained in a memorandum of understanding signed Monday by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja; as well as the TUC President, Festus Osifo, and Secretary General, Nuhu Toro.

The three-page document was also signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Dr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

“The NLC and TUC accept to suspend for 30 days the planned Indefinite Nationwide strike scheduled to begin, Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023,” the MoU reads in part.

“The Federal Government grants a wage award of N35,000 (thirty-five thousand
Naira) only to all Federal Government workers beginning from the month of
September pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have
been signed into law.”

The decisions come at the end of an hours-long meeting between the Federal Government, NLC, and the TUC on Monday.

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Nigeria@63: God Will Heal Our Nation – Pastor Adeboye

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2 days ago

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October 2, 2023

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Pastor E.A.Adeboye
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Pastor Enoch Adeboye has prayed to God to heal Nigeria, asking citizens to also pray for the betterment of the nation.

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) said this on Sunday during the church’s October Thanksgiving Service and Nigeria’s 63rd Independent Day celebration.

Pastor Adeboye spoke on the topic ‘Freedom Indeed’ during the service.

“I pray in the name that is above every other name that God will heal our nation,” the preacher said.

“Independence is talking about freedom, that is why we would be talking about freedom indeed. You may be enjoying independence from the colonial master and still be a slave to sickness, poverty, terror, and forces of darkness,” he added.

“I am wishing you a very good celebration but more than anything else, I wish all of you who are in Christ freedom and freedom indeed.”

In many churches across the nation, the Christians marked Independence Day with praises and prayers for the country.

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