Television Nigerian

Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has signed 20 bills passed by the House, including the Armed Forces of Nigeria Trust Fund Bill, 2021, for transmission to the Senate for concurrence.

Gbajabiamila signed the 20 bills in his office at the National Assembly on Monday before they were sent to the Senate.

The 20 bills are among many others that have already been passed by the House and sent to the Senate for concurrence before being sent to President Muhammadu Buhari for his signature.

The Armed Forces Bill seeks to establish the Nigerian Armed Forces Trust Fund. It will provide special financial support to the Armed Forces, as well as regular personnel training and the provision of security/defence equipment for the effective defense of Nigeria’s territories and the fight against insurgency. On October 13, 2021, the House passed the bill.

Another is the National Agricultural Development Fund Bill, 2021, which seeks to establish the National Agricultural Development Fund to fund agricultural development. On October 13, 2021, the House also approved it.

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The Speaker also signed the National Assembly Library Trust Fund Bill, 2021; the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Certified Fraud Examiners of Nigeria Bill, 2021; the National Biotechnology Development Agency Bill, 2021; the South West Development Commission Bill, 2021; the North Central Development Commission Bill, 2021; and the South East Development Commission Bill, 2021.

The Federal College of Education (Technical) Ako, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State Bill, 2021; the Federal College of Agriculture Malumfashi Bill, 2021; the Federal College of Education (Technical) Keana, Nasarawa State Bill, 2021; the Federal University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship Saki Bill, 2021; the Federal University of Education Pankshin, Plateau State Bill, 2021; the Federal Polytechnics Act (Amendment)

The Usman Dan Fodio University Sokoto Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the University of Maiduguri Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Federal University of Environmental and Technology Saakpenwa, Ogoni Bill, 2021; and the Specialized National Dermatology Hospital Bill, 2021 were also introduced.

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When the 20 bills reach the Senate, senators are expected to work on them and reach an agreement with the House before the National Assembly sends them to the President for his signature, which is required before the bills become laws.

On Monday, the Nigerian Navy stated that insufficient fighting jets, arms, and ammunition are impeding its performance in the fight against insecurity.

Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), stated this while defending the Navy’s 2022 budget before the House of Representatives Committee on Navy, chaired by Rep. Yusuf Gagdi.

Other issues impeding personnel performance, according to Gambo, include obsolete logistics, huge material and personnel costs for maintaining seized and arrested vessels and baggies, and a shortage of barracks accommodation for its personnel.

“The Nigerian Navy’s immediate operational challenges include insufficient platforms, jetties, arms and ammunition, and obsolete logistics support facilities.” Others include massive material and personnel costs for maintaining seized and arrested vessels and baggies, as well as a shortage of barracks accommodation. The brief before you briefly highlights some of the key challenges.”

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In reviewing the 2021 budget performance, Gambo stated that a capital budget of N25.3 billion was appropriated for 2021 and has been fully released so far.

According to him, the funds released have been used to carry out critical projects.

The Naval Chief stated that a total of N220,236,832,129.64 was proposed for the 2022 budget but was slashed to N25.8 billion by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.

“The Nigerian Navy’s priority projects are fleet renewal, concept and organization, capital development, fleet support infrastructure, operations, logistics, and personnel welfare, as outlined in the strategic plan 2021 to 2030.” Thus, the Nigerian Navy’s initial capital expenditure budgetary estimates for 2022 totaled N220,236,832,129.64. However, the Nigerian Navy was forced to reduce the estimate to N25.8 billion, which is equivalent to approximately 11% of the Nigerian Navy’s needs and was set by the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning as the Nigerian Navy’s budget ceiling.

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“The Nigerian Navy’s personnel costs for 2022 total N108,165,092,586.” This amount is required for the payment of salaries and, in particular, the allowances outlined in the 2017 Manual of Financial Administration for the Nigerian Armed Forces. A portion of the funds proposed will also go toward the National Health Insurance Scheme.”

Gambo stated that the Navy expects to raise approximately N232,934 million in internally generated revenue (IGR).

“The Nigerian Navy’s IGR forecast for 2022 is N232,934,11.04. The revenue is expected to come from the auction of inoperable equipment, contractor registration and taxes, VAT, and stamp duty. The ongoing fleet renewal, concept and organization, fleet support infrastructure, operations logistics and capacity upgrade will remain the primary focus of the 2022 budget, while efforts to improve personnel welfare will also be maintained,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the committee’s chairman, Gagdi, while commending the Navy’s performance despite poor budgetary allocation, warned the institution against tolerating contractors who delay project execution.

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“However, the committee observed with pessimistic views, the spilt over projects (against agreed timelines) by some contractors, including some that spanned beyond three years without any signs of completion, handover to the Navy, or concrete work-in-progress,” Gagdi said. “From now on, the House of Representatives and the National Assembly will not hesitate to summon any MDA, including the Nigerian Navy, that fails to checkmate any erring contractor whose stock in trade is to waste tax payers’ money by taking for granted the delivery of public goods and services within specified timeframes and quality of work,” he added.

The Federal Government has assured that reimbursement to service providers under the National Emergency Services Ambulance System (NEMSAS) will be made directly, without the use of an intermediary.

This is to allay concerns in some quarters that Health Management Organizations (HMOs) will sabotage the process by refusing to reimburse service providers under the scheme at the appropriate time.

Dr. Saidu Ahmed, the National Coordinator of the NEMSAS, announced this at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday.

It should be noted that HMOs have been in a running battle with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in recent times over the failure to pay monies to service providers under the scheme on time.

“The payment of NEMSAS is independent of NHIS.” We are only using their ICT platform to ensure transparency, so that anyone sitting in his room can monitor the flow of money and how it reaches the service providers. The process is transparent. We are only given 48 hours; after that, if the person is an NHIS enrollee, the NHIS will take over. “At the moment, NEMSAS is independent of HMOs,” he explained.

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He explained that the NEMSAS program was designed to ensure that emergency medical care is available when and where it is needed, regardless of ability to pay.

However, Ahmed stated that the NEMSAS program would sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) next week in order to improve its services.

Prof. Mohammed Nasir Sambo, Executive Secretary of the NHIS, confirmed that his Scheme would only provide NEMSAS with the necessary platform to make payments in a transparent and seamless manner, noting that no HMOs would be involved in the payment of NEMSAS service providers.

“The reimbursement under National Emergency Medical Services is not covered by the NHIS.” The NEMSAS is utilizing the NHIS platform to make payment simple.

“The issue of HMOs not reimbursing will not even be raised.” “There will be no intermediary in the payment,” he stated.

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Prof. Sambo, on the other hand, reiterated that his scheme is working hard to address all complaints raised by scheme enrollees.

While acknowledging that there are pockets of complaints from Scheme enrollees, he stated, “If you say people are complaining, it is normal.” If they do, we, as a responsible Scheme, are looking into ways to address their complaints.

“Some enrollee complaints stem solely from a lack of understanding of the NHIS processes.”

No fewer than 200 pharmaceutical workers in Kano may lose their jobs as a result of the enforcement of a Kano High Court order against a pharmaceutical factory in the state.

The property, known as Ugolab Production Nigeria Limited and located on plot 157/159 Club Road in the metropolis, has been the subject of a 14-year legal battle between the lab’s owners and Idris Yaro’s family.

During the weekend, however, a team of court bailiffs stormed the premises and evacuated production equipment, after which men from the Nigerian Police Force were stationed to barricade the entry and exit of the laboratory, denying officials and workers access to their workplace.

In an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, most of the workers who requested anonymity said they were at a crossroads and in agony, not knowing what to do given the country’s current economic situation.

The owners of the pharmaceutical company on the contested property, who claimed to have legally purchased the estate 20 years ago, expressed their dissatisfaction with the court order and reclaim process being enforced by the Yaro family’s heirs.

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Mr. Chris Metu, General Manager, Operations and Administration, Ugolab, lamented the invasion of Ugolab property by the court bailiff as illegal and in violation of court order while speaking to journalists about the development.

Mr. Metu, who confirmed the Kano High Court verdict that ruled on the ownership of the contentious property in favor of the Yaro family, insisted that the forcible takeover of the property was outright, because the matter had already been scheduled for hearing at the Appeal Court.

“We have been in Kano High Court for years with the Yaro family against Ugolab and UBA,” he said. The matter was to acquire a property on 157/159 Club Road, Kano, where the Ugolab facility is visible. On August 19, 2021, the Kano High Court ruled in favor of the Yaro family, allowing them to take possession of the property in question.

“Following the court’s ruling, Ugolab’s legal team challenged the lower court’s judgment at the Appeal Court, where we obtained an ex-parte order for stay of execution of the lower court order.” That is, all parties involved are expected to maintain the status quo until the appeal is heard, which has already been scheduled for November 30, 2021.

“Now, while waiting for the case to be heard at the Appeal Court, we noticed Kano High Court staff evacuating property in the Ugolab facility in defiance of the court’s ruling.” This is sad and unfortunate because they have disrupted lawful business and made it difficult for workers to go about their daily routine.

“All we wanted was for the rule of law to reign supreme.” All we ask is that they obey the court order because the Appeal Court’s injunction is the higher and superior authority. You can’t just take over 200 workers out of their daily grind and expect them to go unnoticed. Several mouths have been deprived of food. What do you think these people will do next? “They have removed our AC and a vital facility from the laboratory,” Metu explained.

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Meanwhile, the Yaro family’s attorney, Barr. Ahmad Sani Bawa, stated that the reclaiming of the property and forcible eviction of the facility occupants was an execution of a court order.

Bawa recalled that on August 19, 2021, Kano High Court Justice Usman Na’aba issued a judgment in favor of Idris Yaro’s family as the rightful owner of the property. He claimed he was not aware of or served with any motion for a stay of execution from the Appeal Court.