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Ahmed Idris Wase: Stewardship of a people oriented Deputy Speaker
As the National Assembly commemorates it one year in office, it is also not out of place to beam a search light on the number 2nd man of the House of Representatives, Mr Ahmed Idris Wase to ascertain how well he has represented his constituents and indeed Nigerians.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives was elected into the lower Chamber of the National Assembly in 2007 and is currently serving his fourth term. He represents Wase Federal Constituency of Plateau State on the platform of APC.
Wase chaired the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Character in the seventh and eighth assembly respectively. The Committee under his leadership was considered one of the House most active Committees.
Ahmed Wase has demonstrated to his constituents that good governance and quality representation is possible hence the positive impact to the masses, giving priority to Education, Electricity, Health, Good Road and water as his legislative interest. He is also an advocate of youth development hence why he has offered a lot of Students Scholarships. He has also built several Skills Acquisition Centres to empower both women and youths. His position and influence has attracted several federal government projects to his States.
Hence the fundamental duty of a legislature is to make laws for the good governance of the country and the Deputy speaker has demonstrated this through the quality of bills sponsored within one year.
A bill seeking to impose stiffer sanction on the breach of the provisions of the Currency Conversion (Freezing Orders) Act Cap. C43 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 Act has been gazetted for Second Reading on the floor of House of Representatives on resumption from the annual recess.
The Deputy Speaker, Wase, seeks to “give discretionary powers to the Judge of a High Court, to order forfeiture of assets of affected person; and for related matters.
The bill seeks to amend Section 9 (1) of the Principal Act by substitution for the phrase the President may in his discretion direct that in line 2, the phrase, the judge of a High Court may after hearing the parties direct that.
It also seeks to expunge Section 9(2) of the Principal Act.
According to the Explanatory Memorandum of the bill, the proposed legislation seeks to amend the Currency Conversion (Freezing Orders) Act Cap. C43 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to give discretionary powers to the Judge of a High Court, to order forfeiture of assets of affected person.
Other bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker that have been gazetted for second reading include: ‘Public Accounts Implementation Tribunal (Amendment) bill, Federal Commissions (Privileges & Immunities) amendment bill, Miscelleneous Offences Act (Repeal) bill, National Institute for Sports Act (Establishment) bill and Federal University of Agriculture, Wase (Establishment) bill.
Four other bills sponsored by Wase that are currently referred to the Committee of the Whole are: National Housing Fund (Establishment) bill, Nigeria Football Association bill, National Sports Commission bill and Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) bill, while the Federal University Gashua bill has been assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In the same vein, the House is also expected to commence debate on the general principles of a bill which seeks to amend the Federal Character Commission (Establishment etc) Act Cap. F7 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 by giving the Commission additional powers to enable it discharge its functions more effectively; and for related matters.
The bill which is also sponsored by Mr Ahmed Idris specifically seeks to amend Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 of the Principal Act.
As proposed by the Deputy Speaker, the bill seeks to amend the provisions of Section 2 by amending subsection 1a, by inserting the words and accounting officer immediately after the word Executive.
It also seeks to amend Section 4(1a), by substituting for the word President in line 1 the words National Assembly or the State House of Assembly, as the case may be, in subsection (2), by inserting immediately after the existing paragraph (j) a new paragraph (k) to enforce the federal character guidelines and formulae in any company in which the Federal, State or Local Governments has at least 40% shareholding interest.”
The proponent of the bill also seeks to provide a new subsections (5 and 7 which provides that: “The approval required to be made by the National or State House of Assembly, as the case may be, under this section and elsewhere in this Bill shall be by a simple majority vote of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives or State House of Assembly present and voting in their respective chambers.
In exercising its powers under section 4(1) (a) of this Act, the Commission shall have regard for the need to ensure gender equity and the need for fair representation of the physically challenged person.
For the purposes of section 4(1d & i) of this Act, the annual budgetary proposals by any Ministry, Extra-Ministerial Department or agency for the provision of socio-economic services, amenities and infrastructural facilities shall be made in consultation with the Commission.
Wase also proposed the amendment of Section 5(1) by inserting immediately after the existing paragraph (c) a new paragraph (cc) suspend, cancel or set aside any recruitment exercise, process or distribution of amenities being carried out by any Ministry, Extra-Ministerial Department, agency or any company in which the government has 40% shareholding interest where such recruitment was conducted in a manner inconsistent or in contravention with any guideline or formula worked out by the Commission and approved by the National or State House of Assembly.
The bill also seeks to empower the Commission to institute investigations, summon and to interrogate any officer of the institution or organization connected with the subject matter of the investigation.
He also proposed amendment to Section 15(1, 2), by substituting N50,000 to N250,000; and increase the initial N100,000 to N2,500,000.
The bill also seeks to amend section 16A which provides that: Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 14 and 15, the Commission may seek for an order of injunction, mandamus, certiorari, or prohibition from any High Court to enforce compliance with any guideline and formula, directive, circular or instruction issued by it under this Act.
Lizzy Chirkpi, a journalist writes from Abuja
I have been watching with keen interest the evolving political drama, drama, yes, I call it drama, in Kogi State and where the season film is going and when it will end. Many a time, the gladiators in the state throw brick bats at one another and in the process, the pebbles hit innocent standby constituents.
Of particular worrisome trend is the recent outburst by the Senator representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan accusing, Honourable Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, the honourable Minister of Steel Development of low performance, the accusation that is uncalled for and to say the least, unwarranted.
Not only that, the Senator also accused the Minister of veering into the areas that are not directly under his supervision. She mischievously advised the Honourable Minister to limit and concentrate himself more on wooing foreign and local investors in the area of steel development and utilization, citing Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mills as an example.
The Senator also deliberately forgot that there should and must be synergy between the ministry and all the agencies under it. if she still does not know this, she should go for orientation or briefs on her legislative matters vis a vis her oversight functions.
If the Senator does not know, let her be told that the Hon. Minister is a polished politician and a seasoned technocrat who has brought into the fore his vast background in life in the way and manner he has been discharging his duties as a minister holding one of the most sensitive ministries in the country.
Before the Senator graduates and bags her Pull Him Down Syndrome (PHD) from the University of Malice and Hate, she should know that the lane she is travelling in her political journey is not profitable nor rewarding at all. Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu is a forward looking Nigerian who would not want to be distracted from his professed determination to leave his job better than, he met it.
We have heard enough political mayhem in Kogi in recent past, let no one foist another crisis on the state through reckless, unrefined, and putrid comments. It will be recalled that mid last year, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did a minor reshuffle in his cabinet, the President found the Honourable Minister fit and proper just as he was given a clean bill to continue with his good job in the ministry.
As the year 2027 inches by, Senator Natasha should for goodness sake stay on her lane and stop meandering into other lanes in order to keep Kogi clean of clashes. Not only this, she should train her tongue to avoid unnecessary vituperation. It should be noted as well that nobody has monopoly of verbal attack against other people, let the Senator check herself so that she will not be getting stones back as she throws pebbles.
A word is enough for the wise.
Concerned people and leaders of thought in Kogi State should call the Senator to order. It is high time she knew that Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu is a tree planted by the Almighty Allah that cannot be uprooted by any mortal. political differences or affiliations must not blindfold individuals from reality on ground.
Fading politicians who don’t have reputation must not besmear those who have pretty pedigree and want to keep it.
Musa Wada, a public affairs analyst sent this piece from Abuja
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Open letter to the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Ododo Usman over achievements in one year
I am writing this open letter to you to commend you for your excellent performances so far in your short stay in office as the governor of our dear state. Indeed your performance so far has vindicated those of us who even before your assumption of office stayed true to our believe that you are our best foot forward to make our state greater.
You have not disappointed us so far because even your greatest critics and political opponents would not disagree with the majority views in the state that indeed Kogi state is working. Your leadership has brought within a short time to the state developments in all its physicality. I can say with pride that your administration is now regarded as the end to an era of bad governance to the beginning of an era where the people count first and this is justified by your policies and programmes implemented to bring succour to our people. The prompt payments of salaries and pensions to civil servants and retirees of the state government and your social welfare targeted at making the aged live comfortably in their old age and your programmes for youth development are a testament that your administration is for the people,by the people and of the people of Kogi state.
I commend you for making sure that peace justice and development is not an exclusive development for any particular zone of the state but for all. I want you to continue in your great effort of uniting our state with your all inclusive deliverance of democratic dividends to all the parts of the state this is because in history no state has achieved sustainable development without a leader with vision,strategic plan and compassion for all its people.
We have seen so far that your administration is the very testament to the type of leadership we have all yearned for in the state. I commend you also for not going after any political opponent because you know that your performance will indeed silence them all and I believe you shall overcome because a pessimist is a well informed optimist.
Thank you for giving us the hope that our state is going to be great again under your administration. We are confident that going forward more developments will come to our state by your inspiring leadership.
Long live the governor of Kogi state.
Long live Kogi state,
Long live the Federal republic of Nigeria.
Hon John Lawal
Coordinator Tinubu support team
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OPEN LETTER TO THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF SPECIAL DUTIES AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMENDING HIM FOR HIS PERFORMANCE AND STERLING LEADERSHIP QUALITIES IN OFFICE IN THE LAST ONE YEAR
We are writing this open letter to you patriotically commending you for your excellent performances and your sterling leadership qualities which has transformed and reformed your Ministry by changing its narratives for the best in the last one year of your tenure as the Minister of special duties and intergovernmental Affairs.
We have in our determination to peer review the performances of the appointees of our renewed hope President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu especially the Minister’s found your leadership of the Ministry so inspiring because it translated into making the Ministry one of the best ran Ministries, departments and agencies of government in this dispensation for which we are very proud. We also commend you for not blowing your trumpet but instead allowing your work to speak for you in all its ramifications. The agencies and departments under your Ministry are now known to be working assiduously in fulfilling it’s mandates by the launching of the strategic plans document which is already by your body language and leadership being implemented religiously.
You are indeed the pride of your people, the Gbagi’s nation in the political scene because you have shown that your leadership and political leitmotives is to work hard at all time to bring about positive changes in your areas of authority and this is exemplified by the performance of the National lottery trust fund which is now visible in the lives of the citizens by it’s excellent interventions in critical areas of needs in all part of the country, the Nigerian lottery regulatory commission which is working very hard in the issuances of licenses to deserving agents thereby increasing the revenue to the federal government from the proceeds of gaming and the National lottery trust fund that is today a strong institutions regulating the lottery sector of the country.
We commend you for your leadership which deals in hope.
Finally, going forward we are assured of more excellent performances from you especially as in this part of the world it is known that “the day that would be good is known from it’s mornings”. Your performance so far has justified the reason why our President who is known to be a great recruiter of leaders recruited you for this assignment. We thank you for being your people’s pride. Accept our congratulations.
Yours sincerely
Hon John Lawal
Coordinator Tinubu support team
……aa
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