Skip to main content

National Assembly resumes today

The National Assembly will today resume plenary after about five weeks of break as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Senate and the House of Representatives had in March suspended plenary for two weeks in a bid to prevent the spread of Coronavirus disease.
Both later extended their break in conformity with the lockdown of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun states as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari on March 29.
The Clerk of Senate, Mr. Nelson Ayewoh and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Patrick Giwa, confirmed the development in statements.
Ayewoh in his statement titled: “Resumption of Plenary Session”, said senators are expected to sit in plenary by 10am prompt on Tuesday.
He added that officials and senators’ aides are to stay at home, but can only be allowed into the chambers when officially requested to do so.
Ayewoh said: “This is to inform distinguished senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that the Senate will resume plenary on April 28.
“Distinguished senators are to with this notice expected to sit in plenary, on April 28, at 10am prompt.
“Officials and senators’ aides are to work from home and they will be notified when needed in the office for any special assignment.”
Giwa said: “This is to inform members of the House of Representatives that the House will now resume plenary on April 28, at 10.00 am.
“Members are advised to take note of the new date of resumption, please.
“The Covid-19 guidelines approved by the Federal Government and Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and additional guidelines developed by the House will be sent to members’ pigeon holes for collection on resumption.
“Officials and members’ aides are to work from home and be notified when needed in the office for any special assignment.”
It is not clear the number of days the two chambers will sit.
Sources at the National Assembly said the resumption of plenary was meant to enable the lawmakers consider and approve urgent national issues that might affect governmental affairs adversely if left undone.
The Nation learnt that the lawmakers on resumption will consider President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for the downward review of the N10.594 trillion 2020 budget in view of the precipitous fall in the price of crude oil at the international market.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Return to lockdown likely, Fed Govt warns Nigerians

This follows Monday’s gross disobedience of the protocols as Nigerians got some relief after weeks of restrictions.It was the first day after the easing of the shutdown to contain the spread of coronavirus in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states.Before the four-week stay-at-home imposed by President Muhammadu Buhari, Lagos and Abuja had been under some forms of restriction for at least one week.Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 is not pleased that there was a breach of social distancing with overcrowding in public places, interstate movement and shunning of face masks.“Today, we might forgive a little bit because it was the first day. However, we will have infections because of what happened today (yesterday), no doubt about that.“But what is more important is how we can learn from the mistakes of today (yesterday) into tomorrow and into next tomorrow, so that by Friday, hopefully they will have normalised some of these things.“The challenge for us as a society is how we now organis...

House of Reps seek N36b special fund for states

The House of Representatives on Tuesday debated the mysterious deaths in Kano State and resolved to ask that N1 billion be made available by the Federal Government to each of the 36 states. The N1 billion intervention is to enable the states provide the needed facilities to combat and prevent further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic . The lawmakers said the impact of the lockdown caused by the spread of the virus has negative financial impact on the state, some of which are already struggling to survive. The House also agreed to summon the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha; Health Minister Osagie Ehanire and the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, over the mass deaths in Kano. These are highlights of the resolutions reached by the lawmakers while debating a motion yesterday. The House directed its Health Committee to investigate the deaths, which have created fear among residents of the state. Mus...

Anambra community intercepts 1,500 vehicles

Youths of Ebenebe community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State have intercepted more than 1,500 vehicles for violating the COVID-19 regulations on movement. The state government, last weekend, relaxed some aspects of its restriction on human and vehicular movements, leaving the boundary closed. The vehicles abandoned the Enugu-Onitsha (in Anambra State) expressway and diverted to the community. The closure of the boundaries between the two neighbouring states was among measures to stop the spread of the deadly Coronavirus disease ravaging the world. President-General of the community, Paul Nnatuanya, told The Nation yesterday that he mobilised the youths to man the road. Nnatuanya said the action was meant to ensure that no vehicle was allowed to cross into Anambra.