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The National Assembly Anti-Money Laundering and Cyber Security Coalition (AMLCSC), and the Policy Analysis & Research Project of the National Assembly (PARP-NASS) in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Finance and office of the Accountant-General of the Federation is organising a  “Special Legislative Briefing and Roundtable  On the Federal E–Payment Program & Cybersecurity Strategy.”
The goal of the forum is to update the National Assembly on the Status of the Federal ePayment Program as implemented by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), who will also share any challenges whether technical, operational or legal with Stakeholders at the forum.
All key stakeholders involved in the financial and technology sectors of the economy have been invited and will be on hand to brainstorm on the state and readiness of our technology and related infrastructures in the country to deliver ePayment in a safe, secure and reliable manner; identifying any gaps or shortcomings that can be remedied through legislative intervention.
The event is scheduled to take place as follows:

Date:    Monday – Tuesday, December 7- 8, 2009
Time:    9.00 am – 5pm Daily
Venue:  Conference Hall,
House of Representatives (New Wing),
National Assembly, Abuja.

The highlight of the event is the Special Keynote Address titled: “Implementation of the Presidential Directive on E-Payment under the Treasury Framework Established by the OAGF,” to be delivered by the Accountant General of the Federation.

Hon. Bassey Etim CAMS,
Coordinator, AMLCS

House of Representative member representing Buruku Federal Constituency of Benue State, Honourable Orker Jev, believes the  political class should be held re-sponsible for all the ugly developments that have been identified with the electoral process in the country.

Speaking in Benue state, Jev, threw his weight behind moves to stabilise the electoral system that would bring about credible and acceptable election results in 2011. (more…)

CITIZEN Chinalu Nwulu, a security aide at the National Assembly, reportedly had a raw deal at the hands of one of the assembly members he was employed to protect.

His offence was that he dared to ask Honourable Chinyere Igwe to identify himself before gaining entrance into the National Assembly complex.

 The legislator, who would have none of that, allegedly slapped and rough-handled the hapless security man, and in the process, he lost two buttons from his shirt. Eyewitnesses confirmed that but for the quick intervention of some members of the National Assembly and the colleagues of the security guard, the show of shame would have assumed a more violent dimension. (more…)

As the incumbent Clerk of the National Assembly Alhaji Nasir Ibrahim Arab proceeds on a compulsory three-month terminal leave on October 12, race has has begun in earnest, to succeed him (more…)

Members of the State Creation Forum, formed by lawmakers from the two chambers of the National Assembly, which was launched in July, shortly before the chambers went on recess, were said to be threatening to truncate the constitutional amendment process if  two issues of state control and resource control were removed from the planned amendment. (more…)

Disconcordant  tunes is coming from the leadership of the National Assembly on the  on going  constitution amendment exercise

Three major actors in the process have been credited with varied comments. The President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, in a statement on Friday, gave hope to the process and asked Nigerians to join the legislature in the onerous task of producing “a truly people’s constitution.” (more…)

The House of Representatives yesterday rejected claims by the executive that the 2009 budget can not be fully implemented on account of inadequate funding arising from dwindling oil revenue due to militants attacks in the Niger Delta.

It raised alarm that the country’s economy would suffer if the country continues to depend solely on crude oil.

The lawmakers’ stand was contained in a report jointly signed by the chairmen of House committees on appropriation and that of finance, Ayo Adesanya and John Enoh respectively, which was made available to the Daily Champion at the weekend.

Eziuche Ubani who briefed newsmen on the activities of the committees said the country might be in trouble if we continue to depend on crude oil because America that imports 25 per cent of our crude oil is looking for other sources of energy generation. He said other countries of Western Europe may emulate the United States (US).

“Therefore, we should begin to look for other sources to make money apart from crude oil, it is high time we stop depending on oil money if we want to be serious,” he said.

Ubani also implored President Umaru Yar’Adua to pay much attention to climate change saying, “we are the one that climate change will affect because of the problem of poverty we face in our continent. It is very necessary to pay much attention to it because other developed countries do it”. (more…)

ANOTHER controversial decision was taken yesterday by the Senate which approved the movement of funds from the education and health sectors to the expansion of the Abuja Airport and Zuba-Abuja city expressways to a 10-lane dual carriageway from a four-lane road.

The approval was, however, not without resistance from many of the lawmakers who considered it absurd that funds from the two vital sectors were being moved. (more…)

Senate President, David Mark, last week traced the failure of governance in Nigeria  to lack of political will to strictly implement government laws, policies and programmes
    
Coupled with this is corruption largely fueled by people who are benefitting illegally from the present status quo

Speaking at the opening of a public hearing on the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2009, organised by the Senate Committee on Gas, Mark said

“It is best for us  to legislate; but have we got the will power, after legislation, to deal precisely with what we have addressed and what we want to do without allowing those who are in the business now, who have the monopoly to derail us and do things the old way, and do business the usual way still?

I think that is the key issue we have to address at the end of the day.

House of Representatives has said contrary  to the impression created by the Presidency, emerging information indicates that the country’s earnings since the beginning of the fiscal year were already in excess of  projections in the 2009 budget. (more…)