Race hots up for NASS NASSLAF leadership

Ahead of fresh election for the executives of the National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum (NASSLAF), aspirations to that effect are being expressed by aides to some of the serving federal lawmakers.

One of the interested legislative aide eying the chairmanship position of the body is the Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Theodore Orji ( PDP Abia Central), Barrister Emeka Nwala.

Nwala at a press briefing Wednesday, held at the premises of the National Assembly, described aides of lawmakers as their engine room that drives their robust legislative activities.

He said in repositioning the entire membership of NASSLAF  under his leadership for better performance, it  will collaborate with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies ( NILDS) , for capacity building trainings from time to time .

“We shall also interface with management to ensure that the welfare of aides as well as their trainings , are given priority attention, ” he said .

He   recalled how the forum overcame its teething problems in the 6th National Assembly, but deteriorated in the 7th and 8th assembly to the extent that allowances of aides became a non issue.

“The need to place all members of NASSLAF under one umbrella has long been canvassed and encapsulated in a formal body which kick started and achieved a lot of grounds in the 6th National Assembly.

“We in the executive rallied the support of all members within NASS  complex and at the constituencies to present cohesive and logical request to NASS  management for consideration and implementation, resulting in what members enjoyed in the 6th and part of 7th Assembly,” he stated.

He decried delayed salaries and allowances of aides, saying  it was affecting their productivity,  but commended the present leadership for their intervention in payment of severance packages of the 8th National Assembly legislative aides.

Drama as Senate walks out NDDC’s director from hearing

The Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, on Tuesday, walked out the Acting Executive Director, Projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Cairo Ojougboh out of an investigative hearing.

Ojougboh was among the management team of the Commission, who appeared before the Senate panel probing the allegation of ‘illegal’ sacking of staff of NDDC.

Reps give Akpabio 48 hours to name NASS members who got NDDC contracts

Collapse of NDDC MD underlines weight of corruption in APC – PDP

Trouble started when Ojougboh asked the Chairman of the committee, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, to step down.

He said the NDDC management will not get a fair hearing with Nwaoboshi as the chair.

Ojougboh had earlier accused Nwaoboshi and the House of Representatives committee chair on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo of padding the budget of the Commission.

Tunji-Ojo, on Monday, recused himself from the House panel probing alleged financial recklessness by the NDDC Interim Management Committee.

Ojougboh said, “We feel we cannot get fair hearing from the Committee. It is regrettable that we have to take this decision. As Chairman, you can excuse yourself from chairing the meeting. This Committee is not properly constituted, you cannot and will not preside over this meeting.”

Nwaoboshi, however, told Ojougboh that the hearing was not about financial recklessness, but about the alleged sack of staff.

“We will not allow you to come here and insult anyone. The Committee was put up by the Senate,” he said.

The Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Senator Amos Bulus; Senator Matthew Urhoghide (Edo) and Senator Eremienyo Degi (Bayelsa) urged Ojuogboh to stop the brickbacks as they were capable of postponing the issues at stake.

Ojougboh, however, did not softpedal, and the chairman asked him to excuse the panel “since you don’t want to take questions from us”.

Meanwhile, the Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Caroline Nagbo said no staff of the agency was sacked.

“They were only asked to step aside for transparency and diligence.

“All such claims of sack, dismissal or suspension of staff of the NDDC are untrue and misleading,” Nagbo, who represented the Commission’s managing director, Kemerbrandikumo Pondei said.

Pondei, on Monday, collapsed during the House of Representatives investigative hearing.

Reps give Akpabio 48 hours to names of NASS members who got NDDC contracts

 

A former governor of Akwa Ibom State and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio The House of Representatives has asked Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to publish, within 48 hours, members of the 9th National Assembly who contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Ruling on a matter of privileges brought by Minority leader, Ndudi Elumelu, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said the Minister, who alleged 60 percent of contracts from the NDDC were given to members of the National Assembly, should publish the benefiting lawmakers, especially members of the 9th Assembly. 

He further said the names of their companies and the contracts they got should be published or face the wrath of the House.

Gbajabiamila said the Minister owes it a duty to himself, the House Committee on Niger Delta, the people of Niger Delta and Nigerians to publish the names. 

The allegation Akpabio, had alleged that most of the contracts of the NDDC were awarded to the National Assembly members. The minister, in Abuja on Monday, said this to the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC investigating financial mismanagement in the NDDC.

“Most of the contracts in NDDC are awarded to National Assembly members,” he said. A member of the committee, Boma Goodhead (PDP, Rivers) challenged Akpabio: “You were a member of the NDDC Committee in the 8th Assembly. “Are you telling me that lots of jobs were awarded to you?” Responding, the minister said: “No.”

The lawmaker took on him again, saying “If you were not awarded the contracts, why are you coming here to say that you are aware that lawmakers were awarded contracts?” 

But as Akpabio attempted to respond, the deputy chairman of the committee, who presided over the session, Thomas Ereyitomi, interrupted him thus: “It’s okay Hon. Minister! It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay. Hon. Minister, it’s okay. Don’t talk again, off your mic.”