Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697812466184.pdf (Nigeria)
FOURTH REPUBLIC 9TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (2019-2023) FIRST SESSION NO.

121 597 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ORDER PAPER Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 1.

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Prayers National Pledge Approval of the Votes and Proceedings Oaths Messages from the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (if any) Messages from the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (if any) Messages from Other Parliament(s) (if any) Other Announcements (if any) Petitions (if any) 10.
Matters of Urgent Public Importance 11.

Personal Explanation ______________________________________________________________________________________ PRESENTATION OF BILLS 1.

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Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2020 (HB.

791) (Hon.

Uzoma Nkem-Abonta) – First Reading Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill, 2020 (HB.

792) (Hon.

Uzoma Nkem-Abonta) – First Reading Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (HB.

793) (Hon.
793) (Hon.

Taiwo Oluga) – First Reading.

Compulsory Universal Basic Education Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (HB.

794) (Hon.

Taiwo Oluga) – First Reading.

Women’s Representation in Legislative Houses Bill, 2020 (HB.

795) (Hon.

Taiwo Oluga) – First Reading.

Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (HB.

796) (Hon.

Taiwo Oluga) – First Reading.

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Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 No.

121 Price Control Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (HB.

797) (Hon.
797) (Hon.

Taiwo Oluga) – First Reading.

Federal University of Land and Air Transport Zaria (Establishment) Bill, 2020 (HB.

798) (Hon.

Abbas Tajudeen) – First Reading.

Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (HB.

799) (Hon.

Abbas Tajudeen) – First Reading.

National Forestry Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2020 (HB.

800) (Hon.

Johnson E. Oghuma) – First Reading.

Forestry Profession of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2020 (HB.

801) (Hon.
801) (Hon.

Johnson E. Oghuma) – First Reading.

______________________________________________________________________________________ ORDERS OF THE DAY BILLS 1.

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A Bill for an Act to Provide for Establishment of Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Delta State; and for Related Matters (HB.642) - Third Reading.
A Bill for an Act to Establish National Institute for Brackish Water Fisheries Research, Ngo-Andoni for Fishery Research, Education and Cooperative Training in Nigeria; and for Related Matters (HB.417) - Third Reading.

Consolidation of Bills: (a) A Bill for an Act to Amend the Pension Reform Act, 2014; and for Related Matters (HBs.208, 386 and 392) (Hon.

Aishatu Jibril Dukku, Hon Ademorin Kuye and Hon.


Johnson Oghuma); (b) (c) A Bill for an Act to Amend the Pension Reform Act, 2014; and for Related Matters (HB.

562) (Hon.
562) (Hon.

Oluwole Oke); and A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Pension Reform Act, 2014 and Enact the Pension Reform Bill, 2020 to Provide for punctual funding of Employees Retirement Savings Account as first line charge by Employers in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and grant Employees Unfettered Access to their Retirement Savings Account during and after Service (HB.620) (Hon.

Shehu Barwa Beji).

A Bill for an Act to Amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap.
C15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; and for Related Matters; (HB.420) (Hon.

Awaji-Inombek D. Abiante) – Second Reading.

A Bill for an Act to Establish Federal Medical Centre, Billiri, Gombe State; and for Related Matters (HB.

677) (Hon.

Victor Danzaria Mela) – Second Reading.

A Bill for and Act to Establish Federal College of Education (Technical,) Katsina-Ala; and for Related Matters (HB.

650) (Hon.

John Dyegh and Hon.

Richard Gbande) – Second Reading.


A Bill for an Act to Amend the Births, Deaths, Etc.

(Compulsory Registration) Act; and for Related Matters (HBs.

74 and 385) (Hon.

Sergius Ose Ogun and Hon.

Ademorin Kuye) – Second Reading.

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121 Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 599 8.

Reconsideration of Outstanding Bills from the Preceding Assembly: Hon.

Abubakar Hassan Fulata: MOTIONS (i) Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (HB.

599); (ii) Federal University of Agriculture, Jalingo (Establishment) Bill, 2020) (HB.
750); and (iii) Federal University of Agriculture, Kabba (Establishment, Etc.
)Bill, 2020 (HB.789) The House: Notes that pursuant to Order Twelve (12), Rule 16 of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, Bills passed by the preceding Assembly and forwarded to the Senate for concurrence for which no concurrence was made or negatived or passed by the Senate and forwarded to the House for which no concurrence was made or negatived or which were passed by the National Assembly and forwarded to the President for assent but for which assent or withholding thereof was not communicated before the end of the tenure of the Assembly, the House may resolve that such Bills, upon being re- gazetted or clean copies circulated, be re-considered in the Committee of the Whole without being commenced de-novo; Also notes that the aforementioned Bills were passed by the preceding Assembly and forwarded to the President for assent but for which assent or withholding thereof was not communicated before the end of the tenure of the last Assembly; Aware that the Bills were re-gazetted as HBs.
599, 750 and 789 respectively and read the first time; Resolves to: Commit the Bills to the Committee of the Whole for consideration.

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Need to Rehabilitate Lafia-Shedam-Obi Road: Hon.
Komsol Alphonsus: The House: Notes that Lafia-Shendam-Ibi Road is a Federal road that cuts across three agrarian and economically vibrant States of Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba; Also notes that the road has been in a state of disrepair, with deep potholes and due to its bad nature, has been a breeding ground for armed robbers and also a death trap for innocent commuters and residents of the communities along the road; Further notes that the road has suffered the worst form of neglect in the history of road maintenance and rehabilitation in Nigeria despite having featured in successive budgets for over a decade among capital projects to be undertaken by previous Administrations; Aware that residents of the communities along the road engage in production of cash crops such as rice in Shendam-Lafia-Ibi, yam in Shendam Qua’anpan, and fish from the Ibi river etc.
for export; Worried that the current state of the road is a sad commentary on the state of highways in Nigeria, thus painting a gory picture of the country's deteriorating culture of road construction and maintenance; 600 Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 No.

121 Also worried that there has been a high shortfall in farming activities as farmers, investors and consumers trying to tap into the agrarian wealth of those communities either fall victims of armed robbery, kidnapping or more frequently, fatal accidents.
Resolves to: (i) (ii) (iii) Urge the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to, as a matter of urgency, commence rehabilitation of Lafia-Shendam-Ibi Road; also urge the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to undertake palliative measures on the road to ease movement of vehicles, persons and goods in the interim; further urge the Inspector General of Police and Heads of relevant security agencies to deploy security personnel to Lafia-Shendam-Ibi Road to intensify patrol, arrest the perpetrators of heinous acts of armed robbery and kidnapping with a view to restoring normalcy on the road; (iv) mandate the Committees on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Works, Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence to ensure compliance.
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Need to Equip Federal Medical Centres with Modern Laboratories and Diagnostic Equipment: Hon.
Emeka Martins Chinedu: The House: Notes with dismay the deplorable state of Federal Medical Centres across the country despite reforms and investments made in the health sector as most of them wear the look of glorified clinics due to lack of modern medical equipment; Also notes that the poor state of laboratory and diagnostic equipment in the Medical Centres further exacerbates the already dismal health sector, and has in many cases led to wrong diagnoses of patients who ordinarily cannot afford to go to private hospitals, leading to avoidable cases of wrong treatment, unnecessary medical expenses, misery and even death; Aware that in modern medical practice, healthcare delivery has moved beyond the use of analogue methods of diagnosis, as innovation and use of modern medical laboratory equipment have influenced how diseases are detected and managed, resulting in increased life expectancy; Also aware that other causes of misdiagnoses in hospitals include excessive workload, which has overstretched health care providers, inadequate training of physicians and medical laboratory scientists, non-conducive work environments and negligence by medical practitioners; Further aware that equipping Medical Centres in Nigeria with modern medical equipment will drastically reduce the adverse effects of such factors; Recalls the Ebola virus scare in 2014, when a Liberian man collapsed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on arrival and was later diagnosed with Ebola virus in a private hospital by Dr. Adadevoh who along with her teem exhibited professionalism and the medical examination carried out by the team helped in containing the virus before it got out of hand; Again aware that had the patient been taken to a government hospital, the story may have been different, considering that Federal Medical Centres are not properly equipped and prepared to handle an outbreak of epidemic; No.
121 Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 601 Further notes that the world today is a global village, where the outbreak of an epidemic in one part of the world is a threat to the rest of the world, as witnessed with Coronavirus which originated in Wuhan, China but has spread to 29 other countries causing over 2000 deaths and infecting over 75,000 people worldwide; Cognizant of the recent global development, hence Nigeria, more than ever, needs to equip and upgrade Federal Medical Centres and Government Hospitals with modern laboratory and diagnostic equipment in order that they would be able to detect and contain any epidemic that may break out; Resolves to: (i) Urge the Federal Ministry of Health to urgently equip and upgrade all Federal Medical Centres and Government Hospitals with modern laboratories and diagnostic equipment, to meet the global standards and best practices; (ii) mandate the Committees on Health Institutions and Healthcare Services to ensure compliance.
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Need to Investigate the Clean-Up of Oil Spills and Remediation in the Oil Producing Areas of Nigeria in the last Five years: Hon.

Abubakar Hassan Fulata.
The House: Notes with concern the sufferings in the Niger-Delta region as a result of the over 50 years of oil spill and subsequent pollution of the freshwater system, degradation of water quality, and lowering of food web productivity; Aware that life expectancy in the country stands at 55 years whereas in the Niger-Delta it is 10 years lower due to pollution; Concerned that the Annual Report of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) indicated that 569 incidents of oil spills were conveyed with 9718.22 barrels spilled and only 800.55 barrels were recovered while thousands of barrels of oil were lost to the environment; Also notes that the oil-producing communities continue to complain of belated joint investigative visits (JlV), inadequate oil spill clean-up and remediation, thus exacerbating the woes of the polluted communities; Cognizant that quick detection of oil spill, visits to the oil spill sites and prompt clean-up are necessary to avoid its impact on the environment, pollution of potable water sources which makes it become a major threat and a negation to the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs); Also aware that the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan and the Environmental Guidelines and Standards for Petroleum Industry in Nigeria (EGASPIN) have provided an adequate framework to contain oil-spill incidences; Worried that despite the institutional framework, oil spill clean-up and remediation continue to generate concern and the affected communities continue to live in the polluted environment that are endangering their vulnerable lives; 602 Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 No.
121 Believes that an increase in oil revenue to the nation is contingent on the peace and harmony that reigns in the oil-producing communities; Also worried that with the current drift in global oil prices, the failure to clean up of the impacted sites is creating palpable tension across the communities which may impact on the national oil production; Resolves to: set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate Oil-Spill clean-ups and remediation in the Oil Producing States in the last 5 years and the activities of the National Oil Spill Detection, and Response Agency in the Joint Investigative Visits and the extent of compliance with the EGASPIN and report back within Eight (8) weeks for further legislative action; 12.
Need to Investigate the Non-compliance with the Federal Government Transparency and Open Treasury Policies: Hon.

Ademorin Kuye.
The House: Aware that President Muhammed Buhari launched the Federal Government’s Transparency and Open Treasury Policies on 9 December 2019, and directed the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) to publish daily treasury statement and monthly fiscal accounts detailing fiscal performance of the federal government, highlighting revenue receipts from all collecting agencies and payments out of the Federation Accounts within 14 days after the end of each month; Also aware that Ministries, Departments and Agencies were directed, at the launch, to publish daily reports of payments made above N5 million and monthly budget performance reports, including functions and economic activities of each reporting MDA within 7 days of the end of each month; Notes that the responsibility of providing such reports falls on Accounting Officers of the MDAs and the Accountant General of the Federation; Also notes that with the move by the National Assembly to return the Nation to the January- December budget cycle, it is expected that transparent operation and open portal reporting should commence with the MDAs and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation through daily updates on their activities, in line with the presidential directive; Worried that the steps at transparency and fight against corruption with the open portal reporting is already being jeopardized at this early stage of the year 2020 fiscal calendar as the inauguration jamboree and everything associated with this transparent reporting project is looking like another ruse in the seemingly comatose fight against corruption by the Administration; Resolves to: (i) (ii) Mandate the Committee on Finance to investigate the non-compliance with the Federal Government Transparency and Open Treasury Policy; also mandate the Committee on Public Accounts to ensure that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation monitors compliance and develops modalities of setting up an interphase with the National Assembly to oversee and ensure timely, daily and monthly reporting targets by all MDAs.
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Call on the Federal Government to Connect Gashaka/Kurmi/Sardauna Federal Constituency to the National Grid: Hon.

David Abel Fuoh: The House: Notes that the presence of Kashimbila Hydropower Plant in Taraba State makes it easy for the Federal Government through the Yola Distribution Company to link Gashaka, Kurmi and Sardauna Federal Constituency to the National Grid in view of the robust power sector reforms of the Federal Government.
Aware that Distribution Companies (DISCOs), pursuant to the provisions of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act of 2005, have the obligations of distributing electricity to customers through the construction, operation and maintenance of distribution systems and facilities; Also aware that the Kashimbila Hydropower Plant, among other power projects in the Federation was awarded in order to meet the country's power generation needs; Worried that despite the completion of the project and the various transmission stations and sub- transmission stations across Taraba State, Sardauna, Gashaka and Kurmi Local Government Areas of Taraba State are yet to be connected to the National Grid which has left the people of the areas to be in perpetual darkness, hence, making life difficult for them; Resolves to: (i) the Federal Government that Urge Gashaka/Kurmi/Sardauna Federal Constituency of Taraba State is linked to the National Grid to ameliorate the suffering of the people; the Ministry of Power to ensure through (ii) mandate the Committee on Power to ensure implementation.
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Need to Address the Menace of Baby Factories in Nigeria: Hon.

Ossy Prestige.
The House: Notes that in 2006, the United Nations Report on Nigeria drew attention to the existence of baby factories in the country and this nefarious practice has continued unabated to an alarming proportion in different parts of the country, especially in the southern part, with babies being sold as ordinary wares; Also notes that the term “baby factories” also referred to as “baby farms or baby harvesting”, is a new form of human trafficking with the factories located in secret places where young girls and ladies are lured into and encouraged or coerced to get pregnant and deliver babies for sale with or without their consent; Recalls that the 2011 Report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) stated that human trafficking is the third most common heinous crime ravaging Nigeria after financial fraud and drug trafficking and like most other organized crimes, baby factories operate as a powerful cartel involving prominent people backing the nefarious trade; Aware that baby factories operate under the guise of orphanage homes, prayer homes, social welfare homes or maternity homes and clinics, thereby luring unsuspecting teenage girls and ladies with all sorts of bait; and those victims find the hostels as safe havens for secretly dropping their unwanted 604 Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 No.
121 babies for a token without the glare of the public and thereafter continue with their normal lives as though nothing happened; Also aware that extremely poor and vulnerable teen girls and ladies see such homes as veritable opportunities for redressing their economic misfortunes by selling their babies for peanuts and according to a Report by the United Nations, at least ten (10) babies are illegally sold every day in Nigeria, a development that is worrisome and poses a great threat to national security, especially with the global rise in human organs trafficking; Desirous of putting an end to the operations of those baby factories in order to save those helpless teen girls and ladies from the risks involved in their indulgences; Resolves to: (i) (ii) (iii) Call on the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to work in close synergy with other law enforcement agencies in order to forestall the activities of baby factories through effective intelligence gathering and dissemination of information; urge the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure that all maternity homes and orphanages are duly registered and issued licences to operate within their scope; also urge the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to closely monitor orphanages and maternity homes to prevent them from being used for nefarious activities; (iv) further urge various State Governments to initiate the process of domesticating the Child’s Rights Act to ensure adequate protection of children; (v) mandate the Committees on Human Rights and Healthcare Services to ensure implementation.
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Call to Investigate the Usage of the Recovered Abacha Loots in Order to Restore Confidence of Partner Countries in Nigeria: Hon.
Miriam Onuoha: The House: Notes the Report by a leading American Media outfit “Bloomberg News on 2nd February 2020 titled “US opposes Nigeria’s plan to Handover looted funds to Kebbi State Governor” and claimed that the disagreement may hamper future cooperation between the two nations to recover State funds that were stashed abroad by Late General Sani Abacha; Also notes the wangling in a court in the United State of America over the 100 Million naira that was said to be due to be transferred to the Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Bagudu which, however had been rebutted by the Hon.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami, SAN; Aware that one of the cardinal objectives of the Government of President Muhammadu Buahari was to stamp out corruption, which he has pursued vigorously; Also aware that the Government of the United of the United States of America has assisted the country in recovering over 26 billion dollars in the past, hence the need to avert further damage to bilateral relationship between the two countries by this controversy; No.
121 Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 605 Concerned that if the records are not set right, the intention of Mr President on the fight against corruption and need to facilitate looted funds back might be defeated; Resolves to: Set up an Ad-hoc Committee investigate the amount that had so far been recovered as “Abacha loot” and how the funds are being utilised and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.

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Commemoration of the 2020 International Women’s Day: Generation of Equality, Realizing Women’s Rights: Hon.
Adewunmi Onanuga: The House: Notes the frightening trend in parts of the country where women are abused, traded, mutilated, deprived of education, impacted mostly by internal conflicts, turned into child brides and ravaged by poor public service provision; Also notes that from recent statistics, 73% of Nigerian women with no formal education are married before 18 years of age compared to only 9% who had completed higher education, a situation that makes further education an almost impossible task for some girls who have little choice but to depend on their husbands for the rest of their lives; Aware that even though basic education is free, parents are still burdened with paying high fees for school registration, books and other sundry levies by Parent Teacher Associations hence, as a consequence, they are often driven to prioritize the educations of their sons over their daughters; Concerned that with more than 25 million adolescent girls, a figure that will double by 2050, the country will need to ramp up its health and education services and be able to equip the youth especially "the girl child" with the right skills and provide enough jobs for the next generations; Worried about the intractable threat of insecurity which involves children engaged in the informal economy, street begging, drug abuse and other forms of criminality which constitutes a significant deterioration in the quality of life of citizens which creates a volatile mix; Cognizant that women and children constitute the most vulnerable groups in the society today, and investing in their well-being should be of utmost priority; Recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari while inaugurating the new headquarters complex of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in January 2020 in Abuja, declared that the Federal Government would sustain on-going efforts to end child marriage and improve girl-child education in the country; Cognizant of the need for a shift in behaviours by transcending gender bias in other to achieve the goal of the President which was the reason for setting aside a day for women and having power brokers, elites and like minds take cognizance of those issues and contemplate the strategies to most likely to bring about sustained change.
Resolves to: (i) Urge States Houses of Assembly to domesticate the Child’s Rights Act in the States of the Federation; 606 Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 No.

121 (ii) mandate the Committees on Women Affairs, Basic Education and Services to engage relevant stakeholders with a view to addressing those issues; streamlining action plans and frameworks that target girl child education; (iii) also mandate the Committee on Legislative compliance to ensure compliance.
____________________________________________________________________________________ CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS 17.

18.

A Bill for an Act to Provide for Establishment of Federal College of Education, Illo, Kebbi State; and for Related Matters (HB.643) (Senate) (Leader) – (Committee of the Whole; 20/2/2020).

A Bill for an Act to Provide for Establishment of Modibbo Adama University, Yola; and for Related Matters (HB.

647) (Senate) (Leader) – (Committee of the Whole; 20/2/2020).
______________________________________________________________ COMMITTEE MEETINGS S/N Committee Date Time Venue 1.

Rules and Business Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 3.00 p.m. 2.

Public Petitions (Investigative Hearing) Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 3.00 p.m. 3.

Ad-hoc Committee on Oil Theft in Nigeria from 2005–2019 Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 3.00 p.m. 4.

Water Resources Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 3.00 p.m. 5.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 3.00 p.m. 6.
Reforms FOI Institutions of Government Tuesday, 10 March, 2020 3.00 p.m. Committee Room 06 (White House) Assembly Complex Committee Room 427 (New Building) Assembly Complex Conference Room 028 (New Building) Assembly Complex Conference Room 244 (New Building) Assembly Complex Conference Room 019 (New Building) Assembly Complex Conference Room 344 (New Building) Assembly Complex PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRINTING PRESS