Ebola, fuel import, unity college funding, other top Senate stories

Bill seeks elevated funding for unity schools, armed forces faculties

The Senate on Tuesday debated and passed for second studying a invoice looking for to amend the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act to strengthen the administration and funding of federal unity schools and Armed Forces senior secondary faculties.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, introduced the passage after the invoice obtained majority help in a voice vote.

The invoice was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Primary and Secondary Education for additional legislative scrutiny and a public listening to.

Sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, the invoice seeks to strengthen the administration, coordination and funding of public senior secondary faculties throughout the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It additionally proposes a authorized framework for direct authorities intervention to handle infrastructure deficits and shortages of studying assets in public senior secondary faculties.

Senate seeks emergency funds to battle Ebola

The Senate on Wednesday rejected a proposal for lawmakers to go to the entry factors by way of which a lady contaminated with Ebola reportedly entered Nigeria earlier than she was remoted at a personal hospital in Abuja.

Instead, the higher chamber urged the federal authorities to instantly launch emergency funds from the Service Wide Vote to forestall the unfold of the virus.

The lawmakers adopted the decision whereas debating a movement on the necessity to implement obligatory well being screening in any respect worldwide airports and other entry factors to forestall the unfold of Ebola and other epidemic-prone illnesses.

The movement was sponsored by Francis Faduyile, the senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District.

Senate strikes to evaluation Nigeria’s century-old Quarantine Act

On Wednesday, the higher chamber of the National Assembly resolved to interact the presidency on reviewing Nigeria’s Quarantine Act to carry it consistent with fashionable public well being laws and the International Health Regulations.

Mr Akpabio directed the Senate Committee on Judiciary to liaise with the chief arm of presidency and related well being companies to develop proposals for amending the legislation.

He gave the directive throughout plenary whereas lawmakers debated a movement on the necessity to implement obligatory well being screening in any respect worldwide airports and other entry factors to forestall the unfold of Ebola and other epidemic-prone illnesses.

The Senate president mentioned the proposed modification must be handled as pressing to strengthen Nigeria’s public well being response to the Ebola outbreak and forestall additional unfold of the illness.

Bill to empower NUC to replace college accreditation processes

A invoice looking for to repeal and re-enact the National Universities Commission (NUC) Act to strengthen the fee’s regulatory powers and modernise college accreditation processes passed second studying within the Senate on Thursday.

The invoice was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund for additional legislative scrutiny and a public listening to.

The executive-sponsored invoice seeks to strengthen the NUC’s regulatory framework, promote world finest practices in college training, and encourage innovation and analysis.

It additionally proposes stronger enforcement measures towards universities that violate the fee’s pointers and procedures. In addition, it seeks to strengthen the NUC’s position because the apex regulatory physique accountable for accrediting educational programmes in Nigerian universities.

Senate panel summons NNPC, NEITI, others over discrepancies in PMS import information

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts on Tuesday resolved to summon the heads of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) over discrepancies in information of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) imports into Nigeria between 2021 and 2023.

The committee’s chairperson, Ibrahim Dankwambo, introduced the decision on Tuesday after the NMDPRA appeared earlier than the panel to answer queries raised in NEITI’s Oil and Gas Industry Audit Report protecting the interval.

Mr Dankwambo, who represents Gombe North Senatorial District, mentioned the heads of the three companies could be required to elucidate the discrepancies and work in direction of reconciling the conflicting figures.

Senate seeks worldwide local weather financing to guard coastal communities

On Thursday, the Senate on urged the federal authorities to discover acceptable budgetary provisions and worldwide local weather adaptation financing to guard coastal communities threatened by ocean surges and sea incursion.

The higher chamber additionally directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and related state authorities to offer speedy humanitarian help, together with protected water, healthcare companies and non permanent shelter, to residents whose properties and livelihoods have been destroyed by ocean surges.

The lawmakers adopted the resolutions throughout plenary whereas debating a movement on the pressing must assemble shoreline safety infrastructure to save lots of Ayetoro neighborhood in Ondo State from sea incursion.

The movement was sponsored by Francis Faduyile (APC, Ondo South).