***harps on Public Hearing before passage of bills

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has called on Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) operating in Kogi to partner the state House of Assembly to make people-oriented and implementable laws to engender good governance.

Mr Hamza Aliyu Executive Director Initiative for Grassroots Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA) made the call at the Bi-Monthly Meeting of the State-level Advocacy and Legislative Engagement Forum on Saturday in Lokoja.

The meeting was organized by the Situation Room in partnership with INGRA with support from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development of the UK International Development.

Aliyu who was represented by Mr Ikechukwu Mpama, the Project Officer, underscored the essence of Public Hearing in the passage of bills to enable them fall in line with the people’s aspirations.

He therefore, called on Kogi State House of Assembly to widen the level of participation of the citizenry by harnessing their opinions and inputs through Public Hearings.

Presentating “An Overview of Activities Carried Out So Far and the Achievements Recorded”, Aliyu said that the forum which was inaugurated on November 2, 2023, had achieved more than 90 per cent of its mandate.

The objectives of the Forum, according to him, includes the need to increase citizens’ participation in the passage of bills to reflect the aspirations of the people.

Others are: enhancing the functionality and increasing people’s awareness of Legislators’ Constituency Offices and organizing Public Hearings for the people.

Idris Miliki Abdul, Executive Director, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflicts Resolution (CHRCH), a Human Rights activist, in his contribution, charged CSOs in the state to be ready to work hand-in-hand with in the state Assembly in organizing public Hearings.

He decried situations where bills are passed without necessary inputs from the people describing the development as not good enough for the State and urging that it should be discouraged.

Miliki underscored the essence of Public Hearing in the passage of bills saying, “We should continue to advocate for public hearing no matter the pressure from the Executive Arm.”

On the sustainability of the State-Level Advocacy and Legislative Engagement Forum, the Human Rights activist said “There is need for follow up because without follow up, sustainability will be impossible.”

Speaking in same vein, Mr Idris Ozovehe Muraina, Chairman of Kogi Non-Government Organizations Network (KONGONET) frowned at the unhealthy culture of passing Supplementary Budgets without inputs from the public.

He called for engagement of the Legislative House by the CSOs to ponder the possibility of having public hearing to enable the citizens have a say in the passage of Supplementary Budgets.

Muraina called on the CSOs to avail themselves of any window of opportunity for public engagement in Supplementary Budget.

Aminu Oseni Okutepa, Executive Director, Lugard Youths Development Initiative (LYDEI) said, “We should engage not only the legislators but the Executives to know when they want to present supplement Budgets to the House. This is Democracy and everybody must be engaged.”

In his opening remarks, Mr Ikechukwu Mpama, the Project Officer had said that the main objectives of the meeting was to discuss lessons learnt in the course of the project and as well, proffer key strategies for its sustainability even after the official close out. (Ends)

***Grants Scholarships to 137 others

The Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly Rt Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkindaji has paid the fees for this year’s Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination for 100 candidates from his Constituency in Mariga local government area of the state.
The 100 candidates are also to enjoy free training for Computer Base Text (CBT) to enable them get acquainted with the knowledge and the use of computer before the JAMB examinations.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Speaker on Media, Mallam Shamsudeen Lawal Bnaira who disclosed this in a statement in Minna on Friday, said 137 indigent students have benefited from the Speaker’s scholarship programme into various high institutions of learning.
Mallam Bnaira further added that all successful candidates in the JAMB examination will enjoy free sponsorship in their University education as part of the Speakers educational programme for youth in his Constituency.
“We are thrilled to announce that 100 enthusiastic students from Mariga Local Government have been successfully registered for the upcoming JAMB 2024 examination their journey towards further education has already begun”.
“All the 100 Candidates will enjoy free computer base training, those who excel in the JAMB examination will also enjoy free sponsorship in their University education as part of the Speaker’s deliberate educational programme for youth in his Constituency”.
According to him, this transformative initiative by the Speaker will not only encourage academic excellence in his Constituency but also highlight the importance of investing in the education of our youth.
He maintained that the computer training will provide the students with the opportunity to enhance their computer skills and pursue their academic aspirations, adding that “this will equally pave the way for a brighter future for them and the entire Mariga local government area.
Recall that the Speaker had earlier granted sponsorship to 100 indigents of his Constituency to pursue their National Certificate in Education (NCE) at the Federal College of Education Kontagora, Bangi and Mariga satellites campus.
In addition, 37 other students are to enjoy similar gesture towards acquiring their University education at the Ahmodu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Federal College of Education Kontagora study center.

The Niger State Governor Rt. Hon. Umar Mohammed Bago has written to the state House of Assembly to seek for its approval to secure N65billion loan from commercial Banks.
The letter requesting the Assembly’s approval and addressed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkindaji was read at the House plenary on Tuesday after its resumption from one month recess.
According to the Speaker the correspondence includes Request to Access #50Billion Agricultural Financing Facility offered by Union Bank PLC for establishment of Agricultural Food Park and Farm Estate.
The facility, according to the Governor will support Niger State initiative for actualizing the ongoing Green Economy Revolution of the State and Creat value chain for farm produce, ensure bumper harvest and food security for the State and Nigeria at large.
He further informed the house that the N50million loan will help the State being among the States of the Federation chosen by the Federal Government as a pilot to anchor 2024 dry season farming programme with a grant to the tune of N200billion that will assist the State to defray the proposed loan.
The Governor disclosed that “the N50billion loan facility is expected to be backed by an irrevocable payment Standing Order (ISPO) to be issued by Niger State Government in favour of the Bank and would be available at the cost 1% management fee (One – off) and interest rate of 20% repayable in 106 Monthly installments inclusive of 24 months moratorium of principal and 3 months moratorium of interest”.
Bago pointed out that some of the benefits of the facility which includes, that the N50billion facility offered by Union Bank PLC will help the government to finance Niger State food security system and logistics Company limited through the establishment of agricultural food parks and farms estate.
In addition, he said the facility will provide self- sustenance to the people of the state in areas of Investments in Agriculture, facility maintenance and direct labour interventions, help ensure food security, boost the State Internally Generated Revenue ( IGR) provide communities with more projects of water supply, health and education facilities.
In the same vein, the Governor is also seeking the approval of the Assembly to Access N15billion Contract Financing Facility Offered by Fidelity Bank PLC for Uptake of Engr. A. A. Kure University of Education, Minna Niger State.
According to the letter to the Assembly, the State Government approached Fidelity Bank Plc, for a contract Financing to meet up with the funding requirement of the University
The repayment of the facility is through deduction of 60% from the State and 40% FAAC allocation from the 25 Local Government Areas, the State is also expected additional N100billion loan facility from Fidelity Bank/Afrexim Bank which could help to defray the above N150billion together with the initial N150Billion taken by the immediate past administration of the State.
The two loan requests have been forwarded to the relevant house committees for proper scrutiny and possible approval.
The committees were given one week to report back to the house at it plenary.