House of Representatives yesterday expressed
fears over what it called an impending food scarcity which may cause
nationwide famine in the coming year 2013 .
The House also expressed concerns that food prices will continue to go up in the remaining part of 2012, given the claim that Multi-nationals are currently buying off local foodstuff from Nigerian market.
It accused the Multi-nationals of further worsening the situation by stockpiling local foods as raw materials for food and beverage products, urging government to urgently address the trend.
Also condemned was the rationale behind sum of N17.6 billion recently approved by President Goodluck Jonathan to States believed to have been affected by floods described as major cause of the imminent famine.
A Motion that was adopted on the floor of the House yesterday said "disbursement of N17.6 billion for flood affected areas will not address the issue of imminent food shortages"
Sponsored by three members of the House, Mohammed Shamsidin Ango Abdullahi, Albert Sam-Tsokwa and Uzoma Nkem Abonta, the Motion lamented that prices of foodstuff are beginning to go above the reach of ordinary Nigerians.
To avert the famine, the House has however advised government on purchase and store large quantity of food items through the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA)
Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who presided over yesterday's sitting later referred the matter to House Committee on Agriculture with a mandate to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Resources.
The Committee was also mandated to advise federal government to consider the option of irrigation farming for sustainable food production to the citizens.
Public officers above the law
Meanwhile, a mild drama ensued yesterday when a member of the Federal House of Representatives, Honourable Samson Okwu was arrested by Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIOs, at the Games village junction of the Federal Capital Territory for driving against the traffic.
Samson Okwu, who represents Uju/Obi Federal Constituencies of Benue State at the House of Representatives, said he was compelled to beat the traffic to enable him keep an appointment with the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala as he resisted being dragged before the traffic offenders’ mobile court.
The lawmaker further defended his action by challenging the officer on duty to watch-out for public officers who, he claimed, have exceptions while using the road, as according to him the rules should be bent for their sake.
His words: “That is why I am telling you that in a government, there are people that are allowed to bend some of the laws. There are rules, I explained to the gentleman, but he wanted to use his rank to intimidate me, but my car is carrying a government number, that is why they gave me that number. So if he is using his uniform as government personnel, I am using my number.”
He further argued that the VIOs would not dare stop a vehicle with sirens driving against traffic as they did to him as a lawmaker, describing their action as act of insubordination.
“You know in law, there is an exception, that is why you see ministers use siren because you have exigencies. I am going to attend a function with the Minister of Finance this morning.
“I was there for over one hour. You do expect me to remain there because I do not have siren. That does not mean that I shouldn’t go, but I was there, I do not know the exercise that was going on, keeping cars here, I think it is indiscipline,” Okwu stated.
He challenged the enforcement team to ensure that as they carry out their duty, by making sure that the traffic flows faster in order to ensure that people who are going to work would be early to their respective offices.
The mobile court recorded over 28 convictions with various penalties meted out to the drivers while some were warned and asked to go and sin no more.
The House also expressed concerns that food prices will continue to go up in the remaining part of 2012, given the claim that Multi-nationals are currently buying off local foodstuff from Nigerian market.
It accused the Multi-nationals of further worsening the situation by stockpiling local foods as raw materials for food and beverage products, urging government to urgently address the trend.
Also condemned was the rationale behind sum of N17.6 billion recently approved by President Goodluck Jonathan to States believed to have been affected by floods described as major cause of the imminent famine.
A Motion that was adopted on the floor of the House yesterday said "disbursement of N17.6 billion for flood affected areas will not address the issue of imminent food shortages"
Sponsored by three members of the House, Mohammed Shamsidin Ango Abdullahi, Albert Sam-Tsokwa and Uzoma Nkem Abonta, the Motion lamented that prices of foodstuff are beginning to go above the reach of ordinary Nigerians.
To avert the famine, the House has however advised government on purchase and store large quantity of food items through the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA)
Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who presided over yesterday's sitting later referred the matter to House Committee on Agriculture with a mandate to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Resources.
The Committee was also mandated to advise federal government to consider the option of irrigation farming for sustainable food production to the citizens.
Public officers above the law
Meanwhile, a mild drama ensued yesterday when a member of the Federal House of Representatives, Honourable Samson Okwu was arrested by Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIOs, at the Games village junction of the Federal Capital Territory for driving against the traffic.
Samson Okwu, who represents Uju/Obi Federal Constituencies of Benue State at the House of Representatives, said he was compelled to beat the traffic to enable him keep an appointment with the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala as he resisted being dragged before the traffic offenders’ mobile court.
The lawmaker further defended his action by challenging the officer on duty to watch-out for public officers who, he claimed, have exceptions while using the road, as according to him the rules should be bent for their sake.
His words: “That is why I am telling you that in a government, there are people that are allowed to bend some of the laws. There are rules, I explained to the gentleman, but he wanted to use his rank to intimidate me, but my car is carrying a government number, that is why they gave me that number. So if he is using his uniform as government personnel, I am using my number.”
He further argued that the VIOs would not dare stop a vehicle with sirens driving against traffic as they did to him as a lawmaker, describing their action as act of insubordination.
“You know in law, there is an exception, that is why you see ministers use siren because you have exigencies. I am going to attend a function with the Minister of Finance this morning.
“I was there for over one hour. You do expect me to remain there because I do not have siren. That does not mean that I shouldn’t go, but I was there, I do not know the exercise that was going on, keeping cars here, I think it is indiscipline,” Okwu stated.
He challenged the enforcement team to ensure that as they carry out their duty, by making sure that the traffic flows faster in order to ensure that people who are going to work would be early to their respective offices.
The mobile court recorded over 28 convictions with various penalties meted out to the drivers while some were warned and asked to go and sin no more.
No comments:
Post a Comment