NEWS
National Assembly Prepares Severance Package [See Details]
The management of the National Assembly has started the process of clearing the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives in preparation for the payment and collection of their severance packages.
This development was announced by the Clerk of the House, Yahaya Danzaria, during the plenary session on Wednesday.
As the 9th Assembly approaches its conclusion, which is expected to take place in the first week of June, the 10th Assembly is scheduled to be inaugurated on June 13, 2023.
Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, relayed the notice from the Clerk to the members present during the session.
Danzaria informed “all honourable members to collect their clearance forms for the payment of severance gratuity from the Office of the Clerk to the House and submit same after completion in Annex Room 2.154 or 2.031, Finance and Accounts Directorate on or before Friday, June 9, 2023.”
The 9th Assembly, as part of the 2023 Appropriation Act, has allocated a budget of over N30 billion for severance and welcome packages intended for outgoing and incoming members and aides.
This budgetary provision aims to facilitate the transition process. Additionally, under the category of statutory transfers, the National Assembly and its affiliated bodies are projected to utilize a total of N194,839,144,401 in the current fiscal year. Initially, the original bill proposed a sum of N169 billion for the federal bicameral legislature.
The National Assembly budget contains the following detailed allocations:
Severance/inauguration of outgoing and incoming 9th and 10th Assembly (legislators and legislative aides) – N30,173,520,592.
National Assembly Office – N30,492,518,529.
Senate – N33,267,001,807.
House of Representatives – N51,994,511,954.
National Assembly Service Commission – N10,555,809,322.
Legislative Aides – N16,520,653,763.
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) – Senate – N118,970,215.
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) – House of Representatives – N142,764,258.
Others are National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, N7,411,813,596; Service Wide Vote, N671,335,001; Office of Retired Clerks and Permanent Secretaries, N1,059,121,701; Appropriation Committee Department – Senate, N125,000,000; Appropriation Committee Department – House, N165,000,000; National Assembly Library building (ongoing), N4,250,000,000.
Also in the National Assembly budget is N11,307,475,470 allocated to General Services; hosting of Conference of Speakers of African Parliament, N127,500,000; NASS Liabilities, N8,500,000,000; NASS e-Library, N255,000,000; NASS Dashboard, N118,150,000; Constitution Review, N850,000,000; completion of NASS Library Complex (repeated), 7,500,000,000; completion of NILDS HQ, N2,500,000,000; and construction of NASC building, N10,000,000,000.
In addition to the aforementioned allocations, the severance benefits for retired heads of government agencies and parastatals are projected to cost the country approximately N1 billion.
Furthermore, an allocation of N2.3 billion has been set aside for the entitlements of former presidents/heads of state and vice-presidents/Chief of General Staff.
Among the beneficiaries are former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari, as well as ex-military Heads of State Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Yakubu Gowon, Former Vice-Presidents Atiku Abubakar and Namadi Sambo, among others.
A helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi yencountered a “hard landing” on Sunday.
According to report, the incident took place near Jolfa, a city situated on the border with Azerbaijan, within Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, approximately 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran.
However, details regarding the incident were not disclosed.
The Associated Press noted uncertainty regarding whether bh Raisi was onboard the helicopter during the incident.
Despite rescue efforts, adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain and wind, have hindered access to the site, according to state TV.
Before the helicopter incident, President Ebrahim Raisi had been in Azerbaijan on Sunday to participate in the inauguration of a dam alongside Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
This dam marks the third joint construction project between the two nations on the Aras River.
Despite Iran’s diverse helicopter fleet, obtaining parts is hindered by international sanctions, with much of its military air fleet dating back to pre-1979 Islamic Revolution era.
Raisi, aged 63, is known for his hard-line stance and previously served as the country’s judiciary leader.
Considered a protégé of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, some analysts speculate that Raisi could succeed the 85-year-old leader in the event of his resignation or demise.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s military prevented an attempted coup on Sunday near President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices in Kinshasa, as reported by an army spokesperson.The Democratic Republic of Congo’s military prevented an attempted coup on Sunday near President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices in Kinshasa, as reported by an army spokesperson.
According to him, the plot, involving both foreigners and Congolese citizens, unfolded in the early hours outside the residence of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in the Gombe district, close to the president’s offices at the Palais de la Nation.
General Sylvain Ekenge announced on national television that the defence and security forces had successfully thwarted the coup attempt.
He said “An attempted coup d’etat has been stopped by the defence and security forces. The foreigners and Congolese…including their leader” would “all no longer cause any harm”.
Shots were heard near the Palais de la Nation during the attempted coup, as confirmed by various sources.
General Ekenge didn’t elaborate further on the incident, and AFP’s attempts to get additional information from official sources remain unanswered.
However by late morning, the city appeared calm.
Early social media reports suggested an armed attack on Kamerhe’s residence, with some assailants heading towards the Palais de la Nation.
“This morning, there was an armed attack at the residence of the economy minister,” wrote Japan’s ambassador Hidetoshi Ogawa on X.
He stated that Kamerhe “was not harmed, but two policemen and an assailant were killed according to sources.”
France’s ambassador reported hearing automatic weapons fire in the area and advised French nationals to steer clear of the location.
Videos circulating on social media depicted individuals in military attire at the Palais de la Nation, waving flags of Zaire, the former name of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the regime of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was ousted in 1997.
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has dismissed all transition committee chairmen in the state’s 21 local government areas.
This decision was detailed in a letter titled “Expiration of Tenure and Handover to Heads of Local Government Administrations (HLGAs),” dated May 17, 2024, and signed by Collins Nwabunwanne, the state Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Community Affairs.
According to the letter, the directive will be effective starting Monday, May 20, 2024.
The letter read, “Following the expiration of your tenure as Transition Committee Chairman, you are hereby directed to handover the affairs of your Local Government Council to the Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA), in your respective Local Government Councils.
“This directive takes effect from Monday, 20th day of May, 2024. Thank you for your service to the state. All replies to be addressed to the Honourable Commissioner.”
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