General News
Senate suspends plenary to begin budget defense
…Adjourns till Nov. 9
The Senate on Wednesday adjourned plenary till November 9, 2021, to enable its Committees begin budget defense sessions with Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The upper chamber suspended sitting after concluding debate on the 2022 Appropriation Bill.
Lawan, in his remarks moments before the chamber adjourned, tasked committees to thoroughly scrutinize budget estimates in the 2022 Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly.
He said, “The Senate has hereby suspended plenary in order to consider the budget.
“There will be budget defense from Monday until November 9, when we resume plenary.
“Like we did before, we must remain very critical of the proposals presented to us by the executive arm of government.
“We must ensure equity in the distribution of projects. We must ensure economy in the application of funds. We must question any possible overpricing of items.
“[And] we should be able at the end of the day to have a budget that covers the interest of all the communities that we have in this and all parts of the country.”
Earlier, a total of 42 Senators took turns to make their contributions during the second and final day of debate on the 2022 Appropriation Bill.
Among those who spoke are Senators Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Adelere Oriolowo, Patrick Akinyelure, Ibrahim Gobir, Smart Adeyemi, Ibrahim Abdullahi, George Thompson Sekibo, Christopher Ekpenyong, Betty Apiafi, Mohammed Musa, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, Michael Nnachi, and Yahaya Oloriegbe.
Others are: Matthew Urhoghide, Francis Fadahunsi, Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, Anayo Rochas Okorocha, Oyelola Ashiru, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, Hezekiah Dimka, Binos Dauda Yaroe, Chukwuma Frank Ibezim, Olalekan Mustapha, Chukwuka Utazi, Abba Patrick Moro, Danladi Sankara, and Isah Jibrin.
Contributing to the debate on the 2022 Appropriation Bill, Senator Ibrahim Danbaba (PDP, Sokoto South), underscored the need for the federal government to include Public-Private Partnership as a way to fund the provision of critical infrastructure needed for economic development.
Senator Smart Adeyemi (APC, Kogi West), called for the urgent diversification of the economy through mining, adding that there are abundant mineral resources yet to be exploited by the federal government.
Senator George Thompson Sekibo (PDP, River East) advised the Central Bank of Nigeria to come up with policies that would help stabilize the country’s exchange rate over a period of time.
He also lamented that the implementation of capital projects in the 2022 budget proposal were tied to borrowing.
Senator Christopher Ekpenyong (PDP, Akwa Ibom North West), called for the scrutiny and tinkering of the budget estimates by the National Assembly, to ensure that it reflects the needs and meets the expectations of Nigerians.
Senator Betty Apiafi (PDP, Rivers West), protested the exclusion of some states as beneficiaries of the loan to be sourced by the federal government.
According to the lawmaker, some states such as Rivers State do not stand to benefit from the loan through projects, but are among those to repay the loan obtained by Nigeria.
She also called on the federal government to give special attention to the power sector, adding that doing so would attract and promote private investments.
On his part, Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East) described the 2022 budget outlook as “good”, noting that “Nigeria’s debt level is sustainable”.
The lawmaker urged the federal government to ensure that borrowed funds are applied to critical projects.
According to him, focus must also be given to revenue generation, as well as the examination of the country’s tax framework.
He noted that doing so would ensure strict compliance by taxpayers and boost Nigeria’s revenue collection.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, referred the 2022 Appropriation Bill after scaling second reading to the Committee on Appropriations for further work.
The Committee which is chaired by Senator Jibrin Barau was given four weeks to report back to the upper chamber.
The Senate President, in his concluding remarks said, “I want to join all those that have commended Mr. President for presenting the Appropriation Bill 2022 in good time.
“This is one of the very important reasons why we are able to have sufficient time to consider the budgets (2020 and 2021) before the 2022 Appropriation bill was presented.
“I want to also Senators for the sacrifice in processing, consideration and passage of the 2020 and 2021 Appropriation Acts.
“That devotion, commitment and dedication certainly saw us succeed in passing the previous bills.
“I’m sure that we are ready to repeat the feat of passing the appropriation bill 2022 before the end of December.
“Distinguished colleagues, I agree with those of us who raised the issue of revenue generation, collection and remittances to the coffers of the federal government.
“The agencies that are supposed to collect and remit revenues would have to be tasked, and this 2022 appropriation bill shows we have over 400 billion coming especially from these agencies as additional revenues. We need to do better.
“Government agencies must remit revenues that they generate. We need to also invest in our people, dedication for our youth particularly and, of course, health.
“Distinguished colleagues, borrowing like most of us here said, is not bad. What we need to do is to ensure that what we borrow is prudently deployed in those areas of capital infrastructural development.
“The two or three committees that are oil related – Petroleum Upstream and Petroleum Downstream and Gas – need to be very alert to the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act.
“This is very important because this Act that we passed here is to transform the Petroleum Industry, and at this formative age of the transformation, there is need for us to be very vigilant and oversight very closely to ensure that the taking off is successful.
“Our oversight as Committees must be very purposeful and at all times for the sole reason of ensuring that government funds are properly and prudently applied to the projects appropriated for.
“Finally, I want to commend the entire National Assembly for ensuring that the previous budgets were passed in good time and, of course, the assent was also the same.
“The implementation of 2020 budget was 100 percent. Today, the implementation of the 2021 is about sixty percent. We want to see a repeat of the 2020 implementation, so that we also have 100 percent at the end of the day in December.
“This is very important because we know that Nigeria came out of recession, and in fact achieved a GDP growth of over five percent because of the implementation of the 2020 funds appropriated.”
…Church leaders accuse Welsh counterparts of “spiritual decadence” and “abandonment of faith”
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has issued a forceful condemnation of the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann, an openly lesbian cleric, as the Archbishop of Wales. The move is the latest in a series of developments that have deepened divisions within the global Anglican Communion over sexuality and doctrine.
In a statement from Primate The Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba, the church denounced the election as a “serious departure from biblical teaching” and a sign of “spiritual decadence” and “an outright abandonment of the faith once delivered to the saints.”
Archbishop Ndukuba warned that Bishop Vann’s elevation compromises the Anglican Church’s global mission and could obstruct evangelism. He compared the situation to the controversial tenure of Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, former Presiding Bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church, who also faced intense criticism from conservative Anglicans for her progressive views.
The Primate accused Bishop Vann of being complicit in the “ongoing crisis” around same-sex issues, stating that the election is a “clear revelation that many who claim to be members of the body of Christ cannot endure sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3–4).
The Church of Nigeria called on Anglicans worldwide to reject “rebels” and “apostates” and to instead support conservative bodies like the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).
“The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) condemns, unequivocally rejects, and will not recognize the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann as Archbishop of Wales,” Ndukuba declared. He concluded with a solemn warning that without repentance, the Church in Wales risks losing “complete relevance” and its leaders will face judgment.
The Primate of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, has called on political leaders to prioritize the welfare of citizens.
During a recent church service in Abuja, Ndukuba noted that many Nigerians are struggling with challenges brought on by the global economic downturn. He urged state and local governments to implement new initiatives to lessen the impact on their communities.
The Primate also stressed that the federal government must effectively monitor its programs to ensure that Nigerians fully benefit from the nation’s democratic gains. He argued that if the current administration can effectively tackle corruption, the country would significantly benefit from the economic policies of President Tinubu’s government.
Ndukuba concluded by asking the congregation to continue praying for those in authority, remain committed to national unity, and show love and support for the less privileged. He also tasked the newly inducted members of the Church Mothers’ Guild with aggressively spreading the gospel.
Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche, has expressed deep concern about the current situation in Nigeria.
Enenche stated that the nation is under an evil spell due to the economic hardship affecting the country. He described Nigeria as being covered by a “blanket of sorcery and darkness,” leading many citizens to endure poverty and hardship in silence.
“There’s a blanket of sorcery and darkness over this nation—an evil spell making people tolerate what should provoke outrage,” he wrote.
In a post on his official X account on Thursday, the cleric highlighted the economic struggles faced by many Nigerians, noting that an increasing number of church members now line up after services not for spiritual counselling or prayer, but to help with basic needs such as rent, school fees, food, and medical bills.
“People are suffering. Pastors are exhausted. Members now queue after service not for prayer, but for assistance,” he lamented.
He also criticised political leaders for their insensitivity and failure to address the dire situation across the country.
“Yet, the leaders act as though nothing is wrong. This is not normal—it is witchcraft. It is a spell of patience in captivity, leading to a demonic tolerance of suffering.”
Calling for divine intervention, Enenche declared, “Let every evil spell over this land be broken! Let those misruling with arrogance and mocking the people’s pain face divine judgment. They shall not see the celebration of their wickedness.”
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