Nation
Senate Warns IOCs Against Abuse Of Regulations
The Senate Committee on Local Content, yesterday, warned the International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the country of grave consequences of continued abuse and disregard to Nigeria’s diving regulations and disrespect to constituted authorities of government.
The committee equally vented its anger on the Ministry of Labour and Productivity as it walked out on the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Yerim Tarfa, who stood in for the minister, Dr. Chris Ngige.
Representatives of the Chief Executive Officers of IOCs, including those of Chevron Nigeria Limited, ExxonMobil and Total Nigeria Limited, among others, were also asked to leave the investigative hearing on the alleged abuse of extant regulations on the premise that it was disrespectful of the companies to send staff lower than the MDs’ rank to the Senate.
The Chairman of the Senate committee, Senator Teslim Folarin, who gave the marching orders at the hearing in the National Assembly complex, said the Federal Government could no longer tolerate such acts of sabotage in a sector, he said, was worth about $1billion annually.
According to him, the hearing was targeted at addressing the inherent shortcomings associated with the diving sector in the country following a motion titled: “Urgent need to ensure strict compliance with statutory regulations and provisions regarding the Nigerian diving sector and also to urge the Federal Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity to as a matter of urgency, inaugurate the Diving Advisory Board to ensure the regulation of its operation in the sector.”
The former Senate leader, therefore, declared that it was utterly condescending and a show of monumental disrespect for the institution of the National Assembly for the invited CEOs of the companies and the minister to delegate other officers to represent them at the hearing.
He lamented that while the Schedule to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, provided that in order to encourage local participation in all aspects of oil operations, 70 per cent of Diving or Submersible operations, must go to Nigerians, the reverse has been the case.
Folarin lamented that while the Federal Government spends huge funds in training divers annually, the IOCs have continued to deny Nigerian divers employment by engaging foreign divers for their operations.
According to Folarin, such actions of the IOCs in denying Nigerian divers jobs contributed to the growing unemployment in the labour market, part of which led to the recent #EndSARS protests and other forms of agitations across the country.
The lawmaker said the plight of local divers was further worsened by the minister, who hitherto neglected to inaugurate the Divers Advisory Board all these while only to hurriedly inaugurate the board few days ago after the summons.
He emphasised that the board was meant to regulate and oversee the activities of divers in the country.
By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja
Nation
Rivers Judiciary Denise Media Reports On Issuing Judgement Sacking SOLAD
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied claims of media reports circulating online that a judge of its High Court issued a ruling in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara against former Governor Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu, there by sacking the sole Administrator of the state, vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi yesterday in Port Harcourt, described the purported report as false and misleading, particularly for linking a judge of the State High Court, Justice Boma Diepirii, to a ruling that reportedly came from a Federal High Court.
According to the statement, Justice Boma Diepirii is a Judge of the Rivers State High Court and not of the Federal High Court and currently on Easter Vacation, which commenced on Monday, 14th April.
The Chief Registrar further clarified that the Federal High Court and the State High Court are separate entities, stressing that “the inclusion of Justice Diepiri’s name in the fabricated report underscores the crass ignorance of the author.”
“The attention of the Rivers State Judiciary has been drawn to a fake news report alleging that His Lordship, Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri, delivered a judgment sacking the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. This is false in its entirety,” the statement read.
“Justice Diepiri is a judge of the High Court of Rivers State, not of the Federal High Court as was falsely reported”.
” Additionally, His Lordship is currently on Easter vacation which began on Monday, April 14, 2025, Ihua-Maduenyi stated.
The statement however advised the general public and members of the media to always cross checked information concerning the judiciary before publishing and as well disregard the said report in its entirety as its an embodiment of falsehood and fabricated story.
Nation
Senate Passes Bill For Establishment Of University In Abia
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
Nation
South East Caucus Kicks As Senate Rejects Nwosu’s Immortalisation
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi