FG moves to mend frosty relations with NASS

FACED with threats from the Senate over what the legislators believe to be a deliberate attempt by the executive to undermine their authority, the federal government has raised a committee to reconcile the two arms of government.

The committee which is headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, will attempt to restore good relations with Senate which has already vowed not to screen presidential nominees until acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, already rejected by the Senate, is removed from office.

The Senate is also angry over the refusal of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, to honour invitations extended to them by the red chamber.

Briefing State House correspondents after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said the Executive is concerned about the frosty relation between the two arms of government.

He noted that democracy would always witness struggles between arms of government, saying that after a discussion of the issue at FEC, government resolved to set up a reconciliation committee.

The minister said: “The executive is also concerned that the relationship between the two arms of government is not as smooth as it is supposed to be.

“In any democracy, it is a continuous struggle for balancing between the Executive and the Legislature because each of them is creation of the law.

“We must strive at all times to ensure that there is that balance, amity and smooth relationship.

“Just today at the Federal Executive Council meeting, the issue was discussed and a committee is already working on ensuring that we resolve all these outstanding issues.”

He said beyond the Vice President, the committee will have ministers who are former members of the National Assembly, others who are friendly with the lawmakers as well as the two Senior Special Assistants to the president on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang and Abdulrahman Sumaila.

The government’s spokesman also commented on the non-disclosure of President Buhari’s bill incurred during his nearly two months medical vacation in the United Kingdom.

He said the president’s health bill bothered on security and moral issues and therefore too sensitive to disclose.

Mohammed said: “This matter has come several times and our position on the matter is quite straight forward.

“What are the President’s conditions of service? What are his entitlements in terms of his wellbeing and health care? The state is supposed to take responsibility for these.

“We believe that asking for how much has been spent on the health of the President is an issue that we should weigh very well, both for national security and also for moral issues.

“I don’t know why we must divulge such very sensitive information.

“I might be wrong but I don’t have experience elsewhere that the president of any country will be ill and be forced to disclose how much the state has spent on his health.

“Yes, there is Freedom of Information Act but it is also carved in such a way that when such information is likely to endanger national security, I think it is an area that is not covered.”

Meanwhile, FEC has approved the procurement of 15 water tankers for Federal Fire Service fire at the cost of N403million.

Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazau, who spoke on the matter at the briefing, said the purchase would be made out of the N5.5billion provided in the 2016 budget for the provision of fire fighting equipment.

According to him, “this is in an attempt to further revamp the Federal Fire Service which has experienced dearth of equipment for a very long time and that with the challenges we have in terms of fire incidents all over the country.

“The last time I spoke, I told you the government is making every effort to make sure that the fire service is revamped so that we have the necessary equipment, training and personnel to be able to face the challenges.

“Today, as part of it, FEC approved what is remaining of the 2016 budget, the procurement of 15 water tankers that have the capacity to be used as fighting trucks.

“This is costing the government N403million out of the budget that was appropriated in 2016.

“The total budget is about N5.5billion for the procurement of fire fighting equipment and we have already procured a lot form that.”

Also speaking during the briefing, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, said Council approved the ratification for the establishment of the West African Tax Administration forum, a platform to promote mutual agreement and cooperation among West African tax authorities.

She said the effect ratification, “is that there will be better information sharing and cooperation between countries within West Africa on tax administration. This is really part of our tax reform efforts.”

She added: “As you know, Nigerians own properties in Ghana and other neigbouring countries. Now, for tax purposes, they will be able to have access to that type of information.

“Linked to that is the directive of the FEC to the SGF to remind companies that there is an existing provision in the law that companies are supposed to have on their letter headed papers the names of their directors and their registered offices, but what we have seen is that many bodies that are transacting business with government simply have the names of the company and no details of who the directors are.

“So, for tax purposes, it is quite difficult to trace them. So, the SGF will be issuing a circular reminding agencies and ministries of government that it is the law and therefore they are at liberty not to treat any document that doesn’t comply with the law.

“And equally the Accountant General is being advised that payment will only be effected to companies that are fully in compliance with the law just to make sure that all those who are doing business with government and making money from government are paying the right taxes.”

She said FEC also approved the $500million Eurobond recently authorized by the National Assembly.