The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of Adeleke Adewolu as Executive Commissioner on the Governing Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
His confirmation is sequel to the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Communications on the screening of the nominee.
The report was presented during plenary by the Committee’s Chairman, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos Central).
Earlier, during consideration of the report, Senator Rochas Okorocha (APC, Imo West), lamented the exclusion of a nominee from the South East as member of the board.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia South), however informed his colleagues that the South East representative on the NCC board left his position to contest the 2019 general elections.
In his response, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, said, “We still have to go back to find out if there is no replacement. If there is none, what we need to do is to request the executive arm of government to send a nomination to fill in that gap for the South East.
“Our committee on communications is supposed to let us know what the true position is; and if the South East is completely missing, we will ensure that the law is adhered to and, therefore, a nomination for the South East is brought in for confirmation. I believe this Senate will continue to do the right thing.”
Lawan bemoaned the inefficiency of the Nigerian Communications Commission, and therefore urged the agency to improve on its revenue earnings and service delivery to Nigerians.
He also warned that the continued use of unregistered lines by subscribers on various telecommunication networks poses serious security risk to the country.
“Let me say that the NCC has not done so well. We still have millions of people with lines that are not properly registered. This continues to be a security risk to us; the NCC needs to sit up.
“The revenues from NCC have not been meeting the target; so many of these operators don’t pay the proper taxes.
“The NCC, especially the management, must ensure that we get our revenue from these operators.
“Similarly, Nigerians don’t get the right services from these operators as their services are not reliable.
“We expect that by the time they have the full complement, they must ensure that Nigerians get the best of services and NCC should live up to its billings and mandate,” Lawan said.
Senate mulls five years jail term for sexual predators in schools
Meanwhile, the Senate on Wednesday revisited the sexual harassment bill which was sponsored by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta Central) and passed by the 8th Senate.
The Bill which was introduced by the 8th Senate in October 2016 seeks a five-year jail term and N5 million fine for lecturers convicted for sexually harassing male or female students.
According to the bill, an educator will be “guilty of committing an offence of sexual harassment against a student if he/she has sexual intercourse with a student who is less than 18 years of age; has sexual intercourse with a student or demands sex from a student or a prospective student as a condition to study in an institution, or as a condition to the giving of a passing grade or the granting of honour and scholarships.”
The bill prescribes that: “Any person who commits any of the acts specified in Section 4 of this Act is guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be sentenced to imprisonment of up to five years, but not less than two years without any option of a fine.”
The bill, however, suffered a major setback as it was not given Presidential assent after its passage by the 8th Senate.
Some lawmakers, who were against its passage, had argued that it should be more inclusive and not discriminatory or targeted only at university lecturers.
The reintroduced bill is sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege.
The seven bills that scaled first reading include: Federal Polytechnic Daura Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019, sponsored by Senator Babba Kaita Ahmad (APC, Katsina North); Modibo Adama University of Technology Bill, 2019, by Senator Aishatu Ahmed Dahiru (Adamawa Central); National Rice Development Council Bill, 2019, sponsored by Senator Muhammad Enagi Bima (APC, Niger South), and National Health Insurance Commission Bill, 2019, sponsored by Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe (APC, Kwara Central).
Others are: National Institute for Business Studies Nnewi, Anambra State Bill, 2019, by Senator Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah (YPP, Anambra South), and Federal College of Education Monguno, Borno State Bill, 2019, sponsored by Senator Abubakar Kyari (APC, Borno North).
