The Senate yesterday endorsed the move by its committee on Federal Character, to investigate the alleged lopsided recruitment recently carried out by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character, Senator Tijjani Abubakar Kaura (APC Zamfara North), had during plenary declared that his committee based on petitions received from concerned Nigerians on recent recruitment carried out by DSS, resolved to probe the exercise considered to be highly lopsided.
He said the probe would go a long way in restoring the confidence of Nigerians in the principles of federal character required for such exercise on the basis of equity, justice and fairness.
Accordingly, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, gave the Committee the nod to go ahead with the probe and update it with its findings.
Reports from the alleged lopsided recruitment exercise carried out by DSS last month revealed wide disparity in state-by-state allocation of the 479 newly commissioned cadet officers.
Meanwhile, Legislative work has begun to process and pass the Gas Flaring (Prohibition and Punishment) Bill 2017.
The Bill, which is aimed at enhancing more rapid infrastructural development of the oil and gas sector, boosting revenue to government as well as improving the lives of the people of the Niger Delta region while also providing incentives for companies with clearly defined flare out projects, will be presented to the public for review at a public hearing scheduled to hold in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
In an interview with reporters yesterday in Abuja, Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas Resources and the sponsor of the Bill, Senator Bassey Albert, (Akwa Ibom North East) said the flaring of natural gas in association with crude oil is one of the most dangerous environmental and energy waste practices in the Nigerian petroleum industry.
Expected at the public hearing are the international oil companies, national oil companies, independent producers, marginal field operators, LNG companies, government agencies and regulators.
The Senate President has also expressed confidence that the recent amendments to the electoral law will strengthen the nation’s electoral process and make it conform to the international best practices.
Saraki stated that when assented to, the amendments would eliminate rigging, violence and other malpractices associated with the voting process.
He made this known while receiving a delegation of Safran IS, an international biometric and identity management company that visited him in Abuja.
Saraki further expressed the readiness of the Senate to partner with any organisation that could provide the right solutions, and requested Safran to collaborate with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and support their initiative.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Ms. Jessica Van Meeteren explained that based on its experiences and successes in similar jobs in other countries, Safran IS possess the required technology and technical know-how to provide Nigeria with the solutions.
The company had undertook similar jobs in countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, India, Chile among others.
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