Senate pledges gender parity in constitution amendment

• THE National Assembly has expressed its readiness to amend the Constitution to ensure gender parity and enact laws to improve the fortunes of women and girls in Nigeria.
• This was just as the Senate resolved to expunge provisions of the law as contained in the Police Act, Federal Character Law, Electoral Act, Labour Act and Political Parties constitutions, which infringed on the rights of women in Nigeria.
• The decision was conveyed amidst resolutions reached on Wednesday during plenary when the Upper Chamber considered a motion on the 2021 International Women’s Day Celebration with the theme: “Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-l9 world #Choose To Challenge”.

EFCC chairman, Bawa testifies in N1.4bn oil subsidy fraud trial

• Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has appeared before an Ikeja High Court to give evidence in a N1.4 billion fraud trial involving an oil company, Nadabo Energy.
• Bawa, before his confirmation as EFCC chairman, had earlier appeared before the court last year as a prosecution witness.
• The EFCC had accused Abubakar Ali Peters and his company, Nadabo Energy of allegedly using forged documents to obtain N1,464,961,978.24 from the Federal Government as oil subsidy after allegedly inflating the quantity of premium motor spirit, PMS purportedly supplied to 14,000mt.
• Bawa, in his previous testimony, had told the court that based on the investigation carried out on the defendant’s dealings with Staco Insurance Company, “the Certificate of marine insurance used by the defendant for the transaction in question was forged.”
• The matter was adjourned by Justice Balogun to February 10, 16, 23 and March 9, 2021 for the continuation of the trial.

Senate asks FG to repatriate Ogun refugees from Benin

• THE Senate on Wednesday asked the Federal Government to direct relevant government agencies to bring back the people of Yewa in Ogun State who had escaped to the Republic of Benin following incessant herdsmen attacks on their communities.
• The Senate resolution was sequel to a point of order raised by the Senator representing Ogun West, Tolu Odebiyi.
• The red chamber also mandated relevant security agencies to restore law and order in the troubled communities.
• The Upper Chamber called on the National Emergency Management Agency, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Border Communities Development Agency to undertake an ‘on-the-spot’ assessment of the affected communities with a view to determining the extent of the problem and providing relief to the affected persons.

Lagos starts COVID-19 vaccination by weekend – Sanwo-Olu

• The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday said the state would start the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine at the weekend.
• Sanwo-Olu, who stated this when he received the country representative of the World Health Organisation, Dr Walter Mulombo, at the State House, Alausa, noted that the committee set up for the vaccine administration was in the final stage of the deployment of the vaccine.
• The governor in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, said he was optimistic that the vaccine rollout would be successfully implemented, adding that the state’s Primary Healthcare Board would lead the effort in achieving herd immunity.

Wage bill protests: National Assembly, Labour meet next week

• The leadership of the National Assembly will on Tuesday next week meet labour leaders over a  bill which seeks to remove the minimum wage negotiations from the exclusive legislative list.

• The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing workers, who marched to the National Assembly Complex in Abuja to protest the bill.
• Recall that the bill seeking to remove negotiations on the minimum wage from the exclusive list to the concurrent list passed the second reading in the House on February 23.

Nigerian stock market rises by N128bn on demutualisation

• The nation’s bourse on Wednesday overcame its negative posture growing by N128bn following bargain buying in Dangote Cement and Nestle as well as news of approval of demutualisation, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.
• Specifically, the market capitalisation rose by N128bn or 0.63 per cent to close at N20.37tn against N20.24tn recorded on Tuesday.
• Similarly, the All-Share Index appreciated by 244.40 or 0.63 per cent to close at 38,931.25 from 38,686.85 achieved on Tuesday.
• The market gain was driven by price appreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks amongst which are Nestle, Dangote Cement, Nigerian Breweries, May & Baker and Africa Prudential.