By Sunny Anderson Osiebe...
If there are few men in the National Assembly who understand the
business of lawmaking and the skilful handling of the instrument of legislation
in advancing the course of national development, then Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai
undoubtedly ranks high amongst them. The quintessential third term lawmaker,
representing the good people of Ndokwa/Okwuani Federal constituency in this
interview, sheds light on his personal
experiences and challenges in the green chambers, the place of oversight
functions of members of the House, the leadership tussle that House members
were embroiled in the last one year as well as the nation’s economic situation
amongst others.
Kindly tell us your experience so
far in the 1st Session of the 8th National Assembly?
The experience I have gotten in this one year is different from that gotten
from the 7th assembly, because the assemblies, having different personalities
as presiding officers, charted different courses using different manner of approach.
The 7th assembly was more radical in approach, without an in-depth knowledge on
the legislature but the present leadership, though not totally radical, has an
in-depth knowledge on the legislature and they have projected it in a way, that
it has created a good image for the 8th assembly. This assembly established a
harmonious relationship with the executive and I think, that is a smart move.
The Speaker is fair to everybody, which has resulted in a lot of public
hearing, churning out results and reports are still coming up.
I have also participated in a lot of activities. Like contributing to
debates on bills and sponsoring of several bills. I make bold to say that the experience
has been very remarkable, enriching and more interactive in nature.
Majority have scored the National
Assembly low because they feel that the last one year was dedicated to
leadership tussle instead of serious legislative business. Do you agree?
I totally disagree with the people who have scored the National Assembly,
low. In my opinion, I will say that the assembly has done relatively well. If
asked to assess the Assembly on a scale of 1-100, I will award them 85% in
adequate discharging of duties. In the sense that, for the first time within
one year, eighty-four (84) bills were passed into law. The first of its kind!
The Assembly also debated, transparently, the budget of 2016, opening up
cans of worms – issues of national concern. Through this transparency; they were
able to address these issues that would eventually lead to the transformation
of Nigeria. Again, for the first time, we were introduced to what is called Sectarian
debate. This is a debate, where a Minister of the federation is called upon to
give account of his stewardship and be able to throw more light on the policy
of government. This nouvelle approach is enriching because the representatives of
the people are well equipped, when they go back home to address their people on
the policy of government. Letting the people know how they can contribute to
influencing government policies. These contributions, on the long run will
result to transformations in their homes. This is the first time, an assembly
has done such. This is the first assembly that witnessed the President of South
Africa, come to Nigeria to address its members. I think that is a commendable
feat. Although, there were leadership tussle, here and there, but its existence
never truncated the order of business in the great chamber. I can tell you that.
Most importantly, the Assembly, during the just concluded legislative
year, set up a committee on Non-remittance. This has warranted a lot of
agencies to remit monies back to the federation account. I think it is a great
feat, we have achieved through our oversight functions instrument. A great
feat for the National Assembly and a great experience for Honourable Ossai
Ossai.
So, for this and many more, I think that the assembly deserve to be
applauded by the people.
As an outstanding lawmaker, what
do you think should be improved upon in the House of Representatives?
I assume lots of improvements are coming up, gradually, from the Committee
on Ethics and Privileges, as they have, always, issued bulletins on how
things can be done efficiently and transparently, including our oversight
functions. When we strengthen the oversight through the tips from the Ethics
and Privileges committee, definitely, the entire National Assembly and the
nation at large will be transformed. This is another step of improvement; I
think we should take up.
You are acclaimed to have
sponsored and moved several bills and motions in the 1st session of
the 8th assembly. How has these bills and motions, impacted good governance?
Most of the bills, I sponsored, border on EFCC, the code of conduct and
other anti-graft agencies. The bills and motions have impacted good governance
in more ways than one because it has strengthened the anti-corruption crusade.
The bill has ensured the extinction of all loopholes through which people defrauded
the country in the past. This goes to show that the 8th assembly is doing well,
legislatively; doing more anti-corruption laws than any other agency, you can
think of.
I am convinced that those bills have saved the country a lot, in terms
of finances. We have heard that some looted funds are being returned to the
coffers of the government.
I have sponsored a lot of bills, as I take joy in bringing things to
life. In this regard, I take delight in ensuring that the instrument of law is
used to correct and cure certain problem areas in our economy.
Until recently, the Niger delta has
been so peaceful but this tranquillity seems to have been truncated by
activities of a sect known as Niger delta avengers. What advice do you have for
the Federal government in tackling this issue?
I think the radical approach the federal government took immediately
they came to power, was vindictive – thinking that the south-south people, not
being wholly in support of the APC government, can be treated poorly. Nevertheless,
my advice to the federal government is that they take a softer approach. They
should carefully observe every step that late Yar'adua took in addressing the
lingering problem of the Niger-deltans and make reference to the literature
handed down by late Yar'adua, who is an apostle of peace. I believe that the
President of a nation should be an apostle of peace. He should not look at
their struggle as a small issue because the people have endured untold hardship
and deprivation over the years. Even, when their own became the president, they
never gave him the opportunity to address the wrong done over the years.
I think that the above suggestion will proffer a lasting solution to the
Niger-delta struggle, as the approach of using arms in addressing such issues
is not welcomed.
It is
established that Oversight functions form an integral part of the
responsibilities of the legislature, thereby is very essential in democracy but
a good number of the populace feel that the 8th assembly have not done
enough in this regard. What can you say about this claim?
The people you are talking about, do they even understand what oversight
functions is all about? Because, if they do, they will not question our effectiveness
in that area. As part of our oversight functions, we expose corruption and pass
it to the Executive to implement. So, whatever the Executive is doing today on
anti-corruption and arraignment of people is fuelled by the exposure from the National
Assembly. That means that we are very committed in discharging our duties. I
mentioned earlier of monies being returned to the government, right? One oil
company deposited about 5million, which is money being owed the federal
government back to the federation account. The debt was recovered through an
oversight function instrument.
We have also discovered a lot of misconduct in many ministry and
agencies and we have submitted our reports, expecting the Executive to take
appropriate action soon. We have, through our oversight functions, exposed to Nigerians,
the level of leakage in our agencies and ministries and for such money to be
recovered immediately, shows that we are very effective in the area of
oversight functions and the 8th national assembly is not mincing words about
it.
So, you can see that the Legislature is tackling even more corruption
related issues than the Executive.
So far,
what challenges have you faced in discharging your duty as a lawmaker?
Challenges are inevitable in line of duty especially when committed to
your constituency. For instance, when you desire to have certain things given
to your constituency and you are unable to get it because there are
other interest within the national sphere and resources
are scarce. Again, when you are unable to get one project
or the other, executed for your people, it poses a big challenge
to you. So, what do you do? You try to adopt a different method by
appealing to the minds of other persons
representing other ethnic groups, to allow funds to be allocated
to your people. This is no mean step and it requires a lot of mastery (tactics,
intelligence and humility) to have your appeal considered. These challenges are
expected because you see, every ethnic group wants to get a piece
of the national cake but the cake, apparently, is very little to go round.
So, you discover that in this aspect, you need God’s wisdom to guide
and sustain you to get favour for your people. I think these are the major
challenges I face as a lawmaker.
Can people get to know the number of bills and motions you have sponsored,
since your assumption of office in the 8thassembly?
I cannot figure out the total, precisely but for the record, of
all the bills I have sponsored, about ten (10) have been passed into
law within the first one year. Others are at different stages of law-making. I
think about fifteen (15) or twenty (20) have already gone through public
hearing, waiting to be reported. One was just gazetted some months ago and there is
another one on warehouse receipt. The one that recently came up
for first reading is the one on Amendment of the CBN act.
A lot of bills have attracted my attention because I love studying. I
study past laws; looking for areas that are defective and when found, I try to
initiate something to cure those defects. That is the essence of law-making.
The
deplorable state of the nation's economy is no mystery to anyone in the
country. Kindly, discuss the role of the legislature in assisting the executive
in tackling the issues bordering on safe
economic practices?
For the avoidance of doubts, the only instrument the legislator has to
solve any national issue is the instrument of law. We just have to make more
laws and sustain areas lacking in laws. Create laws that will sustain some aspects
of the economy. Amending all these anti-corruption acts is to stifle; to be
able to make sure that those loopholes that enable people cart away with
tax-payers money, bringing the economy down are curtailed and in this way
corruption gets to be exterminated.
Recently, I proposed a bill on issuing of warehouse receipt, whereby
farmers can have access to funds through the warehouse receipt. This is how it
is meant to work - when you harvest your farm produce and do not want to sell
it but want to trade it in the community exchange market, so that you can have
more income, we will grant you access to ware house these products in a
well-treated environment. Even with your goods still in the warehouse, you
could use warehouse receipt to access funds for another season. So, this gives
farmers an opportunity to have a robust farm year. Again, this is an instrument
proposed by the legislature to boost the economy.
I sponsored another bill to secure transaction and collateral registry.
That is also a way where you can use movable assets to access funds. I have proposed
thus, as that is the only area that drives the economy. The commerce sectors
must be driven to foster economic growth and for the sector to be driven, you
need access to loans. So, these bills are the instruments required to secure
the loans and boost the economy. That is how China survives. Other European
countries that are developed today were developed through the instrument of the
law. The economy will not boost if the instruments of the law are not there. There
is also, the Competition bill, aimed at sustaining cash-flow. The Transport Commission
bill is to open up the space for the Maritime industries and transport sectors.
So, these are several instruments that can boost the economy. The
Legislature can only control a legal framework that will pass as law in the
country and this is what I have done by proposing these bills. The Legislatures
assist the executive in sustaining the economy through these laws.
What empowerment programs
do you have for your constituency?
Empowerment is the instrument of law. Unfortunately, majority of the
people take empowerment to mean; when you buy cars for them, when you give them
money and material things. The major empowerment is the instrument of the law
that can empower the people. I have proposed a lot of bills that will empower
my people. Through the Corporate Social Responsibility bill, they will have
access to what is called Cooperate governance. As the name implies, Cooperate
social responsibility, will ensure that people in multinational companies will
be able to do certain things that can revive and vigorously raise the economy
of the locals. To go further, my people have been given access to funds. Recently,
I divided about 44 million to the grassroots and those monies have been used to
activate the small scale entrepreneurs and the recipients attest that their
businesses are thriving, thereby boosting the economy. We have also distributed
cars, tricycles and motorcycles to enhance the movement of goods and services.
These are the empowerment areas that we have covered.
We have intervened in the area of primary health care and about seven (7)
health centres have been established through interventions. Water scheme has
been awarded to villages. Transformers have been distributed to boost power
supply in some communities. Road constructions have also been done to ease
transportation of goods from farmland to the marketplace. Above all, I am a
voice of the Ndokwa people; loudly and potently.
These are things that I have been able to offer my constituency within
the period of 2011 till date.
How many
times has bipartisanship been employed to solve national issues?
But you have seen me, all my bills have been supported by APC, PDP, APGA
etc. which means that I am a bipartisan politician and I have argued in support
of government in many facets. I have also followed government championing anti-corruption
by making sure that the instrument of the law, which I have means of making is able
to contribute to good governance led by the APC. This shows the bipartisan
nature of my person.
The political perception in
Nigeria is still evolving, thereby; we still have issues of godfatherism and
godsonism lingering around. What input can you make on these concepts?
I do not have a godfather. Godfatherism does not exist in my dictionary.
It doesn’t play in my theory. It is your capacity that plays. For me, it is God’s
grace plus my capacity, that has continued to sustain me in the Legislature and
I hope to be a doyen of the legislature, that's my goal.
STAGES OF BILLS SPONSORED BY HON. OSSAI NICHOLAS OSSAI IN THE 1st SESSION OF THE 8TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
(A) BILLS THAT HAVE PASSED
THIRD READING.
1. Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission and Other Related Offences Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 232).
2. Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 232).
3. A Bill for an Act to Establish the
Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission and for Other Related
Matters (H.B. 167).
4. Water Resource Act (Amendment) Bill,
2015 (HB. 234).
5. Prevention of Crimes Act (Amendment)
Bill, 2015 (HB. 233).
6. A Bill for an Act to Establish the
Nigerian Institute of Social Work and Regulate the Practice of Professional
Social Work in Nigerian, and for Related Matters.
7.
Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 230).
8. River Basins Development Authorities
Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 235).
9. Pension Rights of Judges Acts
(Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 06).
10. Federal Capital Territory District
Courts Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 07).
(B) BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
(C) BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AT COMMITTEE PUBLIC HEARING
11. National Transport Commission Bill,
2015 (HB. 51).
12. Companies and Allied Matters Act
(Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 09).
13. A Bill for an Act to Establish the Corporate
Social Responsibility Act and for Other Related Matters Connected therewith
(H.B 117).
(D)BILLS THAT HAVE PASSED SECOND READING AND ARE AT THE
COMMITTEE STAGE.
14. Federal Land Registry (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 52).
15. A Bill for an Act to provide for the
Establishment of the Nigerian Police Academy as a Degree Awarding Institution
and for other Matters connected therewith (H.B. 115)
16. National Inland Waterways Authority
Bill, 2015 (HB. 48).
17. National Roads Fund Bill, 2015 (HB.
49).
18. Constitution of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2015 (HB. 05) .
19. A Bill for an Act to Provide for
Secured Transactions, Registration and Regulation of Security of Interest in
Moveable Assets and for Related Matters (H.B. 147).
20. Students’ Union (Control and
Regulation) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 236).
21. A Bill for an Act to Amend the FCT
Customary Court Act. CAP. F39.LFN.2007 (H.B. 190).
22. A Bill for an Act to alter the 1999
Constitution (With Alterations) and for Other Related Matters. (H.B.483).
23. A Bill for an Act to Amend the Energy
Commission of Nigeria Act, Cap E10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004
(H.B.446).
24. A Bill for an Act to Establish
National Agency for Ethics and Values and for Related Matters, 2016 (H.B.519).
25. A Bill for an Act to Establish the
Nigerian Independent Warehouse Regulatory Agency and other Related Matters
(H.B. 116).
26. A Bill for an Act to Repeal the
Nigerian Council for Management Development Act, CAP. N99, Laws of the
Federation of Nigerian, 2004 and to enact the Nigerian Council for Management
Development Act, 2015 and for other Related Matters (H.B.461).
27. A Bill for an Act to Establish
Chartered Institute of Trade and Investment to Provide for Investment Industry
Assurance Scheme, Trade & Investment Registry/Data Bank and Other Connected
Thereto, 2016 (H.B.520).
(E) BILLS THAT HAVE PASSED FIRST READING AND ARE AWAITING SECOND
READING
28. Criminal Justice (Release from
Custody) (Special Provision) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 229).
29. National Institute for Cultural
Orientation Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB. 231).
30. National Industrial Court Act (Amendment)
Bill 2015, (HB. 10).
31. Constitution of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2015) (HB. 08).
32. A Bill for an Act to Amend the
Nigerian Communication Act CAP. N97 Laws of the Federation of Nigerian, 2004 to
provide for the Regulation of Unsolicited Telephones Communication from all
Communication Industries in Nigeria and to make Provision for the Promotion of
Online Safety that will require internet Service Providers and Mobile Phones
Operators to Provide a Service that Excludes Adults contents and other Related
Matters (H.B. 422).
33. A Bill for an Act to Provide for the
Enforcement and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes, Genocide and
Related Offences and to Give Effect to Certain Provisions of the Rome Statute
of the International Criminal Court in Nigeria 2016 (H.B. 594).
34. A Bill for an Act to Prohibit
Chemical Weapons and Establish the National Authority for the effective
Implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention in Nigeria and for other
Matters Connected therewith, 2016 (H.B. 592).
35. A Bill for an Act to Make Development
Planning Compulsory for all Tier of Government in Nigeria and to Create
Coherent and Measurable targets in Development
Initiatives in support of the Attainment of the Goals of Vision 20:20
and for other Related Matters, 2016 (593).
36. A Bill for an Act to amend Nigerian
Ports Authority Bill, 2016.
MOTIONS MOVED BY HON. OSSAI NICHOLAS
OSSAI MEMBER HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 8TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.
1.
Brutal
killing of two indigenes of Ogume and Afor Communities of Delta State by
unknown Herdsmen.
2.
Urgent
need to investigate the seemingly abandoned Project for the Recycling of
Abandoned Vehicles Littering Nigerian roads.
3.
Urgent
need to intervene in the Breakdown of Law and Order Arising from Step down of
Electricity Power in Ndokwa land.
4.
Recovery
of Revenues Payable to the Federation Account from the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its Joint Venture Partners.
5.
Urgent
Need to Curb the Daily Incidents of Armed Robbery Attacks along Okene-Lokoja
Road, in Kogi State.
0 comments: