General
Lagos Assembly Stops Salaries of Sanwo-Olu’s Appointees
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
On Tuesday, the Lagos State House of Assembly ordered the state government to stop the salaries of the appointees of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who the parliament has not screened.
At the plenary today, the state’s legislative arm of government said it was wrong for these government appointees to continue in office without due process, as their nominations should have been subjected to screening and confirmation by the House.
The Lagos Assembly, which summoned the Commissioner for Establishment, Mrs Ajibola Ponnle; the Head of Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola; and the Accountant-General of the State, Mr Abiodun Muritala, directed that the salaries and remunerations enjoyed by the affected appointees must be halted pending their appearances before the House.
In a Matter of Urgent Public Importance brought before the House by the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Noheem Adams, the lawmakers lamented the increasing situation where supposed nominees of the governor continue to work without being screened and confirmed by the House.
The Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, who presided at the sitting, agreed with the lawmakers that appointments of that nature without recourse to the parliament amounted to infractions.
“I quite agree with all of you that the failure of such nominees to appear is an infraction or violation of the laws of this House, especially as it relates to the MDAs, most of which were established by the laws of this House,” he said, noting that the House of Assembly has statutory provisions that nominees of the governor must appear for confirmation.
“It is becoming common and regular, and if we fail to act now, it becomes a norm. I share your sentiments that there is a need for us to put a stop to this. I am aware of the development in the Audit Commission; I am aware of the one in the Law Reform Commission and now the Auditor-General and some others,” the Speaker said.
Raising the issue earlier, Mr Adams cited Section 196, subsection 2; Section 198 and Section 126, subsection 3, which give backing to the House of Assembly in respect of nominations by the governor for appointments.
“Section 126, subsection 3 provides that except with the resolution of a State Assembly, no person shall act in the office of the Auditor-General for a state for a period exceeding six months.
“As the chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Compliance, I have observed that some appointments to boards and other agencies were not brought to this noble House. If this persists, the principle of separation of powers will be in jeopardy.
“For example, the Auditor-General was appointed on September 22, 2022, and today is April 11, 2023,” the lawmaker noted, adding that the Auditor-General’s appointment in acting capacity had exceeded what the laws stipulate.
Supporting him was Mr Ademola Kasunmu, who said the stipulations of Section 198 should be strictly adhered to, adding that because such appointments are considered null and void, every remuneration that had gone out should be returned to the coffers of the state.
Speaking on the same matter, Mr Victor Akande observed that the situation happened in the judiciary where an appointment was made without recourse to the House and the due process, as Mr Sa’ad Olumoh lamented that such appointments without regard for the House were becoming too many.
“Separation of power is a doctrine enshrined in the constitution. The executive has the right to nominate people and the House has the responsibility to either confirm or reject such nominations.
“It is not only in the office of the Auditor-General, but I don’t know in what capacity one can act beyond the time limit without recourse to the House,” he said while urging the House to look at the issue holistically so as to put an end to what could cause issues later.
In his contribution, Mr Rotimi Olowo, who noted the difference between nomination and appointment, lamented: “Today, we have a lot of people parading themselves with many names without appearing before this House for clearance. It should not be a padi-padi thing. This is a constitutional matter, and if we do not adhere, we will end up facing the wrought of the people.”
He said it was an infraction to have people who are not cleared by the House receiving salaries, and “I am of the opinion that such money is supposed to be returned to the coffers.”
On his part, Mr Desmond Elliot called on the House to act in a way to curtail any future occurrence, while his colleague, Mr Femi Saheed suggested that “in line with the constitution, anyone acting outside the stipulated time must recourse to the House,” noting that the Head of Service is made to appear before the House to clear himself over the issue.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About $20 million has been put down by Swedfund to support efforts that limit climate change in Africa and help communities adapt to its effects.
The funds would be deployed by the Helios Climate, Energy, Adaptation and Resilience (CLEAR) Fund to back African companies that reduce emissions, strengthen resilience and create green jobs.
Swedfund’s investment is expected to contribute to significant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and to help businesses and small farmers adapt to a changing climate.
The investment strengthens Swedfund’s work to drive a sustainable and inclusive green transition in Africa.
Africa contributes less than 3 per cent of global carbon emissions but faces some of the most severe climate impacts. At the same time, the continent’s energy demand is expected to triple by 2050.
Swedfund’s investment in Helios CLEAR will help channel capital to businesses that drive low-carbon growth in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable transport, climate-smart farming, efficient use of resources and digital climate solutions.
“By investing in this sector, we can reduce emissions, build resilience and create green jobs, all vital for sustainable growth that benefits more people.
“Africa currently receives only a small share of global climate investment, yet the potential for climate-smart business is enormous.
“Through Helios CLEAR we help build the next generation of African climate-focused businesses,” the Investment Director for Energy and Climate at Swedfund, Ms Gunilla Nilsson, stated.
Helios CLEAR Fund is a Pan African growth equity fund managed by Helios Investment Partners, one of Africa’s leading private equity firms.
The fund targets investments that deliver measurable climate mitigation and adaptation outcomes. The fund is supported by multiple development finance institutions.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A member of the House of Representatives, Mr Abdussamad Dasuki, has alleged that the gazetted tax laws are different from the ones passed by the National Assembly.
Speaking on Wednesday during plenary at the green chamber, the opposition lawmaker the emphasised that content of the tax laws as gazetted was not what members of the parliament debated, voted on and passed.
In June 2025, President Bola Tinubu signed the four tax reform bills into law, becoming an act. The new laws are the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA), 2025, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act (NRSEA), 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act (JRBEA), 2025.
In September, they were gazetted by the federal government.
On the floor of the House yesterday, presided over by the Speaker, Mr Tajudeed Abbas, Mr Dasuki, while raising a matter of privilege, after reviewing the gazetted law and what was passed, he found out some discrepancies, appealing to the Speaker to ensure that all relevant documents, including the harmonised versions, the votes and proceedings of both chambers, and the gazetted copies currently in circulation, are brought before the Committee of the Whole for scrutiny by all members.
He warned that allowing laws different from those duly passed by the National Assembly to be presented to Nigerians would undermine the integrity of the legislature and violate constitutional provisions.
“Mr. Speaker, I will be pleading that all the documents should be brought before the Committee of the Whole.
“The whole members should see what is in the gazetted copy and see what they passed on the floor so that we can make the relevant amendment. Mr Speaker, this is the breach of the Constitution.
“This is the breach of our laws, and this should not be taken by this House,” Mr Dasuki said when rising under Order Six, Rule Two of the House Rules on a Point of Privilege.
In his remarks, Mr Abbas promised that the parliament would look into the matter.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Over 90 illegal mining sites have been reclaimed and 300 offenders prosecuted since the deployment of the Mining Marshals, a specialised task force established to secure Nigeria’s mineral assets.
This information was disclosed by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, at the South West Leaders Conference held recently in Akure, the Ondo state capital.
He described the crackdown as a turning point in the battle against mineral theft and insecurity in mining communities.
“We created the Mining Marshals to tackle insecurity and illegal mining head-on. I’m proud to say that peace is returning to our mining fields,” he said.
According to Mr Alake, the initiative has strengthened investor confidence and improved government revenue.
“When you protect the minerals, you protect national wealth. That’s exactly what we’ve done with the Mining Marshals,” he stated.
He noted that beyond arrests and reclamations, the Marshals have restored safety in key mining corridors and curbed the activities of illegal foreign operators. “We are taking back control of our natural resources from criminal networks,” Mr Alake emphasised.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to maintaining the momentum through digital surveillance, stronger local intelligence, and inter-agency coordination.
“Our success proves that security is the bedrock of sustainable mining. We will keep refining this model until every site in Nigeria is safe, legal, and productive,” he added.
Launched last year, the marshals were given the mandate to stem theft and all nefarious activities around the nation’s minerals so that benefits are not extracted by the wrong people.
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