Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

Since February 27, when the country recorded the first case of coronavirus, also known as COVID 19, members of the House of Representatives, like most Nigerians, have been enveloped by anxiety over the pandemic, which is ravaging several parts of the world.

For two legislative weeks, before it adjourned plenary abruptly on March 24,  issues relating to COVID 19, especially as it affects the citizens and the 2020 Appropriation Act dominated discourse in the House and  how to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on the country.

The speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, while addressing lawmakers shortly before the House adjourned plenary on March 24,  had expressed concern over the likely impact the pandemic will have on the people and the country’s economy.

Consequently, Gbajabiamila had noted there was need for the House to come up with strategies that will forestall an escalation of the pandemic in the country, as well as cushion its effects on the citizenry.

“We are affronted by a new and deadly disease that threatens to forever alter the nature of our lives. We do not know how this virus and the disease it delivers have come to be…

“It  now falls to us, the government of the people to act quickly and decisively to forestall the worst consequences of a nightmare that has been made real. Before now, all the efforts of the government have been focused on preventing an outbreak in the country by enforcing a robust screening regime at our ports of entry.

“It is now clear that the time has come for us to develop and implement a more robust strategy, one that prepares us for the possibility of a significant outbreak with all the calamity that  it entails,” the speaker stated.

Few days earlier, the House after adopting a motion by the chairman, House Committee on Finance, Abiodun Faleke on the crash of price of crude oil in the international market as a result of the pandemic set up an ad-hoc committee to examine how the development will affect the 2020 budget and make appropriate recommendations to it.

Faleke in his motion, said COVID 19, which is currently affecting several countries, is likely to impact negatively on the 2020 budget.

“The House notes the outbreak of COVID-19 and its effects on global economy. The House also notes the current price of oil which has dropped to $30 from $65 per barrel.

“Worried that our appropriation bill placed oil price at $57. The current price of oil at $30 means that the appropriations act 2020 may suffer implementation,” the lawmaker posited.

In the last one month, the House, apart from the donation of the two months salaries of the 360 members towards the fight against coronavirus, has, alongside the leadership of the Senate engaged the executive arm on government response to the pandemic, especially regarding how to provide succour to the citizens through palliatives.

However, analysts say the most outstanding effort of the parliament is the passage of the Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill, on March 24.

The objectives of the bill, which passed first, second and third reading same day,  include providing temporary relief to companies and individuals, to alleviate the adverse financial consequences of a slowdown in economic activities brought on by the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease in Nigeria.

It will also protect the employment status of Nigerians who might otherwise become unemployed as a consequence of management decision to retrench personnel in response to the prevailing economic realisation.

The bill equally seeks to provide for a moratorium on mortgage obligations for individuals at a time of widespread economic uncertainty, while eliminating additional fiscal bottleneck on the importation of medical equipment, medicines, personal protection equipment and other such medical necessities as may be required for the treatment and management of the COVID-19 disease in Nigeria.

Furthermore, the proposed law seeks  “to ease the burden of importation and financial burden, thereby fostering easier access and reduction in the price,” as well as provide a new tax regime for corporate bodies, with rebates to encourage companies in the country to maintain their payroll status for the immediate term.

The bill, which was sponsored by Gbajabiamila and 11 others, passed through first, second, and third readings in less than two hours.  The Senate is expected to give concurrence to the bill, before it is sent to the President for assent.

Related News

The speaker, who led the debate on the bill had noted that the primary objective was to grant companies a rebate on Companies Income Tax to the value of 50 per cent of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) deductions, as long as such companies maintained their PAYE rolls as of March 1 to June 2020.

“This, we hope, will prevent large-scale job losses in an already fragile economy and allow our people to carry on with their lives as best as possible in the event of a large scale outbreak of the sort we have witnessed in other parts of the world.”

“All over the world, shortage of test kits, personal protection equipment, medicines and other such has contributed to the loss of lives caused by this pandemic. Many of the goods that will qualify for these exemptions are already VAT exempt. Further removing import duties prioritises these goods and will spur import activity,” he stated.

Besides, a fortnight ago, the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, charged the government to take urgent steps to decongest the various custodial centres, as part of measures to protect inmates from the pandemic.

The chairman of the committee,  Anayo Edwin, in a statement said it is imperative for the government to ensure that those in confinement are protected from the virus, , as well as put in place facilities to care for them in case of any eventuality.

‘It is imperative for  the government to decongest the custodial centres as way of protecting inmates from COVID-19 and equally put in place measures to take care of inmates in the event of any eventuality.

“The Ninth   House, in line with its legislative agenda, is committed to the wellbeing of inmates at the various correctional centres across the country who by law retains their right to life and dignity of persons at all times, even in the face of death sentence before their actual execution in line with the orders of the court,” Edwin had stated.

Apparently, in response to the request of the House, President Muhammadu Buhari, two weeks ago ordered the release of 2600 inmates across the country.

However,  the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  caucus in the House, Kingsley Chinda said there was need for the parliament to come up with more bills that will help to cushion the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic on the populace.

Chinda, in a statement, said there is need for the National Assembly  to quickly pass  “such bills, as the Food Prices Control, Covid-19 Containment, Emergency and Disaster Management, into law.”

The opposition lawmaker added “whilst we commend the House for the emergency Bill passed before closure to provide palliatives, these perilous times require creative thinking on the part of institutions of state and personages of power.”

Gbajabiamila says the House on resumption of plenary will consider a Stimulus Bill that will ensure that Nigerians get free electricity supply for two months, as part of efforts  to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recently, the speaker has been pushing for free electricity for Nigerians for two months, as part of government palliatives to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gbajabiamila, in a recent statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, explained that it is aimed at boosting the economy through the informal sector as the country prepares for the aftermath of the coronavirus.

According to him, “The issue of electricity, you will agree, because the Minister did say that she has been inundated by the public, just as we are, on several suggestions and ideas,and I am almost a hundred percent sure that, from those ideas, will be the issue of some kind of shelter, as far as electricity is concerned.

“It is one thing that will touch every household. As I said earlier, when we engaged, I discussed with the electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) that packaged whatever they would require, if the government can give them, for us to allow for two months free electricity for Nigerians, they would be able to guarantee it.

“We have the figures. I think we should look very seriously into that as part of our package for economic stimulus, because stimulus means something that will stimulate the economy. When you are stimulating the economy, most of it will come from the informal sector.

“When you are saving people their electricity and the fact that they now have stable electricity for two months, you are also saving the monies that would go into the payment of those bills at least for two months.”

Regardless, analysts say apart from the intended legislations and other initiatives,  it is imperative for the House to effectively oversight the distribution of palliatives to vulnerable Nigerians by the government, so as to ensure that what is intended to the citizens gets to them.