President didn’t order fuel subsidy removal, Lawan clarifies

• Senate wants Shonekan immortalised, moves to standardise rents in FCT

President Muhammadu Buhari has not directed anyone to implement fuel subsidy removal, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has declared.

He spoke after meeting Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, stating that he had gone to convey the feeling of constituents to him on some concerns, including the proposed removal of subsidy.

Specifically, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, had last October, said the Federal Government made provision for subsidy only for the first six months of this year and looked towards complete deregulation of the sector.

IN the meantime, the upper legislative chamber has implored the current administration to immortalise the former Head of Interim National Government (ING), the late Chief Ernest Shonekan, who died on January 11 at the age of 85.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senate Leader, Abdullahi Yahaya (APC: Kebbi) at plenary.

He noted that the Ogun State indigene was a British-trained lawyer, consummate administrator, renowned industrialist, seasoned businessman and politician.

The departed Nigerian held sway briefly as the country’s leader from August 26 to November 17, 1993.
FURTHER, the Green Chamber is to standardise house rents in Abuja by ensuring three months and subsequent monthly payments at the expiration of the one or two years first payment by the tenant.
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The move was contained in a bill sponsored by Senator Smart Adeyemi (APC: Kogi West) and titled ‘Advanced Rent (Residential Apartments, Office Spaces) Regulation Bill, 2022.’

He said the proposed legislation, which scaled first reading, yesterday at plenary, is targeted at cushioning effects of outrageous rents on poor residents in the Federal Capital Territory.

The bill, when passed, he said, would regulate rent collections from tenants to three months at first instance and subsequent monthly payments as against one, two or three years first payment being collected by property owners now with subsequent yearly rent payment renewal.