By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

The Senate yesterday ordered mandatory health screening for every international passenger arriving Nigeria airports, seaports, land borders as Ebola resurfaces in the Democratic Republic of Congo with a scare case reported in the FCT.

The resolution followed an urgent motion by Senator Francis Fadahunsi, who warned that with Lassa fever already ravaging states, Nigeria cannot afford another outbreak.

“Protecting our entry points is far cheaper than managing Ebola,” Fadahunsi told the chamber.

Lawmakers insisted screening must be total and indiscriminate — no exemptions based on nationality or departure country because infected travellers can transit through safe-listed nations.

Senator Diket Plang raised the stakes further, demanding immediate funding for NCDC and Port Health Services, including release of withheld funds and emergency budget.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the Federal Government has started releasing Ebola response funds but ordered relevant committees to track every kobo.

“Ascertain whether the funds were released and judiciously utilised. Any outstanding debt must be released by the Finance Ministry without delay,” Akpabio directed.

By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja 

The House of Representatives on Wednesday, summoned telecommunication operators in the country to appear before it over the present poor network services.

The Ad Hoc Committee investigating the persistent poor quality of telecommunication services in Nigeria gave the chief executive officers (CEOs) of major telecom operators seven days to appear before it and explain the deteriorating quality of network services across the country.

The committee issued the ultimatum at a public hearing in Abuja on Wednesday, directing the CEOs of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), Mafab Communications Ltd.

The resolution followed the adoption of two motions sponsored by Rep. Sunday Umeha and Rep Afam Ogene after the committee expressed displeasure over the failure of the invited telecom operators, including MTN and Mafab Communications, to honour previous invitations and appear before the lawmakers.

The committee directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that all the affected operators comply with the invitation and appear before it at 2 p.m. on October 28 in Hearing Room 447 of the New Building of the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

It also directed the operators to submit all relevant documents to the committee on or before the scheduled date and account for the persistent decline in service quality, which has continued to affect millions of subscribers and businesses across the country.

The lawmakers warned that any chief executive who failed to honour the invitation would face a possible summons for arrest to compel their appearance before the committee.

Speaking at the hearing, the committee’s Chairman, Rep. Olumide Osoba (APC-Ogun), said telecommunications services had become indispensable to Nigeria’s economy, extending beyond voice calls and internet access to critical commercial activities, including Point of Sale (POS) transactions.

Osoba noted that businesses, financial transactions and other essential services depended heavily on reliable telecommunications networks, making the persistent decline in service quality a matter of serious national concern.

He said the House constituted the ad hoc committee to investigate the recurring complaints by subscribers and determine the factors responsible for the poor quality of services provided by telecommunications operators.

The chairman, however, expressed concern that the invited chief executives had continued to evade direct engagement with the committee by offering various excuses or sending lower-ranking officials to represent them.

He said the practice undermined the purpose of the parliamentary investigation, stressing that the committee expected the chief executives, who were in a position to explain their companies’ operational challenges and commitments, to appear in person.

Also speaking, Rep. Ibe Osonwa expressed displeasure over what he described as the operators’ disregard for the House, despite the substantial revenue they generated from their operations in Nigeria.

Osonwa said it was unacceptable for companies benefiting from the Nigerian market to ignore invitations from the legislature, particularly when the purpose was to obtain explanations on issues directly affecting their customers and the wider economy.

He stressed that telecommunications operators had a responsibility to account for the quality of services delivered to Nigerians, adding that the House would not overlook any attempt to frustrate its investigation.

In his ruling, Osoba urged the NCC to ensure full compliance with the committee’s resolution, reiterating that the affected telecommunications operators must appear before the lawmakers on October 28 and provide the necessary explanations and documents.

By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja 

A bill for an Act to move the nation to developing the capacity to design, manufacture and commercialize drones, passed second reading on Wednesday, in the House of Representatives.

The “Bill for an act to provide for the development, promotion and industrialisation of the Nigerian drone industry; and for related matters,” was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Rep.

Leading the debate, one of the co-sponsors, Rep. Satomi Ahmad said the Bill seeks to establish a legal and institutional framework for the development, promotion and industrialisation of Nigeria’s drone industry.

Ahmad explained that it focused on indigenous research, design, manufacturing, commercialisation; reducing dependence on imported technology; building local content and technical capacity.

He said that it is also aimed at attracting investment; creating jobs; and positioning Nigeria as a competitive regional and international centre for drone manufacturing and related services.

Ahmad lamented that Nigeria’s dependence on imported technology has limited opportunities for local innovation, job creation and industrial growth and without coordinated support for manufacturing, commercialisation.

According to him,  indigenous enterprises may struggle to translate promising ideas into viable products.

He therefore urged his colleagues to support the Bill as it sought to 

address these gaps through targeted incentives, government procurement 

preferences, innovation funding and local-content requirements. 

Ahmad expressed optimism that the bill would transform Nigeria from a consumer of drone technology into a producer of 

indigenous solutions, skilled professionals and competitive industrial products.

The lawmaker said that its successful implementation could stimulate investment, create employment, 

strengthen national security and open new markets for Nigerian innovation.

“It is important to note that the future belongs to nations that can transform technological innovation into industrial capacity, economic prosperity and national security.

Drone technology is increasingly vital to agriculture, 

infrastructure, emergency response, scientific research and defence,” he said.

The lawmaker said that  Nigeria must therefore move beyond dependence on imported technology towards developing its own capacity to design, manufacture and commercialise drones.