1st Year Performance Report of Sen. Gershom Bassey, Member, Senate
Senatorial District: Cross River South
Party: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
Position: Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Upstream
Brief Profile: Senator Gershom Bassey is simple but strict and suave; accessible but certainly not given to frivolities. Perhaps, his background and upbringing is responsible for this. His formative years were built at Corona (Primary) School Apapa, Lagos between 1966 and 1971; Federal Government College, Sokoto (1972 – 1977); and Greylands College, Isle of Wight, the United Kingdom between 1978 and 1979.
The young Gershom had his A-Levels and tertiary education in the UK at the University of Wales, Cardiff (1980 – 1984); Manchester University (1984 - 1985); and Brunnel University, from 1985 to 1986, bagging B.Sc. (Engineering Production and Economics) and M.Sc. (Construction Management). Sen. Bassey has had several Executive Education programmes, including the following: Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, USA (Infrastructure in a Market Economy Course); London Business School, UK (Essentials of Leadership Programme); and the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA (Management, Innovation, and Technology).
He has had stints in both the private and public sectors in a working career that spanned well over two decades. Between 1987 and 1988, he served as an Executive at The Mortgage Corporation, UK (A subsidiary of Salomon Brothers Investment Bankers); and was Executive Director, Bagel Ltd. Between 1988 and 1996. He is a one-time Director of Cross River Estate Ltd; Chairman, Allied Merchants and Brokers; Chairman, Cross River State Water Board Ltd; MD/CEO, Global Engineering Consultants Ltd; Chairman, Browning and Associates Ltd. (2001 - 2014); Director, Grintek Nigeria (A Nigeria/South Africa Partnership Venture with Grintek SA) 2002 – 2014; Director, All Seas Shipping Nig. Ltd; Director, MISC Nig. Ltd. (A PETRONAS Subsidiary); and Chairman, Cross River State Strategic Policy Advisory Committee (CR SPAC) 2011 – 2014.
Sen. Bassey had also worked on international development projects including and African Development Bank (ADB) assisted multi-state water supply project; a World Bank Assisted water supply project (Executed Joint Venture); and a European Union (EU) assisted water supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Project (Executed Joint Venture).
With such academic and career accomplishments, Sen. Bassey became easily attractive for recognitions, awards and honours. He is Fellow, Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE); and has received a recognition from the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE).
On the political scene, Sen. Bassey has been prominent in the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), especially in his home Cross River State. This include being a Delegate to PDP National Conventions (1999 – 2015); Member, Donald Duke Transition Committee (1999); Leader, Calabar South Local Government PDP Caucus (2001 - date); Chairman, PDP Southern Senatorial
District Caucus (2003 – date); Chairman, PDP Campaign Organisation (2007 & 2011); and Chairman, Liyel Imoke Transition Committee (2007).
On the social and philanthropic environment, Sen. Bassey has been notable. He has been Chairman, Cross River State Basketball Association from 1998 till date; Patron, Red Cross Society, Cross River State Chapter; and a member of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria.
Legislative Accomplishments:
1. Sen. Gershom Bassey’s general participation in the 1st year of the 8th Senate was notable in the following areas: *The selection of Senate leadership/principal officers *The selection of Senate Minority leadership *The formulation of the Senate Agenda; which has the Bakassi agenda on the front burner. *Screening and selection of Ministers of the Federation and other presidential appointees * Incisive commentary on national issues * Scrutiny and submissions in the 2016 Appropriation Bill to establish the inclusion of:
a. The Odukpani – Itu Highway b. The Calabar – Lagos Railway line c. Various water projects d. Various Infrastructure all over Southern Senatorial District *More than 95% participation in plenary, Committee sittings and technical sessions, and oversight functions and work to ensure adequate representation for Cross River South, Cross State and protection of the national interest as a whole.
1. Sen. Bassey co-sponsored the following motions: a. The State of disrepair and total collapse of the Ikot Ekpene – Itu – Calabar Federal Highway b. Collapse of Road Infrastructure in Nigeria c. The need to urgently resuscitate collapsed and ailing industries
d. The abuse of the Treasury Single Account e. The need to resuscitate River basin Development Authorities
2. Committee Participation/Oversight
a. Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream): The committee is working on the Petroleum Industry Bill which has passed first reading as well as other bills to enhance local content dimensions in the industry. The committee also has a joint responsibility with the Senate Committee on Gas and Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to review the Joint Venture Cash Call Obligation by NNPC and review of onshore offshore issues in the sector. b. Member, Senate Committee on Water Resources and Federal Character. c. Member, Senate Committee on Defence: This committee is working with the Senate Committee on Science and Technology on the Bill on the Defence Space Agency. d. Member, Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs: This Committee is working with its counterpart on Poverty Alleviation on a Bill to establish the National Poverty Eradication Commission. e. Member, Senate Adhoc Committee on Import Duty Waivers, Concessions and Grants: This committee was able to uncover =N=500billion naira of waivers abuse and thus outstanding import duties companies owed the Nigerian Government. f. Member, ECOWAS Parliament.
Constituency Accomplishments:
1. Reach-out to constituents via visitations, donations and imprints of words of encouragement. 2. Employment opportunities for constituents in federal, state and multinational organizations. 3. Donations of brand new buses and cash to the physically challenged persons. 4. Donations of twenty-seater, twin 85 HP engine powered boats for communities in Biase and Odukpani Local Government Areas to ease water transportation requirements of constituents.
PIB Will Sail Through in the 8th Senate- Sen. Bassey
As part of the #NASSReportCard series on the accomplishments of lawmakers, Sen. Gershom Bassey (PDP, Cross River South) spoke with the ORDERPAPER Team on his first 365 days in the 8th Senate, focusing on his legislative contributions and constituency relations. Excerpts:
Your humility and accessibility as a Senator is immediately noteworthy; what is your driving force in public service?
Well, for me this is what public service is all about especially when you are an elected representative of the people. It’s a key element of being able to get elected: you must be accessible to the people and the general public. So for us in this office we try to throw our doors open as much as possible; we try to throw our doors open for enquiries and whatever interface we may have with the general public because that is what legislative work and representation is all about. I think that should be the norm except maybe when it becomes overwhelming and it becomes necessary to sieve access to public officials because they need to do their work. But when it is not overwhelming like in our case we try to make ourselves available as much as possible.
How much access can you give especially with respect to openness; for instance when members of the National Assembly are refusing to disclose their wages and the NASS budget and things like that?
There is the issue of access and that of openness. A lot of the times, journalists don’t do research because the information they are asking for is already in the public domain. If you take any budget the amount that is spent on the National Assembly is clearly stated. You will recognize that the budget is not for legislators alone; it is broken down into the parastatals like the Institute and others like management. It is very easy thing.
Would you be ready to disclose how much you earn as a Senator of the Federal Republic?
Why not? I don’t have the figures on my fingertips right now but I can check and get that information to you. I can tell you how much I earn; what my allowances are and all. It’s not a secret and like I said that information is already in the public domain.
What is in the public domain is a one-line item for the National Assembly that is not broken down?
The details are subsequently going to be made available when the budget issue is fully sorted out with the presidency (this interview was conducted at the time of the ding-dong affair with the 2016 budget). If you look at last year’s budget it is broken down into details and the same thing is going to happen this year.
What are the highlights of your tenure in the last one year with respect to your legislative accomplishments and constituency engagements? Well, I am here to do serious work and not necessarily to reel out what is remarkable or not. I am not Donald Trump. I would say that we have done a lot of work as the 8th Senate and also in the Committees where I have made salient contributions; whether in the (adhoc) Waivers Committee or Petroleum Upstream where I serve as Vice Chairman. In the Waivers Committee for instance we did all the inspections and oversight and produced a document which shows that we can save up to N500billion from plugging loopholes and sharp practices and recover some money due to government. N500billion is just there sitting on the table and these were things that were brought to light by the Waivers Committee. As a Senate, we have recorded impressive landmarks. Look at the issue of TSA where we recovered some N8billion instantly from the over N20billion that was discovered to being funneled to wrong quarters. These are significant sums that will contribute to the national purse. Recently, the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) was brought to the Senate for first reading and will soon come up for second reading when we will discuss the general principles of that bill. I am the co-sponsor of that bill. These are significant contributions to the national discourse, the national purse and the nation as a whole. Also we are bringing motions to the floor with respect to local content which is another low-hanging fruit- some 4 or 5 trillion naira that can be added to the economy if it is properly addressed and these are things that are going to come up on the floor. And there are many other things we have instigated whether in terms of road infrastructures, healthcare and so on and don’t forget our inputs into the budget process where we were able to assist the Executive to address all kinds of funny things in the budget. Coming back home to my people, through my inputs the Senate will be revisiting the issue of Bakassi with respect to rehabilitation and proper resettlement of the people of Bakassi and all the attendant issues. Emphasis will be on the task of resettlement of the people who are in IDP camps in Cross River State. Bakassi itself as a local government has not been properly resettled and Cross River as a state has not been properly compensated. So these are all attendant to the Bakassi issue which we have put prominently on the legislative agenda of the 8th Senate. We also have the Lagos-Calabar railway in the (2016) budget; it did not just drop from the sky; we senators from the area pushed for it.
These are some of the things we have done.
What about your constituency projects for Cross River South which you represent?
Constituency projects come with the budget and I can tell that we have over N200million worth of projects that are going to be in Cross River South. In terms of other things, we have donated buses, books, to Biase local government; Odukpani local government; this weekend (as at when interview was conducted) we are donating buses to persons with disabilities and the women societies; we are donating 19 generating sets to small businesses. For the Christmas and other festivities we have donated millions of naira worth of goodies to the people in the 76 wards in my senatorial district during which we also specifically singled out widows as a group. So these are some of the things we have done. And there is so much more for my people so they can feel the full impact of my representation at the Senate.
Can the public take it from you that the PIB will sail through the 8th Assembly having been around the legislature since at least the 6th Assembly?
Yes it will sail through this time I believe. Because we have the full backing of the leadership of both Chambers of the National Assembly and the backing of most senators and we are mobilizing support across board all the way.
Are you getting full support from the Executive on the PIB?
Well as you can see, we are not going that route but there are openings for that arm of government to make contributions; for instance during public hearings, they can tell us what inputs they have to make. What we did at the beginning was to do our work and then sent it to the Executive; and even the IOCs for their input. So we have tried as much as possible to carry all the stakeholders along. And when we get to public hearings when there are additional inputs to be made of course we will receive them.
What is your assessment of the relationship between the APC and PDP in the Senate?
I think the relationship is outstanding when you consider that we belong to two different political parties. The relationship has been excellent in my opinion. And a lot of that has to do with the critical and excellent leadership style of Senator Saraki who has shown true leadership irrespective of party affiliations. It makes us work with focus with respect to doing our best for Nigeria. It is not really about party politics but doing what is right and best for the country. But that is not to say that the PDP has not been constructive as opposition in one or two areas. We have not been frivolous with criticisms: we criticize where we need and support when required and necessary. And that is our approach as PDP members of the Senate.
Apart from legislating what do you spend your leisure on and how do you unwind?
I do sports. I am chairman of the Cross River State Basketball Association for almost 16 years now. So i play basketball avidly. I am a patron of the Red Cross and also a very strong member of my Church, the Presbyterian Church and I am also a strong member of my Old Students Association.
FEEDBACK: OrderPaper.ng encourages feedback on this Special #NASSReportCard publication. If you are from Gershom Bassey’s Federal Constituency or just a reader with comments and questions for the Senator, kindly send an email to [email protected] and we would be glad to pass on your message and revert if need be.