The House of Representatives is to take quick steps to address welfare issues of members.
The Speaker of the House, Hon Tajudeen Abbas, made the announcement at the resumption of plenary, in Abuja.
He said that the recess afforded members an opportunity to rest and refresh their minds and bodies for making laws for the good of Nigerian citizens and nation.
“The short recess, culminating in the Eid celebration, allowed our Muslim brothers to reflect and rejuvenate spiritually. I am delighted to see all of us back, looking refreshed and in high spirits for the task at hand. We thank God for His mercies, kindness, and protection and for bringing us all back safely. We pray for God’s continued grace”. Hon Abbas said.
He reported that the six committees set up before the recess continued working and have made tremendous progress.
“This is particularly so with the Committees on Welfare and Legislative Agenda. The Committee has concluded office, parking lots and seats allocations in the chamber for Members to settle down quickly while other issues related to the work environment are being sorted out. The leadership of the House will take quick steps to address the welfare needs of members. I must appreciate members of the Committees, especially those in charge of the office allocation, who sacrificed their recess to ensure the offices, parking lots and seat allocations, were ready before our resumption. I also thank the Committee on Legislative Agenda, who sat throughout the holidays. We will continue working together to ensure a very conducive environment for our legislative duties”. He said.
He also pointed that the constitution of Committees is ongoing as the process is designed to meet the interest of every member irrespective of party and political affiliations.
“However, we will be guided by the legislative interests, experiences, capacity and background of every member. The same principle should be adopted in filling up the remaining principal positions of the House”. He said.
The Speaker said that the tenth assembly cannot gloss over the capacity challenges it has to grapple with as it settled down to work.
“This of course, is owing to the high turnover rate of the legislature. It is perhaps, the highest in our democratic journey since 1999. It is in this regard that I implore you to consider competence, capacity and experience in choosing your Aides. There is an array of experienced hands within and outside the National Assembly you can rely on. Your success as a legislator is largely dependent on the quality of your legislative Aides as well as the legislative bureaucrats. In view of the high legislative turnover which has become part of our democratic culture, the House, going forward will consider professionalising the legislative Aides services to ensure that new members have a smoother transition into the Assembly”. He noted.
He added that members have been called to serve at one of the most challenging times for their constituents and nation.
“The present administration, which we are part of, is challenged by many economic issues, which include a huge debt profile, a volatile international oil market, rising unemployment, hyperinflation, a high poverty rate, infrastructure deficit, de-industrialization, and many more. This calls for our immediate attention and action. I need not remind us that our constituents are going through so many difficulties following the stoppage of government subsidies on petroleum products. Though taken in the nation’s best interest, this singular action has occasioned increased commodity prices, transportation, and operational costs for businesses and the general cost of living. As the Executive comes with policies and programs to alleviate the impact of the subsidy removal, we must be ready to respond with the necessary legislative actions in this regard. There is no gainsaying the fact that the House of Representatives and indeed, the National Assembly, plays a vital role in this country’s economic trajectory. Consequently, we must proffer legislative reforms to unlock Nigeria’s economic growth and development of our vast human and natural resources. To achieve this, we must focus on opening bottlenecks in critical sectors of the economy through appropriate legislations positioning for emerging industries that will attract foreign and domestic investors and, in turn, create sustainable economic development”. He stressed.
He also said that Nigeria’s economic challenges are aggravated by the parlous security situation in the country despite the very commendable efforts and tremendous sacrifices of our security personnel.
“The relationship between the economic crises and the precarious security situation leaves the country in a quagmire as both are fallouts from each other and reinforce themselves. Notwithstanding the successes of our security forces in protecting lives and property, internal security remains precarious and challenging. In the course of our recess, the nation witnessed unprovoked attacks on innocent students of the Federal University, Gusau, the killing of farmers in Birnin Gwari, the attacks in the communities in Mangu Local Government of Plateau State, the reported killings in Anambra state and other such cases that are reported and often unreported. We shall take adequate and proactive legislative steps toward further strengthening our security forces to rid our nation of these criminals. I must acknowledge the swift action taken by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in injecting fresh ideas into the security sector for the appointment of new security chiefs. We hope the new security chiefs will respond to the security situation with the urgency it requires. On our part, we will provide the required legislative support in the defence of our nation”. Abbas said.
He also said that this Assembly is a citizens’ parliament and that regard, the Committee on Legislative Agenda will engage all members through appropriate platforms to develop a citizen’s legislative agenda.
He called on all members to actively participate in this process when called upon and emphasized that in the Legislative Agenda, the ”House will pay priority attention to participatory budgeting process and delivery, law reform, electoral reform, women’s participation and inclusion in governance, improved socio-economic conditions, entrepreneurship, employment, health and education, infrastructure, citizens-focused diplomacy, institutional capacity development and citizens engagement, constitutional amendment and restructuring, renewable energy” among others.
He prayed that their collective efforts bring about positive change and transform Nigeria into a beacon of hope and opportunity
Olusola Akintonde
