After two years on the saddle, the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has scored the 8th high on its legislative duties describing it as Senate with many first.
Speaking on the journey thus far, after being at the helm of the Senate and the National Assembly as a whole for the past two years, the Senate President said: “I am comfortable with the support that I have received from my colleagues. One thing that makes the 8th Senate different is that we take initiative.
“For example, a bill like the PIGB would have been easier to pass as an executive bill — however; based on how united we are and focused on the greater good, the passage of the PIGB goes to show Nigerians the competencies of the Senators of the 8th National Assembly.”
Saraki said the 8th Senate has scored many firsts since its inception and that it has fulfilled its mandate through the passage of several critical economic reform bills, opening of the National Assembly’s budget, and its investigations that have helped in the fight against corruption.
“We are a focused Senate. We are also a people-oriented Senate. We are a Senate of many firsts, if you look at the passage of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, the opening of the National Assembly Budget, the passage of Bills like the Ports and Harbors Reform Bill and the Credit Bureau Scheme, you will see that we take governance very seriously.
“Over time, through our work like the Treasury Single Account (TSA) investigation; the NEITI Report investigation; and the North East Humanitarian Response investigation, we have shown that this is a Senate that does not sweep things under the carpet. We are working to pass Bills, enshrine transparency, and do things that matter to everyday Nigerians”, the Senate President said, “This is because we know what families across the nation are going through and we are working to try to create more opportunities for them.”
Saraki also said: “Over the last two years, our focus has been on the economy, the economy, and the economy. You will soon see how the ‘Made in Nigeria’ amendment to the Public Procurement Act will open more opportunities for Nigerians.
“Additionally, starting with the implementation of the 2017 budget, the Senate will be defending Nigerian businesses by letting them know that if they find any government ministry, department or agency that is not patronizing ‘Made in Nigeria’ as a first option, they should let us know, and we will take appropriate action.”
When asked why the Senate decided to pass the governance aspect of the Petroleum Industry Bill first, the Senate President said: “One of my first meetings after becoming the Senate President was a meeting with consultants and stakeholders to find out why the Petroleum Industry Bill had always failed to pass in the past.
“When the reason became clear, we decided to take the first part of the Bill that has to do with governance, transparency and accountability in order to make the system more efficient for the country.
“By doing this, we have sent a message to international investors who have been previously unsure about what laws govern our petroleum industry that the country is truly ready for more investment in this sector.”
Speaking on the recent passage of the Nigerian Football Federation Bill by the 8th Senate, the Senate President described it as “A very important Bill that will transform the administration of football in the country. It is very personal to me because as a club owner, I am happy that this Bill will make the administration of football to be in-line with international best practices.”
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