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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has unveiled its legislative agenda for the 10th Assembly with a promise to come up with legislative initiatives to tackle unemployment, grow the economy and foster development in the country.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, yesterday, said the eight-point agenda was designed to provide necessary legislative support to the executive. Abbas said the legislative agenda was borne out of the fact that the primary duty of lawmakers is to serve the best interests of their constituents. The speaker, while imploring all committees of the House to ensure their activities were in sync with the legislative agenda, also charged members to align their bills and motions with the legislative agenda.
He said: “The agenda we are unveiling today is a demonstration of our commitment to deploying every legislative instrument available to us towards meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the people we serve.
“Our agenda encompasses a range of eight critical issues, designed to provide the necessary legislative support to the eight-point agenda of the executive. These issues include strengthening good governance, economic development, improving national security, law reform, economic growth and development, social sector reform and development, inclusion and open parliament, influencing foreign policy and climate change, and environmental sustainability.
“We are dedicated to fostering an environment that promotes sustainable economic growth, and development. We shall use every legislative tool at our disposal to create jobs for our teeming youths, address the challenge posed by poverty, improve infrastructure, ensure top quality and affordable healthcare and provide security for all Nigerians.
“This agenda has identified areas for legislation and intervention. All committees are requested to integrate the agenda to their respective work-plans. Members should also ensure legislative proposals, including bills and motions are in line with the provisions of this agenda.
“The adopted structure indicates short, medium and long-term milestones, and key performance indicators to track progress easily. The implementation framework is designed to allow for flexibility in responding to emerging issues or crises.
“We have equally set up a Legislative Agenda Monitoring and Implementation Committee to ensure implementation of this agenda. I charge citizens to hold us to task on the articulated issues and even more.”
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks at the event, lauded the House for leading the way in unveiling its legislative agenda. Akpabio said the Senate would ensure that its own legislative agenda tallied with that of the Green Chamber.
“We have one nation, one destiny, one president, and one House. We must always concur and agree before any bill becomes an Act of Parliament. So, there is no difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate. We are working for one cause.”
Similarly, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, said for any democracy to thrive, there must be a focused and forward-looking legislature. Akume, who assured the House of the commitment of the executive, said the agenda was an attestation of the high quality of leadership in the lower chamber.
