By Sunny Anderson Osiebe...
This week the Senate will move a step closer to passing half of its historic and much needed economic reform package as six of
the 11 priority economic growth and reform bills are slated for public hearings between December
5 and 8.
The legislation scheduled for public hearing on
December 5 includes the National Development Bank of Nigeria Bill which is intended to provide short, medium and long term financing
to participating financial institutions for loans to small scale, medium and industrial enterprises in agro allied businesses, manufacturing, mining and the
National Road Fund Act to fund the rehabilitation and maintenance of the national road system.
Also, public hearing on the Federal Roads Authority Act which is to manage the
federal roads network so that it is safe and efficient, with a view toward meeting the socio-economic demands of the country and the Customs and Excise Reform Act
which seeks to reform the
administration and management of the Customs Service for greater
accountability and revenue generation will hold the same day.
On
December 6, Land and Marine Transport Committee will hold public hearing on the National Transport Commission Act. The legislation establishes a National Transport Commission as
an effective, independent and impartial authority in the transport sector.
The following day, December
7 and 8, the Committee on Upstream Petroleum will hold public hearings on the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIB). This long awaited legislation will establish
a framework for the creation of commercially oriented and profit driven petroleum entities that ensures value addition and the internationalization of the petroleum industry.
Procedurally, legislation is referred to the committee with the appropriate jurisdiction for it to hold public hearing
after the bill has passed the first and second reading during the Senate plenary
session. Once the committee submits the public hearing report to the
full Senate, the legislation is subject to a third reading,
or final passage by members sitting at plenary as a committee of whole.
Commenting
on the progress being made on the passage of key bills, the Chairman of
the Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi
said the "Senate has been on
a steady march to complete passage of the bills which forms our
economic growth package before the end of the year. We have maintained all along that we would not rest until we did our part to end the recession,
spur economic growth and bring relief to the people,” he further stated.
The Senate’s economic strategy was unveiled on
September 20 of this year by Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki. The 11 bills were
part of a wider list of recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for how the National Assembly (NASS) could work with the Presidency to end
the recession, restore investor confidence and begin to reorient the Nigerian economy. Key to much of the agenda is providing greater space in the economy for private sector participation, support for entrepreneurship
and above all job creation.
Also commenting on the busy week awaiting the Senate, Saraki himself
said “this is a very important week for the Senate. We have moved
beyond partisanship
and we have moved beyond rhetoric. We are now in the realm where we
have really worked to deliver something meaningful to the people of
Nigeria.”
Senator Abdullahi concurred
with the Senate President. “People should really pay attention to the
work the Senate has produced. The
economic crisis provided the opportunity to work for long overdue
reforms in government administration and accountability. The Senate
seized upon the opening and now the country is on the verge of truly
benefitting from the work of the NASS”, he said.
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