 |
| His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Abubakar Bukola Saraki (CON) |
Protocol:
1.
Distinguished colleagues, it is my pleasure once again; to welcome you
back to the Senate Chambers after a short recess. It is expected that
the recess would have in no small measure helped us consolidate the
stability of the National Assembly. Now it is time to move as
one house
in one direction to fulfill the promise we made to our constituencies
that gave us our mandate to deliver real change.
2.
Distinguished colleagues, before we went on recess, we started the
process of laying down the marker for the new Senate by inaugurating the
Ad Hoc Committee on Senate Finances and the Committee on Legislative
Agenda. We expect the reports of Committees to refocus the energy of the
Senate on the challenges ahead. We want to show and indeed must show
that this Senate is alive to its lawmaking, oversight, policymaking and
representation duties.
3.
While we may have adjourned plenary the Senate continued to work
within, proactively reaching out to key public institutions including
the ICPC, the NBA, NLC, CBN, the IOCs, the FIRS, and many other agencies
of government for briefings on the state of the nation and their
various agencies as part of a broader Senate strategy to understanding
the legal regulatory and institutional gaps that may be holding these
agencies back in fulfilling their mandate. This we see as a preliminary
step towards closing areas of identified leakages in the revenue system.
4.
Our revenue profile has taken a great hit with the economic realities
we face today. Aside the drop in the oil receipt, we have seen revenues
plummet due to oil thefts, indiscriminate grants of numerous import duty
waivers, concessions and grants. Nigerians want to see the National
Assembly tackle these obscenities in our revenue systems as it denies
our people the right to good governance.
5. Distinguished colleagues, our country is passing through a difficult time. We cannot afford to watch the mindboggling leakages in our oil receipt to go on, this Senate is in tandem with Mr. President on this and is determined to turn every stone and shift every rock to ensure that all revenues due to the country from oil are recovered. We are not the only oil producing country in the world; oil theft cannot therefore become an acceptable part of our oil business.
6.
Furthermore, Nigerians are tired of the inadequacies in the power
sector and want to see a reinvigorated power sector capable of
delivering enough energy to power the new Nigerian economy. Our people
dream to see a more open economy, they want to see legislative
instruments that will help to open and stimulate private sector
investment in infrastructure development, and enhance the ease of doing
business in the country.
7.
Distinguished colleagues, in recent times, we have seen resurgence in
the activities of Boko Haram and some other criminal elements in our
society leading to the death of many of our citizens. We cannot continue
to let senseless groups cause untimely death to our citizens without
hindrance. This is another sad addition to the cocktail of security
challenges we can ill-afford at this time. In the coming days, I will
constitute a high powered Senate delegation to visit our troops on the
battle line and some of our internally displaced persons in the North
East to have a firsthand appreciation of the challenges, the suffering
and plight that has befallen our people in the area. Soon afterwards we
shall, working together with the House, develop concrete steps towards
the rehabilitation and renewal of the battered local economy of the
North East.
8.
Make no mistake about it, the aim of these militant groups is simple,
to test our resolve and disintegrate our unity. But let me reiterate the
readiness and willingness of the National Assembly to support and work
with President Muhammadu Buhari to comprehensively rout Boko Haram. We
join Mr. President in saying “that we will defeat terrorism in our
country and region, because we have the will to win this fight.” Our
resolve is collective, we urge all friends of Nigeria including the
United States and the entire international community to join us.
9.
Distinguished colleagues, we have our work cut out for us, we cannot
afford to frolic. Nigerians did not give us our mandate to come and
pursue leadership, their mandate was for us to pursue governance and
bring solutions to their burning issues. It is time we remind ourselves
of the solemn promise to deliver to our people real change. Leadership
is secondary to our primary responsibility of good governance. As Senate
President you have given me responsibility to ensure that our primary
responsibility is placed on the table not under the table. Nigerians did
not put their lives on the line for politics but for the delivery of
good governance.
10. My distinguished colleagues, the Job of changing our corporate destiny starts today. Though the challenges are huge, they are not insurmountable. Let this challenges inspire us as leaders to show courage, statesmanship and valour. We have taken the right first steps out, we must now set out at dawn. We do not have all the time indeed our clock is ticking.
11. Distinguished colleagues, it is time, lets get started and deliver meaningful change to our people.
12. Thank you for your attention and God bless Nigeria.
President of the Senate,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
No comments:
Post a Comment