As Nigerians joined millions of Muslims across the world to celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Kabir, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has urged Nigerians particularly the Muslim faithful to pray for peace, unity and progress of the country despite the security challenges she’s facing.
Lawan who made this known in his Sallah message he signed on Monday in Abuja said the current security challenges are surmountable, adding that the Muhammadu Buhari led administration is determined that we get the challenges behind us and steady our nation’s march to its manifest destiny of greatness.
He said the 9th National Assembly under his leadership is determined to provide an enabling environment needed for the success of all the efforts at the Public and Private Sectors targeted at the security, peace and prosperity of Nigeria.
He said: “I also want to use the occasion to urge the faithful and all Nigerians to be steadfast in working and praying for the peace, unity and progress of our beloved country.
“The current challenges are painful but this is a passing phase in our historical process of nation-building.
“The Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is determined that we get the challenges behind us and steady our nation’s march to its manifest destiny of greatness.
“In this respect, I will like to restate our resolute commitment to our Legislative Agenda as set out shortly after the inauguration of the Assembly in 2019. I am proud that we have kept faith with our promises, as contained in that Agenda, to the Nigerian People as their Parliament.
“The promises kept include passing the Petroleum Industry Bill(PIB) that had lingered for close to two decades. We finally broke that jinx. We have also passed the Electoral Act 2010 Amendment Bill to further strengthen and enhance the integrity of our electoral processes.
“We believe the two critical pieces of legislation will positively impact our economy and democracy. Even before we passed the Electoral Act 2020 Amendment Bill, we had passed the Electoral Offences Commission Bill to check these offences.”
On the amendment to the 1999 Constitution, the Senate President commended the review committee in ensuring that the report would be ready for consideration as soon as it resumes for summer vacation.
According to him, the new constitution when reviewed and signed into law will address all the areas of genuine concern to patriotic Nigerians. He noted that the National Assembly would do everything within its power to consider the 2022 Appropriation Bill is passed in December so that the budget will continue to be implemented within the January to December cycle.
“Also worth mentioning is the hard work our Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution is doing to get its report ready for consideration as soon as we resume our current summer vacation. We hope to consider the report this year before considering the 2022 Appropriation Bill and transmit the outcome to the state Houses of Assembly for their consideration.
“We are confident that the new Constitution that will emerge from this exercise will substantially address all the areas of genuine concern to patriotic Nigerians.
“We are also committed to nurturing the tradition that we started of timely consideration of the budget by ensuring that the 2022 Appropriation Bill is passed by December so that the budget will continue to be implemented within the January to December cycle.
“This however requires the cooperation of the Executive in presenting the estimates to the National Assembly on time.
“Already, we have received the proposals on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Plan (MTEF/FSP 2022-2024) which provides the basis for the 2022 Budget estimates. We will definitely accord it expeditious consideration on our return from the recess,” Lawan added.
He, however, urged all Nigerians to continue to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols so as to protect us and the society at large against the virus.
“We have been alerted by the health authorities that the Delta variant of the virus has surfaced in Nigeria. It requires strict adherence to the protocols already outlined by the health authorities to prevent the spread.
“Therefore, let us not lower our guards. I wish you all happy celebrations,” he said.
