Speech by the President of the Senate, Dr.
Abubakar Bukola Saraki (CON) to Senators of the 8th Senate on resumption from a
short recess on Tuesday, 28 July 2015.
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.
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, policy-making and representation duties.
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.
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.
Distinguished colleagues, our country is
passing through a difficult time. We cannot afford to watch the mind-boggling
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Distinguished colleagues, it is time, lets
get started and deliver meaningful change to our people.
Thank you for your attention and God bless
Nigeria.
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