Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, has asked his colleagues to rise above partisan interest to deliver good governance to Nigerians.
Abbas, who spoke on Tuesday at the resumption of plenary after over two weeks’ break, urged the lawmakers to work for the collective success of the country.
“Dear colleagues, I want to believe that during our recess, we had the opportunity to interact with our constituents, to hear their concerns, and to witness first-hand the challenges they face in their daily lives,” he said.
“This connection, and bond between representatives and the people we serve, lies at the core of our democratic principles. So, as we gather here today, we must recognise the immense responsibility placed upon our shoulders.
“We have been entrusted with enacting legislation that will address our people’s general well-being and shape our nation’s future. The issues before us are complex, and the expectations of our citizens are high. We must rise above personal and partisan interests and work together for our collective success.”
The speaker said the current situation in the country requires “immediate attention and action” of the parliament in giving legislative support to the executive to improve the living standard of Nigerians.
“I need not remind us that our constituents are going through so many difficulties following the stoppage of government subsidies on petroleum products,” he said.
“Though taken in the nation’s best interest, this singular action has occasioned increased commodity prices, transportation, and operational costs for businesses and the general cost of living.
“As the executive comes with policies and programmes to alleviate the impact of the subsidy removal, we must be ready to respond with the necessary legislative actions in this regard.”
Abbas said lawmakers must proffer legislative reforms to unlock Nigeria’s economic growth and development of “our vast human and natural resources”.
He said the parliament must “focus on opening bottlenecks” in critical sectors of the economy to attract foreign and domestic investors and, in turn, create sustainable economic development.
Abbas further said adequate and proactive legislative steps must be taken toward strengthening the nation’s security forces to rid the country of criminals.
“We must also ensure that our deliberations and decisions are transparent so that our citizens have faith in the integrity of our legislative processes,” he added said.