House of Reps to focus on improving Nigeria’s economy in 2017 — Dogara

THE Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara on Tuesday said that Nigeria faced a lot of challenges in the year 2016, lamenting  that, the country actually slipped into economic recession last year.

The Speaker however said that, improvement of the country’s economy would be the House’s central focus in the 2017 Legislative year.

This was done as Dogara kicked against the state of impeachment of Speakers in some state Houses of Assemblies in the country, saying, “the Nigerian legislature should  be given an opportunity to blossom, if our democracy is to ever mature into adulthood”.

Dogara in his speech during the House’s resumption from Christmas and New Year break on Tuesday said that, “the year 2016 presented us with its peculiar challenges especially in the area of security and the economy”.

According to him, “It was the year in which our dear country eventually slipped into recession resulting in grievous social stress for the citizenry; it was also the year in which terrorism in the North East, militancy in the South South, the despicable phenomenon of kidnapping as well as the flash of agitation bared their murderous fangs – visiting death, pain and anguish on the populace”.

To this end, he charged his colleagues to brace up for the challenges ahead, saying, “as the year 2017 rolls by, we should expect great challenges once again but with renewed determination and faith that things shall surely get better with God on our side

“In this regard, I wish to remind us that perhaps the most critical and urgent task before us is the pending 2017 Appropriation Bill, measures to exit Nigeria out of recession must be the critical aspect of our legislative activities

“The 2017 Budget remains the major tool to revive our economy. This is in addition to other fiscal and monetary policies. The recent fiscal measures including import prohibition of certain items and the increase or decrease of tariff on some items should receive appropriate legislative scrutiny to ensure that the economy and the interests of our people are protected

“We must brace up and work assiduously and conscientiously to give Nigerians a budget that will not only lift us out of recession but commence the needed expeditious journey into Nigeria’s prosperity.  We pledge to reform the budget process

” To this end therefore, we would ensure that the procedure and process of consideration and passage of the 2017 Budget is transparent, inclusive and professionally handled

” The details of the Budget should be debated and passed in Plenary to avoid those needless pitfalls that normally characterize the budget process”.

The Speaker equally hinted that, “2017 is perhaps the year to pass critical bills before active politicking starts. Critical bills designed to stimulate and streamline our economy such as the Public Procurement Act amendment, Federal Competition Bill, Petroleum Industry bill, etc will receive expeditious consideration. Important Bills on Constitution alteration and Amendment to the Electoral Act also deserve expeditious consideration and passage”.

Speaking on impeachment of some speakers of state Houses of Assembly, Dogara condemned the act saying, ” the recent spate of impeachment of Speakers of Houses of Assembly of States gives cause for grave concern”.

According to him, “while we recognise the constitutional right of the legislature to conduct its internal affairs including the right to hire and fire its leadership, it presents a different scenario where such leadership hiring and firing is rife with accusations and insinuations of external influence and also devoid of extant procedure”.

On the efforts being made to tackle insecurity in the country, the Speaker commended the armed forces and security agencies, for their gallantry, ingenuity and professionalism in addressing the issue.