SAN FRANCISCO October 06, (THEWILL) – Both chambers of the National Assembly on Thursday agreed that President Muhammadu Buhari should address its joint session on efforts being made by the federal government to get the country out of the present economic recession.
The decision followed the concurrence of the Senate with an earlier resolution of the House of Representatives. The House had two weeks ago passed a resolution asking Buhari appear before a joint session of the National Assembly to present the strategies for addressing the country’s prevailing economic crisis which has meant high inflation, loss of jobs, and dwindling naira value in response to foreign exchange scarcity.
Thursday’s motion by the Upper Chamber states, “That the Senate do (sic) concur with the House of Representatives’ resolution passed on Thursday, 22nd of September, 2016, to wit: to invite the President and Commander-in-Chief to address a joint session of the National Assembly to intimate it on plans to get the country out of the recession to enable the House to take further legislative action.”
The House took the decision following a motion by a member, Olayiwola Kazzim (All Progressives Congress, APC, Ogun State) and entitled, ‘Urgent need to address the economic downturn in Nigeria.’
During today’s plenary, senators unanimously passed the motion when the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, took the vote.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Senate concurred with the House on the passage of eight bills, including Telecommunications and Postal Offences Bill, National Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds (Registration) Bill, Produce (Enforcement of Export Standards) Bill, and National Agricultural Land Development Authority Bill.
Others were Bee (Import Control and Management) Act (Amendment) Bill, and Agricultural and Rural Management Training Act (Amendment) Bill.
The bills are “aimed at bolstering standards in Nigeria’s agricultural sector to help the country achieve more economic diversification,” Saraki said after signing the bills.
“We will continue to prioritize economy-related pieces of legislation and will quickly forward these 8 bills – which have now been passed by both houses – to Mr. President for his signature.”
