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We’re Determined To Pass Many Bills Before We Go On Summer Recess In July 15 – Senate President

Senator Ahmed Lawan
The President of the Senate of Nigeria, Ahmed Lawal has said that the National Assembly is set to pass many bills before it, including the amendment to the electoral Act, before the lawmakers proceed on the Annual Summer Recess in July this year.
The Senate President, who was answering reporters’ questions at the Presidential villa, Abuja today, June 24, confirmed that the National Assembly has several very important bills that are pending “and we are working around the clock.
“At the moment, we are dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s on the PIB; the Petrol Industry Bill, and by the grace of God, our committees, the joint committees, will finish their work on it by the end of the week, hopefully.
“The reports would be laid on Tuesday in both chambers. This is what we have planned and this is what we’re working towards.
“You also know that the President, the executive arm of government, had submitted a Supplementary Budget request. In the Senate. We have had the second reading yesterday and we have given the Appropriations Committee, particularly to deal with it with the relevant committees of Defense related and other security agencies related committees and of course, for COVID-19 vaccines that we have to procure. We need the Health Committee and, of course, the Primary Healthcare Committee as well to work on the Supplementary Budget request for Mr. President.
“We’re expecting report on this by Tuesday, by the grace of God and we may consider that report on Wednesday next week, so that we are able to pass the request because of the urgency and the need for us to hit the ground running. “We need to give so much attention to our security agencies because of the situation across the country and of course, the COVID-19 vaccines procurement is also an essential thing that we need to do.
“We also have some work to do on the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill. Our committee in the Senate and indeed, in the House, have worked jointly and we have very little to do really, to get the reports and consider in the two chambers. We expect that we will do that before we go on our annual summer recess, which comes up on the 15th of July, by the grace of God. So, before we go on summer recess, we should be able to pass the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill.
“We also have outstanding confirmation requests for National Commissioners of INEC. We will consider those confirmation requests from Mr. President before we go. We will also have the loan request from Mr. President. The loan request is to fund the 2021 Appropriation Act and of course, this is not a new request: it’s something that we had passed in the MTEF and it’s something that when we pass the budget 2021 we also passed that, so it’s only to give the necessary legislative approval for the administration to go further and collect the funds.”

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