Nigerian Senate reviews six months of law making

Nigerian Senate reviews six months of law making
Obiora Ani, Abuja

The seventh Senate in Nigeria has applauded its achievements in the first six months of lawmaking for the country.

The Chairman Senate Committee, Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, representing Akwa Ibom North East, Southern Nigeria, made the commendation while addressing Senate Correspondents at the National Assembly, Abuja.

Bills

Senator Enang said that between June when the 7th National Assembly was inaugurated and the 20th of this month when the lawmakers adjourned plenary for the Christmas and New Year festivities, a total of one hundred and six bills were introduced, fourteen of them Executive Bills while the rest were Members’ Bills.

He said that sixty one of the Bills had been read once, sixteen has gone through second reading and referred to relevant committees, twenty six others were awaiting journal publication, while six of them were withdrawn for re-presentation by sponsors.

The Senate Committee Chairman, Rules and Business also said that within the period, one Bill, The Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill 2011 had been passed amid controversies and pressures from the international community.

Resolutions

Senator Ita Enang equally said that the Senate passed a total number of twenty six resolutions since June 2011.’’ A fall out of these resolutions is the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE and the Fuel Subsidy probe,” he said.

The Senate has also in this short period, “confirmed important Executive nominations ranging from Ministers of the government of the Federation: Heads of government Parastatals and Departments, the highlight is the confirmation of Justice Dahiru Musdapher, as Chief Justice of the Federation’’, said the Committee Chairman.

Concluding, he described the six months as a very eventful legislative period in which the Senate has done remarkably well as an arm of government. 

Cokey