Key Players Proffer Proactive Responses to Economic and Security Challenges in Nigeria
The Nigeria National Assembly brought together key players from both public and private sectors to a 2-day National Dialogue on Economy, Security and Development.
The dialogue,facilitated by the think tank organ of the National Assembly, the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) is structured to enable the federal government undertake indepth reflection on ways of tackling the challenges facing the country.
In a keynote address delivered by the President of the Senate, Dr.Bukola Saraki,represented by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu,he said that the Legislature has assured the Federal Government of its full support particularly in the anti-corruption stance geared towards sanitizing the polity and achieving desired national development goals.
He posited that the National Assembly is committed to contributing to an economic reform agenda with a view to expanding the economic space for business, ensuring private sector involvement in infrastructure development, technology integration and modernization of the regulatory environment for ease of doing business as well as protection of consumers. He added that that the 8th National Assembly is going to work closely with the Executive Arm of government in confronting head-on daunting challenges hampering all inclusive growth and development, good governance, security of lives, properties and borders.
The Senate President,before declaring the event open highlighted the role of the legislature in improving the economy;adding that through purposeful legislation, the National Assembly will address the various factors that have contributed heavily to retarding the country's growth and development. He pointed out factors like obsolete laws, weak governance and regulatory framework affecting public probity and justice. Other areas he pledged the commitment of the Legislature include security of investment and private sector, infrastructure financing, innovation and credit, improving business regulatory climate, to mention a few.
On his part,Speaker,House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara stressed that the nation cannot meaningfully discuss the improvement of the national economy without discussing priority legislation in this field. He mentioned that one of the most important pieces of Legislation is the Petroleum Industry(PIB) due to the fact that Oil and Gas still accounts for over 70 percent of the country's foreign exchange earnings in-spite of the rapid fall in oil prices.
He informed that some of the legislative measures adopted by the House of Representatives to revamp the national economy include to tackle non-remittance of internally generated revenue and leakages, infrastructure development, legislative initiatives on new cities; North/East and Niger Delta; unemployment; Housing, urban development; Power; Mortgages; Security and Economic Diversification.
Dogara reiterated that anti-corruption legislation and oversight would be major inputs of the legislature to the change that is expected in Nigeria. He also stated that discussion on budget process is pivotal to issues of development and economy;adding that President Mahammadu Buhari should follow up the implementation of the TSA with another courageous move to capture all expenditure by all MDAs in one single national budget.
In his address, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa averred that it is imperative to organize such a dialogue to focus more attention to reversing the declining economy, stabilizing the polity and integrating the various societal interests. He stated that the objectives of the dialogue are to consider ways of addressing the numerous social, economic and developmental challenges facing the country; develop appropriate policies and programmes relating to the challenges of security; to develop ideas and initiatives on how to reduce corruption and inefficiency in governance and to develop a post-conflict social programme that is aimed at enhancing the capacity of the citizens affected by the Boko Haram insurgency and the Niger Delta militancy, among others.
In adding his voice to the conversation,Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) Commission that the dialogue would derive meaningful success in advancing the security agenda of the nation.
The dialogue is expected to generate effective design and implementation of economic policies and programmes and enhance cooperation and constructive engagement among stakeholders in the country among others.