President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to present the 2023 supplementary as well as the 2024 Appropriation Bills to the House of Representatives in the coming days. The speaker of the House, Hon Tajudeen Abbas, disclosed this in his welcome address to members on resumption from the two months recess at plenary, yesterday. Abbas said though the time to consider the budgets will be short, lawmakers must roll-up their sleeves and get to work immediately and ensure the speedy consideration of the Appropriation Bills that will encapsulate the yearnings of the people.
He also said the 10th Assembly will maintain the tradition established by the 9th House in terms of speedy consideration of the appropriation bills and the lawmakers must diligently consider the budgets to ensure that they meet the needs of their constituents.
“We have to put in extra work hours to ensure that the budget is passed in good time to enable its implementation from the first day of 2024. Our nation and indeed this 10th House of the People does not have the luxury of time in the face of profound national challenges.
“We must therefore do everything within our powers to champion causes towards addressing the yearnings of our people. On this score, our goals are clear, our determination unrivalled.
“We must key into the Legislative Agenda of this House as a roadmap towards navigating our numerous challenges. Our bills, motions, resolutions, actions and more should mirror the Legislative Agenda being a joint product between the House and citizens,” the speaker said.
Abbas also noted that the country’s economic challenges remain daunting as evident in the cost of living crisis occasioned by high cost of energy, cost of food which is skyrocketing daily, lack of livable wages, amongst others.
The speaker therefore appealed to the organised labour to shelve plans to embark on nationwide strike in consideration of the various actions being taken by the federal government to alleviate the current hardship faced by Nigerians. He said, “On account of these economic challenges, the organized labour under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) seems to have lost patience with the painstaking effort of the government to plan and provide sustainable minimum wage and palliatives to citizens. “The organised labour it appears would embark on a nationwide strike by this midnight following the expiration of a 21 days ultimatum issued to the government. As the peoples’ representatives, we feel and equally share in the pains of our people at these very difficult times. “However, I would like to appeal to the Nigeria Labour Congress to consider the various actions being taken by the Federal Government to alleviate the current hardship faced by Nigerians. As promised earlier, this House remains committed to getting a survival wage to all Nigerian workers,” he stated.
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