The Senate in session
Sen. Uba Sani says it is unprecedented for the senate to work on a Friday.
Sani, a senator of Kaduna Central Senatorial District, made this known in an interview at the National Assembly (NASS), Abuja on Tuesday.
He said the events of the past week clearly demonstrates the level of commitment of the 9th Assembly senate towards the progress of the country.
“Even the Senate President, who has been in the National Assembly for almost 20 years now made it clear that in all his stay in NASS, the senate has never worked on a Friday”.
“This time around we all decided unanimously to put our personal interest, comfort and political affiliations aside and work for the interest of our country”.
“Of course, what happened last week shows that this 9th senate is a different one, it is a senate that works for Nigeria, not for any section or personal interest, and I can assure you that what we did is just the beginning,” he said.
The senator also said the screening of forty three ministerial nominees in just a week has never happened.
Sani, also commended President Muhammadu Buhari in his choice of some of the ministerial nominees, who have clearly demonstrated that they are competent and ready to get the job done.
“We will work closely with the executive arm of the government, but at the same time not take our oversight job lightly, we will be very serious about it, and make sure to do the needful”.
“While working, we will make sure we have the interest of our country at heart, because that is paramount and most important. We will make sure we pass the budget whenever the President decides to bring it to the National Assembly,” he said.
Sani, however, said the senate will urged the executive arm of the government to submit the budget as early as September, so the budget can be passed on time and the president can start implementing major projects.
“We have procurement procedures, even if the budget is approved by the National Assembly, it will take nothing less than 3 months to initiate any major project in this country. The senate President has promised that we will try and suspend the plenary for at least a month and focus on the budget”.
“So, we can pass the budget before December, and the President can start implementing major projects by January,” he said.
According to Sani, the inaugurated senate committee is not the most important thing, but working for the people of Nigeria is all that matters. (NAN)
