By Olayemi Esan
The issue of insecurity has remained the biggest challenge that must be prioritized and tackled headlong by constant engagement between the executive and legislature, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has said.
Lawan made this assertion on Tuesday in a speech delivered to welcome Senators back from the two-month annual recess.
Lawan, in a statement by Ezrel Tabiowo, his Special Assistant on Media, noted that efforts must be made to sustain the fight against insecurity by ensuring adequate funding for security agencies in the 2022 budget to be submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari later this month to the National Assembly for consideration.
He said: “Let me applaud and commend our gallant Armed Forces for the recent success recorded in their fight against insurgency and banditry in our Country. I want to urge them to sustain the campaigns until the insurgents and bandits are rooted out in our country.
He recalled that the Senate had approved the Supplementary Budget request of the Executive in July just before proceeding on the annual summer recess where the National Assembly appropriated over N800B for the security and intelligence agencies.
“While that provision was appropriate and indeed necessary, we should sustain the trajectory of increase in funds and resources to the security sector.
He therefore called on the Upper chamber to ramp up more resources for security agencies in the 2022 Appropriation and charged the Senate committees on Defence and Intelligence to step up oversight on the agencies.
“The fight against the security challenges in our country requires continued engagements between the National Assembly and the Executive arms of government.
“It also requires continues engagements with citizens, for the necessary and desired results to be achieved. We must therefore remain resolute and focused in achieving those. The National Assembly, indeed the Federal Government has no more serious challenges to tackle than insecurity today,” Lawan asserted.
The Senate President while giving a breakdown of landmark legislations passed by the Ninth Assembly underscored the need for the setting up of an Implementation Committee by President Buhari to ensure the timely execution of the Petroleum Industry Act he assented to on August 16, 2021.
“Before we embarked on our recess, we had accomplished the targets that we set for ourselves. We passed the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), and also passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2010.
"These were landmark Legislations targeted at enhancing the Oil and Gas Sector in our country and improving the electoral system in our dear nation.
“Also, the President had set up an Implementation Committee to start the execution of the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act.
He urged the committee to expedite action so that the country can start reaping the benefits of the law.
