Legislative agenda for 10th Assembly will reflect aspirations of Nigerians - Speaker Abass

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Tajudeen Abbas assured on Monday that the legislative agenda for the 10th House being drafted would be tailored to the aspirations of Nigerians.

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The president who gave the assurance while addressing a stakeholder meeting convened by the House Ad Hoc Committee on the Legislative Program revealed that parliament was ready to welcome citizen participation in efforts to address the challenges facing Nigeria as a nation

He stressed that this was a "critical stakeholder meeting" to harness citizen input into the legislative agenda of the 10th House.

According to him, "our desire is to have a legislative program that responds to the aspirations of citizens and with which they would use a reference to evaluate and evaluate our performance after four years. Therefore, today's meeting should not be seen as a regular discussion forum. Consider it an essential national mission.

"There is no better way to show that the 10th House of Representatives is ready to respond, and with urgency too, to the aspirations of those who brought us to the House of the People to do the people's business," he noted.

He explained that public engagement upholds the will of the House, as representatives of the people, to regularly consult with citizens in carrying out the mandate entrusted to legislators.

The Speaker recalled, while welcoming members of the House after a short recess on July 4, 2023, that he had declared the 10th House to be "the People's House".

According to him, "I also pledged that while it is the duty of the House to craft a legislative agenda that our constituents will hold us accountable for, the House would not hesitate to consult with key stakeholders when developing the agenda to obtain their input and expectations, which is why we gathered here this morning."

He noted that citizen engagement is the linchpin of a representative democracy, saying, "It is only through such engagements that legislators will truly become representatives of the people. To do otherwise would amount to a democracy without the people."

He further added that the Legislative Program Committee, during its mission, convened the forum to elicit from citizens what they see as the nation's most pressing legislative need, saying, "I urge the stakeholders gathered here to make the most of this important opportunity."

President Abbas said he expected the conversations to focus on "the critical needs of our people at this time".

The Speaker also stressed that the House will give priority attention to the process and execution of participatory budgeting, legislative reform, electoral reform, participation and inclusion of women in governance, improvement of socio-economic conditions, entrepreneurship, employment, health and education, infrastructure, citizen-focused diplomacy, institutional capacity and citizen engagement, constitutional amendment and restructuring , among others.

According to him, “our engagement with citizens will go beyond today's consultation. The 10th House of Representatives' Open NASS project requires regular consultation with the people as we strive to return the legislature to those who own it through regular, meaningful and productive engagements. It also requires that legislators have functioning constituency offices for regular interaction with our constituents."

He commended the Policy and Legal Advocacy Center (PLAC) and the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for their support of the National Assembly over the years, particularly for supporting the House on the legislative agenda.

Speaking earlier, House Majority Leader and Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Legislative Agenda, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, noted that the event marked "a pivotal moment in our nation's history as we receive input to craft a comprehensive plan to drive progress, prosperity and inclusiveness in our great nation".

He said the House's vision for Nigeria is that of a prosperous and vibrant nation where every citizen can realize their full potential.

According to him, “We envision a Nigeria where the economy is robust and diverse, the infrastructure is world-class, education is transformative, healthcare is accessible to all, and governance is transparent and accountable. This vision transcends partisan lines, and it is the collective aspiration of every Nigerian,” he said.

The President listed the five key pillars of the legislative agenda to include economic empowerment...