Senate ‘responds’ to economic recession by passing 8 ‘strategic’ bills

The senate has passed eight bills aimed at strengthening the laws of the country.

The upper legislative chamber received the bills, which it passed on Thursday,  from the house of representatives for concurrence.

They are the Telecommunication and Postal Offences Act (Amendment) bill, National Crop Variety, Livestock Breed (Registration) Act (Amendment) bill, Produce (Enforcement of Export Standards) Act (Amendment) bill, Prevention of Crime Act (Amendment) bill, Water Resources Act (Amendment) bill, National Agricultural Land Development Authority Act (Amendment) bill, Bee (Import Control and Management) Act (Amendment) bill and Agricultural and Rural Management Training Act (Amendment) bill.

In a statement on Monday, Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, through Yusuph Olaniyonu, his special adviser on media and publicity, emphasised the importance of the bills in ending the present economic contraction.

He said that the bills would be promptly forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.

“By now it is clear that the senators take Nigeria’ economic situation very seriously,” he said.

“If you recall, one of the points from the 21-point resolution passed by the senate on the economy stated that it would fast-track all economic related bills. What this senate has done is match its words with its actions.”

Important highlights of the bills are the amendment to the Telecommunication and Postal Offences Act, which is aimed at increasing some of the prescribed penalties, fines and compensations for non-compliance with the Act. This is intended to help boost investment and participation in the telecommunications sector.

Additionally, the National Crop Variety, Livestock Breed (Registration) Act (Amendment) bill, Produce (Enforcement of Export Standards) Act (Amendment) bill, National Agricultural Land Development Authority Act (Amendment) bill, Bee (Import Control and Management) Act (Amendment) bill, and the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Act (Amendment) bill are all aimed at bolstering the standards in Nigeria’s agricultural sector to help the country achieve more economic diversification.

“Moving forward, Nigerians can expect that the legislature will adopt a united and efficient approach to getting Nigeria’s economy back on track,” Saraki said.

“We will quickly forward these eight bills, which have been passed by both houses of the national assembly to the president. This is only a first step and we will continue to work to ensure that at the end of our tenure, Nigerians will see that this is a people-centred national assembly.”