The Senate President, Dr. ‘Bukola Saraki at the weekend said the 8th National Assembly made history as the most open and transparent arm of government in the history of Nigeria. He made the claim at a special plenary session to mark the second anniversary of the 8th senate.
Dr. Saraki said the 8th senate while discharging its duties and responsibilities really pushed the boundaries of conventional law making. He said he was proud of the current senate because the present crop of senators broke “the 12-year jinx on the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) by passing it into law within the period.
He added, “In law-making process we have not been afraid to push the boundaries of convention, which is why the 8th senate has been credited as having the initiative the first ever national assembly to do a public hearing on the budget. The 8th senate broke the 12-year jinx on the PIB by passing the Petroleum Industry Governance bill, the 8th senate is the first senate to pursue a development economic agenda on the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
“We committed ourselves to opening our budget to the world. We have done that. We promised to pass this economic reform bills, we have fulfilled that promise we made. “Distinguished colleagues, our invited guest today, it can be said that the 8th senate has led the way in open government and transparency, aside opening our books to the public, we have also opened what we do to the world and we are the first to adopt live streaming of plenary and deliberations globally.”
The Senate President who was greening from ear-to-ear at the ceremony also stated that, “Indeed we have become the most open arm of government in the history of Nigeria till date.”
He further informed that the 8th senate passed 96 bills in just two years. “Today the 8th senate has passed 96 bills in just two years eclipsing the highest ever in the history of the national assembly, a record held by the senate after passing 65 bills in the same period of time,” he concluded.
