Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, yesterday, said the Eighth National Assembly gave President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration maximum support by giving speedy consideration and passage to legislation and other Executive requests.
He said this was to fast-track implementation of the policies and programmes of the Buhari-led government.
Dogara stated this in Abuja, yesterday, when he received the Euro Knowledge Award conferred on him at the United Kingdom Parliament, last month, in recognition of his exemplary leadership.
The speaker noted that there were instances where the Green Chamber passed executive bills within two days to one week and described the Eighth House as the most performing in the political history of the country.
“We have done exceptionally well. It is on record that this has been the most productive National Assembly ever, as well as unparalleled House in the history of the House of Representatives.
“We hope that those who are coming after us, those who will take over from us will do better and be able to rededicate themselves and to achieve the ideals they set out for themselves. When we started out in the Eighth Assembly, it was our desire and, thank God, we can say, today, that we have cleaned up virtually all laws we inherited from even 1800.
“For some of us who read Law, we may have knowledge on the Statutes of General Application.
“Before we embarked on this massive exercise, some of our Law books still contaned Pounds Sterling! in some Laws, some addresses in the United Kingdom were even mentioned. To the credit of the Eighth Assembly, all those things are no longer reflected in the body of our Laws.
“For the Ease of Doing Business, anyone who thinks we have not supported government enough, in the bid to create a conducive business environment, to attract better investment into Nigeria, should check what we have done in the area of the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
“There were times when we ensured that within days or weeks, we passed these bills that were required to jumpstart this process to bring Nigeria out of recession and prosper.
“This made Nigeria jump about 24 places in the Global Index of the World ranking of nations in the ease of doing business. Words like these only spur one to do his best; we will continue to do our best in the interest of our country and of its people; in whatever position we are.”
Chairman of the Committee on Ethics and Privilege, Nicholas Ossai, received the award on Dogara’s behalf and said the speaker was found worthy of recognition because of the laws the House passed.
“…One of such laws was that of the ease of doing business that you championed, guided the House, shown positive contribution to, which has made the Nigerian economy, which went into recession, to jump another 24 points on the economic index, because of the positive impact you have made, as well as the leadership stand you always bring to bear. Many people are placed in authority; very few, however, actually lead. You are one of such few. Your name will be positively etched in the history of Nigeria,” Ossai stated.