Nigeria’s Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio has urged the Federal Government to open the door of education to reduce the number of persons sent to prisons in the country.
‘‘We also believe that education should be prioritized and something done to stop frequent closures. If we do not checkmate the brain drain, the drain will numb our brains,’’ Akpabio emphasised.
Speaking during the presentation of the 2024 budget estimate by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to a joint session of National Assembly on Wednesday, Akpabio said ‘‘This is why we must open the door of education, because when you open the door of education you close the door of the prison.’’
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Hear him, ‘‘The presentation of the budgetary estimates sets the course for our nation’s fiscal policies and priorities for the coming year. It is an opportunity for us to deliberate, scrutinize, and collaborate in order to ensure that the budget aligns with the needs, hopes, and aspirations of our people.
‘‘Therefore, the National Assembly bears a great responsibility in the task of reviewing and approving the budget. We fully understand the weight of this responsibility, and the impact our decisions will have on the lives and welfare of the Nigerian people.
‘‘It is our duty to ensure that the budget reflects the principles of transparency, accountability and inclusiveness. Consequently, we will certainly conduct a thorough and meticulous review of the budget estimates.’’
He pledged to embark on budget presentation, reaffirming commitment to responsible governance, fiscal prudence, and the efficient allocation of resources for the benefit of all Nigerians.
The Senate President noted, ‘‘We are glad that you share these sentiments for our people and had codified these in the Renewed Hope Agenda. This Agenda resonates with us as an instrument the people endorsed by voting you into office. Our legislative agenda constellate around it and we believe its faithful implementation would augur well for our nation, and put our country on a new growth trajectory.
‘‘Mr. President, we reiterate and assure you of the National Assembly’s readiness to support your administration. Our legislative agenda reflects our dedication to the Nigerian people, and we look forward to achieving remarkable milestones for our great nation under your purposeful leadership.
‘‘However, from whom much is given, much is expected, and we will try to perform the oversight functions expected of this Assembly and ensure that the tax payers money is used to benefit the taxpayer. In conclusion, we assure you that the proposals you have come to present will be diligently considered accordingly.
On the high debt profile facing the country, he admonished ‘’We also want to plead with the Government to do all within its powers to reduce our high debt profile. We know that Mr President inherited this worrisome burden. But then, the mark of a great leader is that he fixes the problems wherever they exist.’’
Commenting on insecurity, he said ‘‘In our people-focused legislative agenda, we place a strong emphasis on national security, recognizing it as a cornerstone for progress. These challenges demand a united front. We remain steadfast in our determination to work collaboratively with the executive to address and overcome the security challenges confronting our nation.
‘‘In this National Assembly, the death of any Nigerian equates a loss of a constituent. So, whenever we lose anyone to insecurity, it is the sound of the ambulance passing by our window. We believe that insecurity can and must be stopped and it must be stopped by all Nigerians rallying around and supporting Government’s efforts.’’
Worried by the high corruption in the country, Akpabio stated ‘‘We will continue to support the war against corruption and collaborate with anti-graft agencies to ensure that we do not continue to lose money that could be used to develop our people. The Tenth Assembly will always stand with the people, protect their constitutional rights and fight for their welfare.’’
‘‘Together, with the spirit of unity and collaboration, we can overcome challenges and usher in an era of unprecedented development through reinvigorated revenue generation and fiscal prudence. We will continue to support the war against corruption and collaborate with anti-graft agencies to ensure that we do not continue to lose money that could be used to develop our people. The Tenth Assembly will always stand with the people, protect their constitutional rights and fight for their welfare.
Speaking on the need to encourage Agriculture, the one-time Minister of Niger Delta Affairs said ‘‘We deem it necessary for our country to go back to agriculture as a way of stopping the overdependence on crude oil. A mono economy is putting all our eggs in one basket. It is a risk we have taken for too long and we cannot continue to tempt providence.’’
According to him, ‘‘We are glad that you share these sentiments for our people and had codified these in the Renewed Hope Agenda. This Agenda resonates with us as an instrument the people endorsed by voting you into office. Our legislative agenda constellate around it and we believe its faithful implementation would augur well for our nation, and put our country on a new growth trajectory.
‘‘Mr. President, we reiterate and assure you of the National Assembly’s readiness to support your administration. Our legislative agenda reflects our dedication to the Nigerian people, and we look forward to achieving remarkable milestones for our great nation under your purposeful leadership.
‘‘However, from whom much is given, much is expected, and we will try to perform the oversight functions expected of this Assembly and ensure that the taxpayers money is used to benefit the taxpayer. In conclusion, we assure you that the proposals you have come to present will be diligently considered accordingly.’’
