From right, Speaker, House of Representatives and governor-elect, Sokoto State, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal; president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari; Senate President, David Mark; chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and others, during the induction certificate course for National Assembly members, in Abuja, on Wednesday. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO.
PRESIDENT-ELECT Muhammadu Buhari, has said there are, at least, 10 challenges ahead of his in-coming administration and, therefore, sought the support of the new legislators in tackling them.
He was speaking on Wednesday, at the induction of new members of the National Assembly, organised by the National Institute for Legislative Studies, in Abuja.
The challenges, according to him, included general insecurity and insurgency; environmental degradation in the Niger Delta; decline in revenues due to fall in oil prices; endemic corruption; poor provision of power supply; de-industrialisation for the past three decades, leading to closure of many industries and migration of many to other African countries; high levels of unemployment and especially youth unemployment, which he put at 40 per cent; high cost of governance; erosion of public social services and lack of development in the agricultural and solid mineral sectors.
He said he hoped to work closely with legislators to tackle the challenges, noting that the legislature is a critical component and necessary ingredient of democracy and good governance.
Buhari, therefore, asked the incoming eighth National Assembly to join him in his determined bid to tackle corruption and restructure the public service.
He said he was ready to work with the lawmakers to stabilise the country, while he asked for the cooperation of the lawmakers on the budget process and restructuring of the public sector, so as to guarantee transparency and accountability.
According to him, the cooperation of the two arms of government would ensure that the government collectively tackled the menace of high recurrent votes in the budget at the expense of capital and human development.
He also lamented what he called high cost of governance, which, he said, had badly affected execution of capital projects, human development, while eroding investment in social services such as infrastructure, health and education.
“Distinguished Members of the eighth National Assembly, I see these challenges as the mission of my presidency. I need the support of the members of National Assembly on the battle front. I need your support in many respects,” he said.
He pleaded with the lawmakers on the need to take oversight functions seriously, adding that “oversight functions are critical towards ensuring transparency.
“I am here today, to invite you to work with the executive as partners in progress, as champions of good governance and development and as warriors for change. Together, we can make this nation great and a role model in Africa and other emerging economies and democracies.
“I, therefore, commit myself to working with the legislature as development partners motivated by the desire to deliver good governance.We also need to deploy efforts in conflict resolution and peace building in all our communities,” he said.
He pledged to implement a new development agenda, adding that his government would tackle the endemic corruption which had crippled the economy for decades.
Senate President, David Mark; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha and Principal Officers of the two chambers were present at the event.
Mark, who spoke on behalf of the National Assembly, said the lawmakers would work together in a bid to ensure development.
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