At its inauguration three years ago, the 7th National
Assembly offered hope for democracy in the country. Each of the 469
federal legislators looked forward to a better Nigeria as they took
their oaths of office and pledged their allegiance to the constitution.
With just one year to go, this NASS could be given a pass mark despite
the several distractions.
Many bills are currently in progress. In the Senate, they include the National Project Monitoring Agency Bill, Copyright Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill, Indigenous Oil Company Bill, Institute of Cost and Management Accountants Bill, National Inland Security Organization Bill, Abolition of Discrimination Against Women Bill, Nigeria Police Service Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, Court of Appeal Act 2005 (Amendment) Bill, Social Housing Bill, Elimination of Violence Bill, Rock Blasting Regulation Bill, Social Housing Bill, Company Income Tax Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill, and Counterfeit Goods Bill. In the House of Representatives, the members have not been caught napping also. The bills currently in progress include the FCT Resettlement, Compensation and Rehabilitation (Establishment) Bill, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria Bill, Department and Agencies Bill, Nigerian International Financial Centre (Establishment) Bill, Nigeria Climate Change Commission Bill, Community Service Bill, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria Act (Amendment) Bill, Dispute Resolution Regulatory Commission (Establishment) Bill, Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, Petroleum Industry Bill, Commerce Free Zones Bill, Commodity exchange Bill, and Federal Colleges of Education (Amendment) Bill. In fact, there are close to 100 bills presently in various stages of legislation in the National Assembly and the relevant committees have been working hard to ensure that the bills move in a systematic and progressive manner towards their eventual passage and forwarding to the Presidency for executive assent.
We note that the National Assembly administration headed by the clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, has strengthened the committee system by a series of policy reforms that have enthroned greater transparency, accountability and due process in the organizational and operational planks of the system. Before the advent of the present CNA regime, the committee system had been rendered almost comatose with appointments, deployments and promotions of committee clerks and secretaries based on the arcane concept of “godfatherism”. It was said that no matter how qualified or competent a NASS staff was, he or she could not hope to rise to the position of committee clerk or secretary or any other important position for that matter except he/she had deep connections or attachment to those in the “corridors of power”. Under the Salisu Maikasuwa regime, competence, professionalism and exemplary performance have been rewarded. The result has been a more effective, vibrant and responsive committee system.
Overall, the 7th NASS deserves praise for its role in the pivotal areas of lawmaking, representation and oversight functions. With the current pace of lawmaking, the high rate of probes, investigative and public hearings and a heightened spotlight on the MDAs, it is clear that the lawmakers have made remarkable progress.
Many bills are currently in progress. In the Senate, they include the National Project Monitoring Agency Bill, Copyright Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill, Indigenous Oil Company Bill, Institute of Cost and Management Accountants Bill, National Inland Security Organization Bill, Abolition of Discrimination Against Women Bill, Nigeria Police Service Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, Court of Appeal Act 2005 (Amendment) Bill, Social Housing Bill, Elimination of Violence Bill, Rock Blasting Regulation Bill, Social Housing Bill, Company Income Tax Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill, and Counterfeit Goods Bill. In the House of Representatives, the members have not been caught napping also. The bills currently in progress include the FCT Resettlement, Compensation and Rehabilitation (Establishment) Bill, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria Bill, Department and Agencies Bill, Nigerian International Financial Centre (Establishment) Bill, Nigeria Climate Change Commission Bill, Community Service Bill, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria Act (Amendment) Bill, Dispute Resolution Regulatory Commission (Establishment) Bill, Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, Petroleum Industry Bill, Commerce Free Zones Bill, Commodity exchange Bill, and Federal Colleges of Education (Amendment) Bill. In fact, there are close to 100 bills presently in various stages of legislation in the National Assembly and the relevant committees have been working hard to ensure that the bills move in a systematic and progressive manner towards their eventual passage and forwarding to the Presidency for executive assent.
We note that the National Assembly administration headed by the clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, has strengthened the committee system by a series of policy reforms that have enthroned greater transparency, accountability and due process in the organizational and operational planks of the system. Before the advent of the present CNA regime, the committee system had been rendered almost comatose with appointments, deployments and promotions of committee clerks and secretaries based on the arcane concept of “godfatherism”. It was said that no matter how qualified or competent a NASS staff was, he or she could not hope to rise to the position of committee clerk or secretary or any other important position for that matter except he/she had deep connections or attachment to those in the “corridors of power”. Under the Salisu Maikasuwa regime, competence, professionalism and exemplary performance have been rewarded. The result has been a more effective, vibrant and responsive committee system.
Overall, the 7th NASS deserves praise for its role in the pivotal areas of lawmaking, representation and oversight functions. With the current pace of lawmaking, the high rate of probes, investigative and public hearings and a heightened spotlight on the MDAs, it is clear that the lawmakers have made remarkable progress.
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