By Ezrel Tabiowo
Abuja
Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, has assured Nigerians that critical bills pending before the upper chamber would be given urgent consideration just as the Senate reconvenes today from a two weeks recess it embarked on to mark the Easter celebration.
Enang said yesterday in Abuja that the leadership of the Senate had made plans to prioritise the consideration and expeditious passage, critical bills such as the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), the Bill on Constitution amendment, the Electoral Act Amendment Bill amongst others, in view of the limited time left in the lifespan of the seventh Senate which terminates in September, this year, to make way for the primary elections.
He said: “As a member of the committee, I can authoritatively confirm to you that the PIB is one of our prioritised bills. It had passed second reading and we are working towards submitting our report for the third reading and final consideration of the senate.”
He said the Senate was aware of the INEC timetable and would do everything possible to perfect all aspects that relate to the election at least six months before the commencement of the exercise, just as he explained that bills already passed by both chambers requiring harmonisation and concurrence, would be taken care of.
However before Enang’s assurance, it would be recalled that contrary to promises made by him and the Senate President, David Mark in January this year, on expeditious consideration of the said bills, none except the 2014 Budget was considered by the Senate throughout the 12 weeks of its legislative activities from January 21 to April 10 2014, the day the Senate went for Easter recess.
The development has led Nigerians to express scepticism that the PIB for instance, which was supposed to revolutionise the oil and gas sector in the country, may not see the light of the day in the current senate just as it suffered similar fate in the sixth senate.
Enang had in January this year while reeling out the agenda of the Senate in the year as regards critical bills consideration and other legislative matters, said: “This year, we will be very serious and time conscious about the Appropriation and other sensitive bills already listed knowing that in the course of the year, there will be too much politicking and the political parties and the legislators may be a lot engaged in it.
“Since we are all products of political parties, we can allow legislators to share their time between legislation and the affairs of their political parties. It is a peculiar year and we are going to treat it peculiarly.”
