Nigeria Senate holds first Plenary in 2021, Reiterates commitment to passing PIB
The Senate has resumed and held a plenary session for the first time in 2021.
Addressing lawmakers on Tuesday, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan read the letter from President Muhammadu Buhari seeking the confirmation of the service chiefs.
He also read the letter from President Buhari seeking the confirmation of the immediate past service chiefs as non-career ambassadorial nominees.
Thereafter, the Senate adjourned plenary to honour a member of the House of Representatives, Ossy Prestige who died recently.
Meanwhile, the Chairman Senate Committee on Oil and Gas (Upstream), Senator Bassey Akpan, has said the National Assembly will work closely with the Executive to improve Nigeria’s Oil and Gas industry.
He disclosed this on Tuesday during the launch of the NNPC Upstream Cost Optimisation programme in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
“I want to assure you that we will work with all of you, as well as the Executive to ensure that we leave this oil and gas far better than we met it,” he said.
“We will do everything utmost possible to ensure that we pass a bill, not just a law but a law that will be globally competitive and easy to implement and a law that will significantly drive the much-desired investment into our oil and gas industry.”
Speaking on the much-awaited Petroleum Industry Bill, the lawmaker reiterated the commitment of the Ninth Assembly to pass the bill before 2021 ends.
He said the parliament, headed by Senate President Ahmad Lawan, is committed to ensuring that the set target was achieved.
According to him, the essence of the lawmakers taking on the PIB is to replace all the obsolete laws guiding the sector.
Senator Akpan also called on all stakeholders to harmonise in order to effectively secure the oil and gas in order to preserve the nation’s assets.
“I want to assure this gathering that this 9th Assembly headed by Senator Ahmad Lawan will pass this PIB before the end of 2021.
“We have set this timeline for ourselves because like they say, what gets measure gets done and we have provided clearly defined timelines to enable us meet this set target,” he further said.