As the year, 2017, winds down, it is imperative to assess the contributions of the Eighth Senate of Nigeria against the backdrop of this aphorism by Poet Mary Oliver: “To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.” We have a very “good” habit in these parts by focusing on the negatives in a way that blinds us to some of the good work that may have been done.
Often times, we remember the Senate members for the frequent face-offs that they have with members of the Executive arm, invitations to public office holders, motions of national importance and resolutions; however, there are also many times when they do make the people proud.
In the passage of the #NotTooYoungToRun bill, the Senate demonstrated that not only does it listen but also has its fingers on the pulse of the people. The Senate has via this bill, which reduces the required ages for seeking political offices, ignited greater participation of the youths, not just in politics but also in political leadership. For a country with over 70 per cent of its population under 35, this is a wonderful development that holds a lot of promise especially for young people going into 2018 when political realignments will gain momentum ahead of the general elections.
The #OpenNASS was another pivotal movement that made the transition from online advocacy to fruitful offline engagement just like the #NotTooYoungToRun campaign. The decision to open the budget of the National Assembly to the general public showcased an exemplary commitment to transparency and accountability which the institution hasn’t always been known for. For the first time, since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule 17 years ago, anyone could Google up and see, in fine print, every dime that the Senate did intend to spend and how it planned to spend it. Such a move has raised the level of confidence and trust that ordinary Nigerians have in the Senate and the important work that they do there.
However, no single issue has, over the past decade, caused so much economic and social destruction to our country as the insurgency in the North-East. It has been a thing of great pride to see how citizens all over the country contributed their best to this painful road of recovery. Here again, the Senate chimed in with commitment and focus, passing the North-East Development Commission Bill (signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari), which among other things establishes a commission tasked with the responsibility of rebuilding and rehabilitating the North-East whilst ensuring the resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons into their homes. Surely, rebuilding the North-East is the most definitive way to defeat the insurgents, and it’s great to see the Senate playing its part in the fight.
In November, the World Bank released its Ease of Doing Business Report for 2018 with the cheering news that Nigeria had moved up 24 places to be ranked in the 145th position out of 190 countries against the backdrop of a decade of decline in the global rankings. While the Executive arm received plaudits for this feat, many commentators forget that the Senate had helped to lay the groundwork with the Ease of Doing Business bills – the Credit Bureau Services Bill and the Secured Transactions in Moveable Assets.
As a nation, we have always paid lip service when it comes to leveraging technology to make life easier for the people. What better way to side with the people than to show understanding that the viability of our democracy lies in the integrity of our electoral system with the passage of the INEC Reform Bill which will shore up and safeguard our voting process.
The Whistleblower Protection Bill, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit Bill and Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill all passed this year are aimed at giving fillip to the fight against corruption. This somewhat deals a lie to the notion that the legislative arm of government is not interested in “killing corruption before it kills the nation.”
A wise man once said, looking back and looking forward are the only ways to make progress. In looking backward, we have seen the grounds covered by our legislators and that they can deliver progress. In looking forward, we can challenge our lawmakers to always place service before and above self whilst delivering a future that we all can be proud of.
- Carl Ndukwe, Abuja
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