The palpable fear of contracting the coronavirus by members of the National Assembly is so real that the House of Representatives suspended plenary until next Tuesday.
Also, it was learnt that the House leadership under Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila is considering the option of sitting once a week, following the death of the wives of three lawmakers during the Christmas break due to COVID-19 complications.Â
The spread of the pandemic forced the House on Wednesday to hold an executive session during which it was learnt, modalities to curb the spread of the disease were discussed, including the compliance with safety protocols by lawmakers, staff, journalists and visitors alike.
To this end, the House has reduced the number of broadcast cameramen who can gain access into the chambers during plenary as a measure to reduce the spread of the pandemic, while a task force has been set up to monitor compliance with all COVID-19 advisories.
Meanwhile, Speaker Gbajabiamila, while welcoming House members back from the yuletide break, said that the House would focus its attention on bills and motions that would improve the ease of doing business and unlock the economic potentials of the country.
Gbajabiamila, said the House would make frantic efforts to surpass achievements it recorded last year, assuring that even though the National Assembly does not control the security agencies, it would deploy its powers to hold the agencies responsible and accountable for the security situation in the country.
“In the 2021 legislative year, we will focus the attention of the House of Representatives on bills and motions that improve ease of doing business and unlock the nation’s economic potentials by stripping away restrictive regulations and ending predatory regulatory practices that deprive our young people the opportunity to conquer new frontiers.
“In this age of technology and innovation, of daring and enterprise, we cannot risk implementing policies that handicap our ability as a nation to participate in new markets and profit from emerging industries.
“The true test of government is in our ability to protect the most vulnerable amongst us. We cannot separate the goal of economic prosperity from the ambition to ensure that all our people live in a just society free from abuse of power and protected by a justice system built on fairness and the rule of law.
“Therefore, we will shortly begin considering bills to amend the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. We will follow up with a long-overdue review of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act and other legislations that seek to deliver a justice system that works for all,” the speaker stated.
He said the constitution vests the responsibility of security and welfare of the people on all those that have sworn to serve in government, adding that “every time a citizen going about their business is killed or kidnapped, loses their property or livelihood, we have failed in our obligation.
“From the abundance of these failures has emerged a culture of self-help in matters of internal security that portends grave danger for our nation’s continued existence.”
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