Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has said, at a retreat for all the nation’s senators, that they are back in classroom to learn how to make legislation that would quicken a better Nigeria that all the citizens have been earning for.
Speaking at the commencement of the retreat at Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State today, October 19, Senator Akpabio said that the major objective of the retreat is to improve the knowledge of Senators and build their technical capacity to generate concrete and consistent legislation that would promote peace and sustainable development in tandem with the renewed hope and 8-point agenda of the Tinubu/Shettima Administration.
“This converge also aims to deepen participants’ knowledge of public expenditure management, fiscal policy, and tax reforms.”
He emphasized the need for the Senators to be taught public expenditure management, fiscal policy, and tax reforms.
“We are back in school and for our nation’s good. I trust that the resource persons are as ready as we are. I look forward to a fruitful and engaging retreat. I hope for highly interactive sessions.
“That is why my thanks must go to the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies and the Senate for organizing this timely retreat and putting everything in place to make it worth our time.”
Senator Akpabio believed that Nigeria is at an auspicious moment in its history.
“The kind of moment Shakespeare meant when he said “there is a tide in the affairs of men Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat; And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures.
“We are cast on such a tide today and we must take the flood and set our sails right so that history will never forget us and posterity will say that this was the Senate’s finest hour.”
The Senate President said that the retreat is a demonstration of the commitment of the senators to walk and work with the Executive Arm in the interest of the country.
“The dust is yet to fully settle on the presidential election; but the President had long hit the ground running.
“In the course of the campaigns, the President and you sought to cut a covenant with Nigerians. You stated what you hoped to do for Nigerians in an 85-page document which sought to renew our collective hope.
“Nigerians kept their part of that covenant by electing you. Now it is up to you to keep your part of the covenant by doing what Nigerians are expecting. What Nigerians voted you to do.
“As the voices and ears of our people, appreciative that they listened to you and voted for you, supportive of rights of Nigerians to the goodies in that document, we have come to deliberate on that document and to ensure that we do not work at cross-purposes with the Executive Arm. “Because every action of man is based on a cost/benefit consideration, Nigerians weighed the benefits against the cost, and decided to vote for our President.
“Party differences must give way to national interest, and we, Distinguished Senators, must come together and ensure that the expectations and hopes of our people are not betrayed.”
