The Senate resumed to enable them to sustain work on solutions and to ensure that the health crisis does not create further problems much more difficult to deal with, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has said.
He stated this at the Senate’s resumption of plenary on Tuesday.
The lawmakers reconvened five weeks after it suspended legislative activities to curb the spread of the Coronavirus disease as well as put up other safety measures in the complex.
The lawmakers were expected to resume legislative duties on April 7 but the president, on March 29, ordered the lockdown of the Federal Capital Territory as well as Lagos and Ogun States, hence the postponement.
The directive was also aimed at curbing the spread of the disease across the states and by extension, the country.
In his welcome address, Mr Lawan said the pandemic has unsettled the economy, affected the way Nigerians relate to each other, and disrupted calendars of activities across different sectors.
He said while the pandemic has affected legislative activities, the lawmakers have sustained their interventions and collaborations with other arms and agencies of government in the concerted bid to mitigate the damage from the pandemic.
This is even as he said the federal government has responded well under the recommendations of scientists and experts.
“The pandemic has affected our budget for this year, not just because of falling oil prices, but also because it has forced a reduction in economic activities, leading to an enormous loss of revenue.
“We have been working with the executive on areas of adjustments for a more realistic implementation, and our resumption today will lead to a quicker resolution of some of our decisions.
“We will continue in our efforts in the interest of our good health, the well-being of our people and the sustainable development of our nation,” he said.
The lawmaker also prayed for Nigerians who have died of the virus including the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari. He prayed that the nation will be able to mitigate the continuous spread of the virus, so that normalcy can return.
He commended the lawmakers for their support in their constituencies and stressed the need for more sensitisation at the grassroots level.
“We are confident that we shall soon overcome this crisis, like previous health emergencies. All hands will however have to be on deck to register a quicker and more resounding success.”
In Tuesday’s plenary session, the lawmakers approved an N850 billion loan request by the president. They also received other letters from the president seeking confirmation of some appointments.
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