Senate to partner NBA to ease passage of Bills  

Bukola Saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has pledged the cooperation of the Upper Chamber with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), to ensure easy passage of bills.

Saraki made the pledge when the NBA Legislative Advocacy Committee led by Mr Paul Erokoro paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

Mr Chuks Okocha, the Special Assistant on Print Media, said in a statement that the Senate President also directed that all pending and prospective bills before the Senate be made available to the NBA.

He said the essence was to improve on the quality of such bills.

He said he was in complete agreement with the NBA that its input was necessary before bills were sent for public hearings.

“I agree with you entirely as part of recommendations that we must have collaboration. I am surprised that our bills are new to you and that you don’t have free access to them.

“We have these Bills on our website. You should be able to access them.

“Going forward, I think that instead of you waiting for us, by your experience, there are areas that require necessary input and I think we should be able to collaborate closely.

“We have done this in the business sector where we set up a working group with the Nigeria Economic Summit Group and my office and we have been able to work together on some business-related bills.

“Some of these Bills require amendment; some are outdated, and some are not in line with today’s practice.

“We have been able to come out with a road map which we are following and the economic sector is enjoying the efforts in the business communities and infrastructure.”

Earlier, Erokoro, solicited the Senate President’s help to enable the NBA to make input in all pending or prospective bills before the Senate.

He also asked for a register of all pending bills to enable the association to conduct research on them.

He added that such partnership would ensure that bills stand the necessary legal test.