National Assembly seeks panel on Niger Delta, bill to stimulate economy

House of Representatives has concurred with the position of Senate in urging federal government to urgently raise a team comprising elected lawmakers in Niger Delta region to dialogue with the government in coordinating concerns of the people in the area towards ending all forms of restiveness in the oil-rich zone.

In a motion by House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila, the representatives are further urging President Muhammadu Buhari to prepare an Economic Stimulus Bill to the National Assembly to accommodate fiscal and investment measures that would quickly pull the country out of recession.

According to the House members, they had agreed with the position of senators on these issues and others having realized that their arguments were potent in pulling the country out of recession.

Senators had taken the stance during their recent debate on the current economic recession in the country.The House members said interfacing with the aggrieved people of Niger Delta was the only way the country can protect its oil and gas assets from vandalisation and return peace to the region.

Other aspects where the lawmakers in the lower legislative chamber also agreed with the senators in measures aimed at revamping the economy were in asking federal government to urgently negotiate foreign concessionary borrowing instruments to provide funds to cover revenue shortfalls in the implementation of 2016 budget and constitute Council of Economic Advisers to advise federal government on initiation and coordination of economic policies that would largely benefit the common man.

The lawmakers applauded the position of Senate in opposing the sale of national assets and pledged their willingness to always engage the executive in creating the required synergy for all economic and social interventions of President Buhari.