Senate Set To Endorse Okonjo-Iweala

The Senate is set to pass a resolution backing the aspiration of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to emerge as the president of the World Bank.

Chairman of the Senate committee on Rules and Business, while briefing journalists on the status of bills, motions and other legislative activities between January and March 29, said the Senate was working on a motion which would be considered when members resumed plenary on April 16.

According to Enang, the motion would take priority, because the minister deserves to head the World Bank, considering her landmark achievements and vast knowledge, having served as managing director of the bank for many years.

“We will take as priority the consideration of the motion supporting her candidature as president of the World Bank,” Enang said.

On the track record of the senate between January and March, Enang said the Senate had received 150 bills. While 53 of the bills were introduced on the floor, 22 were read for the second time, and six had so far been passed, leaving 144 bills pending at various stages of legislative process.

Some of the passed bills include: University (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (amendment) Bill, 2012; Appropriation Bill, 2012; FCT Statutory Appropriation Bill 2012; Retirement Age of Staff of Federal Polytechnics and Colleges bill; HAPERDEC Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill, 2011.

He added that 12 petitions were received and referred to the Committee on Petitions, which had since turned in its reports for consideration as soon as lawmakers resumed from their recess.

Responding to the delay by President Goodluck Jonathan in signing the N4.8trn 2012 budget after its passage two weeks ago by the National Assembly, Senator Enang doused any cause for anxiety stressing that the president has “a window of thirty days as allowed by the 1999 Constitution to assent to a budget.”

But scoring the senate high in its performance so far, Enang revealed that, 14 resolutions were passed between January and March, including a resolution supporting the proclamation of a State of Emergency by President Jonathan in some Local Government Areas of Plateau, Borno, Niger and Yobe states on January 11, 2012.