By Peter Omopo
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has reiterated the commitment of the 10th National Assembly to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and addressing pressing national issues through open engagement, strategic reforms, and legislative action.
Abbas made the declaration on Monday at the inaugural policy dialogue on the House Legislative Agenda held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. The event, he said, was designed to review the House’s progress since its inauguration in June 2023 and explore avenues for improvement in legislative delivery and public service.
“We pledged to regularly engage with Nigerians, report on our performance, and adapt our course based on public feedback,” Abbas said. “Today’s dialogue fulfills that promise and serves as a prelude to the Open National Assembly Week, where we will further open our doors to public scrutiny and present our midterm progress.”
Reflecting on the country’s challenges at the start of the 10th Assembly’s tenure—including economic instability, security crises, and the removal of fuel subsidies—Abbas noted that extraordinary times demanded extraordinary legislative response.
He explained that the House’s Legislative Agenda (2023–2027) was crafted after extensive consultation with stakeholders including ministries, civil society, and development partners. The agenda aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” framework, promoting synergy between the executive and legislative arms of government.
The agenda, according to the Speaker, spans eight core priority areas: strengthening governance, enhancing security, revitalising the economy, legal reforms, promoting social development, parliamentary openness, national-interest foreign policy, and environmental sustainability.
“We didn’t just announce an ambitious agenda. We put mechanisms in place to implement it,” Abbas said, emphasizing the agenda’s flexibility to adapt to emerging issues.
He also highlighted several legislative accomplishments of the 10th House, including laws to modernise the power sector, establish a federal audit framework, regulate small arms and light weapons, improve social welfare, and create regional development commissions.
Other key achievements include reforms in tax laws, legal recognition of crypto assets, the enactment of the Student Loan Law, Anti-Doping Law, and the Data Protection Act.
“Beyond lawmaking, we have actively conducted oversight to ensure accountability and transparency in governance,” Abbas concluded, pledging that the House would continue to legislate and act with courage, diligence, and national interest at heart.
