6th October, 2016
The agreement was reached at the Senate on Thursday in Abuja when it concurred to an original resolution of the House of Representatives inviting the President for the meeting.
The lawmakers answered in the affirmative when the question was put by the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.
“Distinguished colleagues: that the senate do concur with the House of Representatives resolution on an invitation of Mr. President Commander in Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, to address a Joint Session of the National Assembly to intimate it on plans to get the country out of recession.
“Those in favour say ‘Aye’, those against say ‘Nay’. The Ayes have it.’’
However, the Senate did not give a date on which President Buhari is expected to brief the joint session.
It will be recalled that on Sept. 22, the House of Representatives passed the same resolution, which was sent to the Senate for concurrence, in accordance with legislative guidelines.
Since the resumption of plenary, the National Assembly has taken deliberate steps aimed at steering the nation out of recession.
One of such steps, especially on the part of the Red Chamber, was the conduct of a two-day plenary session to discuss ways out of recession.
The legislators came up with 20 recommendations, one of which advised the Federal Government not to sell Nigeria’s national assets as was being suggested in some quarters.
The Senate also recommended the need for true federalism as well as the amendment of Section 162 of the Nigerian Constitution to review the sharing formula between the federal and state governments.