CELEBRATING

SARAKI AT

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

NEWSLETTER
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22ND, 2017
 Senate Moves to Tackle Drug
and Substance Abuse Across Nigeria
On Monday, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar
Bukola Saraki, and his Distinguished colleagues from the 8th
Senate, were in Kano to to address the widespread use of
drugs and other illegal substances.

The Senate’s intervention into the drug abuse menace was

conducted as a stakeholder roundtable with  state
governments, local governments, traditional rulers, the
Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria and NGOs.

The objective of the Roundtable which held on Monday

and Tuesday, was to bring together relevant stakeholders to
discuss the drivers of drug abuse in Nigeria, identify the
psycho-social and medical impact of the phenomenon,
assess current responses, legislative gaps and opportunities
for action.

Recall that earlier this year, the President of the Senate, Dr.
Abubakar Bukola Saraki, expressed his concern about
the widespread abuse of drugs by youths in the country.

In a series of tweets on his Twitter account

(@bukolasaraki)  on Friday, September 29, the Senate
President posted, “I am particularly worried about the drug
menace in the country. It is time that we recognize this
problem and address it in a sensible manner.”

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 Read the Senate President’s Thoughts on the
Senate’s Fight Against Drug Abuse
We were in Kano on Monday engaging with stakeholders
at the #SenateTacklesDrugAbuse Roundtable.
The purpose of the Roundtable was to wake the nation up
to the insidious threat of drug abuse, which has, for too
long, been the unacknowledged enemy within for us as
Nigerians. The drug abuse epidemic has been of a
particularly virulent nature, touching all social strata and
afflicting families and young lives. Women and girls are
particularly susceptible, married or not.
Not even nursing mothers are spared; and future
generations are already endangered by the spectre of
drug abuse, even while unborn. Clearly, something is
seriously wrong in our society if so many people can
become so desperately at the mercy of rampant
substance abuse that shows no sign of abating.
This is why a few weeks ago, at the Senate, we passed a
Resolution on the Need to Check the Rising Menace of
Pharmaceutical Drug Abuse in the country. Additionally,
we set up two Senate committees to determine the
nature of the problem; and their work is ongoing.
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At the Roundtable, the Emir of Kano, HRH Muhammadu
Sanusi II, mentioned the enforcement of laws. We have
been carrying on as if everything is normal when the
pharmacy sells restricted or controlled drugs. When drugs
are imported through the ports, nobody checks who
imported them and for what purpose and how they are
distributed. We are all at fault.
By the time we finish this two-day dialogue, I want to hear
that all the drug laws enforcement agencies have swung
into action and that many illegal pharmacies and drug
distribution centers have been closed down and their
operators arrested.
In the next budget, we will provide better funding of the
relevant agencies. We will also follow up to ensure the funds
are properly applied for the purpose they are meant.
I promise that we will display political will to tackle the
problems in the relevant agencies and will be ready for the
usual blackmail tactics the agencies may resort to, against
the Senate.
-Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (CON), President of the Senate
 Celebrating #SarakiAt55:
Senate President Marks His Birthday at the Office
 Celebrating #SarakiAt55:

The President of the Senate and a cross-section of The President of the Senate and a cross-section of
his staff as he arrived at work on his birthday. his staff as he arrived at work on his birthday.
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 Celebrating #SarakiAt55:

The President of the Senate inspecting his birthday The President of the Senate, the Majority Leader
cake. The Chief Whip and the Majority Leader in and the Chief Whip.
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the background.
 Celebrating #SarakiAt55:

The President of the Senate cutting his cake with Principal Officers of the 8th Senate, before Senate
Plenary. 7
 Celebrating #SarakiAt55:

The President of the Senate cutting his cake with a cross-section of his staff.
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 Celebrating #SarakiAt55:

The President of the Senate, with a delegation from the House of Representatives, led by Speaker,
Yakubu Dogara.
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 Celebrating #SarakiAt55:

The President of the Senate with the Senior Management Staff of the National Assembly, led by the
Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Sani-Omolori.
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“We Must Work On Behalf of All Nigerians” —
Senate President Gives His Update on the 2018
On Tuesday, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola
Saraki, laid out his thoughts on the 2018 Appropriations Bill,
which is currently before the appropriation sub-committees of
the Senate. Speaking after a Point of Order raised by Senate
Deputy Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’allah, the Senate President
said:

“Truly it is very disappointing and disheartening to hear the

various experiences of the committees. This is because we
know how much pressure that we have put on the various MDAs
to ensure that the budget is passed before the end of the year.

“How can anybody that should be defending their budget pick

this period of time to be traveling? They’ve had all time to
travel. Now is the time to attend to the budget defense process.

“More importantly, is the assumption that the capital budget of

2017 will be 40 to 50 percent implemented by now, but this has
not been the case. This makes it very difficult for us. We cannot
turn into magicians.

“All I am going to do is to appeal to all the Senators to work with

what they have, so that we have a budget that is in the best
interest of all Nigerians,” the Senate President said.

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Senate Calls on FG to Stop Planned Sale of
National Theatre and Tafawa Balewa Square
On Wednesday, resolved to probe the
alleged proposed sale of the National
Theatre and the Tafawa Balewa Square
(TBS) in Lagos by the federal
government to raise funds to finance
the 2018 budget.

The Senate also called on the

government to stop the proposed sale,
and both the National Theater and the
Square, as National Monuments.

Read more here: https://

www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/
20 17 /1 2 /2 1/ s en a t e -t o-pr obe- f gs -
planned-sale-of-national-theatre-tbs/
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Senate Announces Ad-Hoc Committee to Investigate
‘Economic Waste’ by Nigerian Customs
In order to put to an end the constant wastage of perishable
food items that are currently under seizure, on Wednesday, the
Senate announced the constitution of an ad-hoc Committee
that has been tasked with investigating ‘economic waste’
activities by the Nigerian Customs Service.

The Senate Committee has announced that it will be

commencing its assignment, despite the festive season.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Dino Melaye, explained at

a Press Briefing that the nature of assignment deserves
immediate the immediate attention of all concerned Nigerians,
while noting that the grains seized by Customs were almost
getting spoilt.

“We assure Nigerians that the Committee will visit all

warehouses in the country to ascertain the condition of grains
held, particularly now that people are hungry.”

“We were told that grains are held up across warehouses, but
we would force releases so that cost of food items will go
down,” the Senator said.

Members of the Committee include Senators Jide Omoworare,

Enyinnaya Abaribe, Gilbert Nnaji, Mohammed Hassan,
Abdullahi Adamu, Bassey Akpan, Binta Masi Garba and Sam
Anyanwu.
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Senate Passes Demutualization Bill
On Thursday, the Demutualization Bill (SB. 531)
passed third reading at the 8th Senate.

This Demutualization Bill seeks to develop

Nigeria’s capital market in accordance with
prevalent international practices and standards
as well as help with the development of the
economy of Nigeria as a whole.

The Bill, which has the long title, ‘A Bill for an

Act to Facilitate the Development of Nigeria’s
Capital Market by Enabling the Conversion and
Re-Registration of the Nigerian Stock Exchange
from a Company Limited by Guarantee to a
Public Company Limited by Shares and for
Related Matters, 2017’ also seeks to create a
legal mechanism for the conversion and re-
registration of companies that are limited by
guarantee into companies that are limited by
shares.
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 We Need a Strong, Effective NAFDAC,
Says Senate President
On Thursday, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar
Bukola Saraki, emphasized the Senate’s committing to
seeing a strong and effective NAFDAC.

The President of the Senate made stated this when the

newly-appointed Director General of the NAFDAC, Dr. Moji
Adeyeye, led the management of the agency on a visit to
the Senate in Abuja.

"It is important for us as a country to get NAFDAC working.

It is not a place that is popular. If you are going to do the
work right, then you cannot be popular. 

"But we need it for the health and safety of our people and
as such, we will give you all the support that is required. We
will give you support because NAFDAC is important for the
country and for all of us," the Senate President stated. 

Earlier, Dr. Adeyeye, told the President of the Senate that

she is poised to reposition NAFDAC and ensure that it lives
up to its mandate of ensuring quality and correct use of
drugs as well as eliminating unwholesome food products in
the country.

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Senate President Meets Aare Ona Kakanfo of
Yorubaland
On Thursday, the President of the Senate,
Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, met with the
15th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland,
Otunba Gani Adams.

In a post on his personal Facebook page,

the Senate President stated:

“I welcome Otunba Adams’ ascension to

this role as a young, vibrant, and energetic
traditional leader.

“As we move ahead, Nigeria's

demographic spread shows that 70% of
our population are young people,
therefore, there is a responsibility to
empower those that can connect with the
youth.”
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www.senatepresident.gov.ng