Senate President, David Mark

The Senate on Monday said the 2015 Appropriation Bill would be passed into law before the end of the year.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who stated this at plenary, confirmed that the upper federal legislative chamber would receive the 2015 Appropriation Bill from the President for consideration shortly.

Ekweremadu also assured members of the public that the Petroleum Industry Bill and the Constitutional Review Amendment Bill would be given accelerated hearing by the upper chamber.

The Deputy Senate President, while receiving the report of the Conference Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (further amendment) Bill 2014, said the Senate would ensure that the bill was considered and passed into law as soon as possible.

He said that work on the PIB would soon be completed to ensure the passage of the Bill into law.

Ekweremadu said, “We are going to work on the conference committee report on the Review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Today the conference committee will lay on the table the report of the joint conference committee.

“We also made a commitment to consider the Petroleum Industry Bill in the weeks ahead.”

He noted that the primaries and congresses of political parties were at hand, saying the period would be challenging.

He said, “Importantly, as you are aware, we have our primaries and congresses coming ahead of us. I will like to wish everybody goodluck.

“So, this is going to be a very challenging and intense period but I believe that, as always, we will bring our usual sense of commitment and patriotism to bare in order to overcome this and more challenges.”

The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, laid the conference report on the constitution amendment before the lawmakers.

Also on Tuesday, the Senate adopted the conference report of the National Health Bill, 2014 after it was presented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Ifeanyi Okowa

Ekweremadu commended the lawmakers for ensuring the successful consideration and approval of the Bill and expressed optimism that its passage would lead to improved and better health for the generality of Nigerians.

He called on President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that the Bill was signed into law without further delay.

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