Corruption: Buhari vows to work with National Assembly

President-Elect,  Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, pledged to work with the incoming 8th N’Assembly as development partners to tackle corruption and scale down drastically, the cost of running government.

Buhari stated this while addressing a joint session of the re-elected and fresh members of the two chambers of the National Assembly, who are currently undergoing a one-week induction programme organised by the National Institute for Legislative Studies in Abuja.

He specifically urged  the elected federal lawmakers to collaborate with him on the budget process and restructuring of the public sector to guarantee transparency.

He noted that the cooperation between him and the legislators would enable both arms of government to collectively tackle the menace of high recurrent cost at the expense of capital and human development.

He lamented that high cost of governance had greatly affected  execution of capital projects, human development, and eroding public social services such as infrastructure, health and education.

The president-elect also identified lack of development in the agricultural and solid mineral sectors and therefore urged the lawmakers to appropriate policies that needed to be put in place and translated into laws.

“Distinguished Members of the 8th National Assembly, I see these challenges as the mission of my presidency. I need the support of the Members of the National Assembly on the battle front. I need your support in many respects,” he added.

Buhari asked the federal parliamentarians to take seriously, their oversight functions, which according to him, was critical in ensuring that policies are implemented effectively and transparently.

He said, “My mission to bring integrity into governance would better succeed if complemented with a strong culture of transparent oversight.”

Buhari  stressed an urgent need to contain the high state of insecurity and therefore urged the legislators to work together with him to address the problem from both its roots and manifestations.

He also noted that the strongest mitigating force at the moment was how to redress the power sector deficits, encourage investments that are job creating and focus on human development and reconstruction.

Buhari said,  “I am here today, to invite you to work with the executive as partners in progress, as champions of good governance and development and as warriors for change. Together, we can make this nation great and as a role model in Africa and other emerging economies and democracies.

Corruption: Buhari vows to work with National Assembly