The establishment of a dedicated fund for school safety has been advocated by the House of Representatives. The funding would aid in the deployment of advanced security measures and provide training to security professionals and communities on tactics for safeguarding educational environments.

The approach can be tested in a small number of schools, particularly the most attack-prone ones, according to Speaker of the House Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, who revealed this in his welcoming speech at the plenary session that started on Tuesday following the Easter and Eid-el-Fitr breaks.

Abbas stated that in order to facilitate President Bola Tinubu’s approval to the legislation that improves cooperation between various security agencies, the House will collaborate with the Senate to guarantee that the bill is quickly considered and given to the president.

Upon completion, he claimed, the legislation will provide a precise structure for exchanging intelligence and coordinating responses, greatly enhancing the nation’s capacity for prevention.

The Speaker claims that the House supports President Tinubu’s initiative to create a regional center for counterterrorism in order to share intelligence, coordinate operations, and provide capacity building across the African continent.

Additionally, according to Abbas, the Committee on Constitutional Alteration has received recommendations from the recent National Dialogue on State Policing for potential legislative action. Additionally, a steering committee for the Legislative Security Summit, which is set to take place in the third quarter of this year, has been established, with members chosen from all of the House’s security-related committees.

In order to ensure a coordinated and effective response to these crimes, he added, the House has advocated the formation of a joint task force tasked with combating illegal mining and mineral theft. This task force would coordinate efforts between various government departments, including the mining police.

“The theft of minerals undermines our economy, reducing the funds available for public services, infrastructure, and welfare programmes that could uplift millions of our citizens out of poverty. Furthermore, these illegal activities damage the environment and threaten livelihoods.

“In line with our agenda to boost government income and diversify the economy, the House will tighten regulations around mining operations, increase penalties for violations, and improve surveillance and enforcement mechanisms.

“Our intervention in this sector will necessarily involve closer collaboration with the Executive. As such, we recommend the establishment of a joint task force dedicated to addressing illegal mining and mineral theft.

“Additionally, the House will amend and enact legislation that will deter such activities and promote a transparent and sustainable mining sector.

“These legislative measures will include stricter licensing processes, enhanced penalties for non-compliance, and incentives for adopting best practices in environmental conservation,” Abbas said.

Although the Speaker acknowledged that the government has made great progress in boosting the economy, he emphasized the need for actions like putting policies and initiatives in place that focus on value creation, multiplication, and expansion in order to strengthen the value of the Naira over time.

“One sure, even if difficult, way of achieving this is through optimising agricultural and industrial productivity and exploring our mineral wealth, as indicated above.

“Revitalising rural areas and enhancing rural connectivity can increase local production and stimulate the primary market.

“Despite the challenging economic outlook, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has applauded recent improvements in revenue collection and enhanced oil production (which reached 1.65 million barrels in January, 2024) mainly due to enhanced security in combatting theft and vandalism.

“Other positive measures taken by the government include the launching of the Nigeria Consumer Credit Corporation which ensures that citizens are able to afford basic items without necessarily paying out of pocket as obtainable in advanced countries of the world.

“As we reconvene for this plenary session, I must emphasise the critical role of legislative oversight, a cornerstone of our mandate as the representatives of the Nigerian people.

“With the 2024 budget in the implementation phase, we must intensify our efforts to monitor and evaluate the compliance and performance of the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

“Oversight of budget implementation is not merely a procedural duty – it is a fundamental aspect of ensuring transparency and accountability in government spending.

“I call on all committees to scrutinise budget allocations and expenditures to deter mismanagement and waste, thereby protecting public funds and ensuring they serve the collective good of all Nigerians.

“Also, I wish to reiterate that our oversight duties and investigative hearings must be conducted with a heightened level of thoroughness, transparency, and effectiveness.

“All reports and recommendations from these activities must be promptly presented before this House in plenary for consideration and action. This is essential for improving public sector governance and service delivery,” he added.