Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has described the present economic hardship in the country as a blessing in disguise, saying that it would definitely challenge the leaders and Nigerians at large to think out of the box and evolve innovative solutions to weather the present economic storm.

Saraki, who spoke on Monday in a goodwill message he delivered at the 2016 National Political Summit held in Abuja, said: “Our people have called us to stamp out corruption, improve governance, accountability, transparency, service delivery and human right protection, and the National Assembly is ready to roll out an array of reforms on, accountability, revenue management, budget processing, policing and public service performance monitor that would see our resources better used, engender better public participation in governance, oversight and virile public service that is service oriented.”

On the role to be played by the National Assembly in the effort to get the country out of the woods, Saraki said: “Let me make our position absolutely clear, the present National Assembly is working and will continue to work hand-in-gloves with the executive arm to rout corruption and entrench accountability across all spheres of our public sector.

“The days of business as usual are over. Discretionary spending of government resources, unbudgeted expenditures, procurement abuses and diversion of public monies for personal gains must be eradicated.

“As part of our agenda, the National Assembly is strengthening her oversight systems to ensure procedural and output integrity. All public spending must be within the Appropriation Act. We can no longer afford waste.”

He made it clear that the country’s problems “are too complex for simple slogans and simple solutions to take them away in one fell swoop,” adding: “We cannot solve them without effort and sacrifice. But we have the will and we have the way necessary to surmount all our challenges.

“We need platforms like this for those in government and other leaders outside to talk to ourselves. This is the surest way to deepening our democracy. The situations we face, be they economic, political, or insecurity, demands thoughtfulness, steady nerves, resolute and focused attention. They demand national will, cohesion, political wisdom, economic sacrifice and a willingness to pull together in one direction not pull apart.”

The Senate President, who doubles as Chairman of the national Assembly, declared that the discretionary spending of government resources, unbudgeted expenditures, procurement abuses and diversion of public monies for personal gains must come to an end because the nation’s political office holders have no choice but to deliver on their promises to the people.

•Photo shows Senate President Bukola Saraki.

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