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President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has advised the new ministers to brace up to the challenge of total transformation in all sectors of the economy, to salvage the nation.
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Mark said Nigeria is no longer a toddler whose first faltering steps must of necessity be tolerated in life, saying, “We have come of age and we must hit the ground running.”
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Speaking when he played host to ministers, Comrade Abba Moro and Dr. Sam Ortom, both from his home state (Benue) at the weekend in Abuja, Mark reminded them that Nigeria is in a hurry to develop and therefore requires men and women of good conscience, competent, capable hands and patriots committed to the ideals of nationhood.
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He said, “It is God’s appointed time that you are ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at this time of our history. You must therefore prove that you are the right choices. You must perform to make the positive difference. That is the only way you can justify your appointments and make us proud.”
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He pointed out that the National Assembly and in particular the Senate would no longer accept excuses or the failure to implement annual budgets, advising that everything must be done to comply with appropriation acts forthwith.
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Mark added that the standing committees of the Senate soon to be constituted, would be given the clear cut mandate to ?be stringent where oversight functions are concerned, assuring that there would be no sacred cows and nothing would be compromised to get things done and properly too.
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He however pledged cooperation with other arms of government to the extent that such synergy would impact positively on the lives of the ordinary citizen.
“We would have failed in our responsibilities if our efforts do not affect the ordinary man on the street positively.
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We must therefore work together to achieve results because we cannot afford to fail,” Senator Mark stressed.
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In their separate remarks, ministers Moro and Ortom assured that they had already keyed into the transformation agenda of the administration and would strive for excellence.
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Specifically, Moro said he that he was not unmindful of the challenges and is determined to make a positive difference and bring honour to Benue State and the nation.
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Otorm, on his part, pledged that he would use the opportunity of the appointment to foster peace and unity between and amongst the diverse groups in Nigeria, especially in Benue State.
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Meanwhile, Mark has cautioned that the era of resort to impeachment of members of the executive arm of government or removal of principal officers of the legislature is over as such move neither helped to promote or sustain democracy in the land.
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Mark said this during the inauguration of the ultra modern administrative block of the Cross River State House of Assembly in Calabar at the weekend.
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?He maintained that the legislature was the hallmark of democracy and should therefore be jealously guarded to sustain democracy.
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He said, “The legislature especially the national assembly has moved from the era of impeachment of principal officers or threat to remove the executive and concentrate on legislation that will ultimately provide democratic dividends to all Nigerians.”