President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has commended the efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, security operatives, and the international Red Cross on the release of 82 of the Chibok schoolgirls, that were part of the group abducted by Boko Haram in 2014.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki expressed delight at the development, saying that the prayers and well-wishes of Nigerians and the global community had led to the return of “more of our daughters.
“As a father, I can’t help but feel delighted and excited at the release of the 82 schoolgirls. When they were taken from us, the whole world joined in demanding their return — now, it is a testament to the tenacity and commitment of the Federal Government, led by Mr. President, that they are back with us, and will soon be reunited with their families,” the Senate President said.
“Last year, we managed to secure the release of 20 girls. Today, 82. By this feat, those that are still out there should be rest assured that Nigeria will not forget them, and this government will continue to do everything within its power to bring them back home,” Saraki said, “Moving forward, the Security Forces must be commended. However, the work is not yet done, too many families are still anxious today. Too many of our daughters have not returned.”
The Senate President reassured that the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly, would continue to do everything within its power to augment the efforts of the executive and our international partners in securing the release of more girls and ending the Boko Haram menace once and for all.
“My colleagues and I in the 8th Senate will continue to remain committed to the cause of bringing back all our girls, ending the Boko Haram insurgency and ensuring the rehabilitation of the devastated North East zone,” he said, adding that “It is clear that we still have a lot to do. But God-willing, we will be up for the challenge.”
In another statement, Dr. Saraki, commiserated with the families of the victims of the road accident which claimed about 26 lives at the weekend on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
Saraki, in a message signed by Mr. Olaniyonu, stated that the tragic loss of lives on the highway has become almost a daily occurrence, hence, there is need for immediate action to get the private sector involved in the funding and management of the road.
He prayed for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives in the road mishap and urged Allah to grant their families the fortitude to bear the loss, while also wishing those who sustained injuries speedy recovery.
The Senate President stated that the accident was another indication that there was need for urgent intervention to quickly complete the reconstruction work on the road while also ensuring that the scope and quality are not compromised.
“From all that we have seen thus far, it is clear that the government does not have the money to adequately fund this road. We have to understand that the Lagos-Ibadan expressway is our busiest highway in the country, hence, it is important that we do all that we can to enable private sector funding to bring reconstruction work on the road to completion as soon as possible,” the Senate President said.
“In the last few weeks, with the Ministers of Works and Finance, we in the Senate have been meeting with members of the private sector to bring everyone to the table so as to get the commitment from all parties,” he said.“It is our hope that in the next few days, we will have good news to break to our people that we have secured all necessary commitments to get the ball rolling.
“With the right sort of funding, proper work can be done on that all-important road to avoid this kind of carnage that we usually witness. Right now, the government only has the resources to achieve the bare minimum. If the private sector gets involved, we can improve on the scope, quality and speed of work, thus making Lagos-Ibadan expressway not only safer, but avoid the loss of lives. Doing this, would make that road a funding prototype for similar large-scale infrastructure projects across the country,” Saraki stated.
