Speaker Tajudeen Abbas has proposed a 100-day programme to accelerate the House of Representatives’ outstanding legislative business as members enter the final phase of the 10th Assembly.
Addressing lawmakers after their annual recess, Abbas said the approach would prioritise major bills, urgent national matters and overdue committee reports. He proposed reserving Tuesdays and Thursdays for significant legislative work and called for more consistent attendance at plenary and committee sessions.
The Speaker warned that preparations for the 2027 elections must not displace the responsibilities for which members were elected. He said the House intended to publish a legislative scorecard and a final account of its work before the current Assembly’s tenure ends.
According to Abbas, the House had received 2,747 bills and passed 363 by mid-June 2026. He said an internal review showed that approximately 65 to 70 per cent of the principal milestones in its legislative agenda had been completed, but argued that effectiveness should be measured by outcomes rather than the volume of bills alone.
Immediate priorities identified by the Speaker included constitutional alteration proposals concerning state policing and reserved legislative seats for women. He also asked the executive to submit the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework early enough for meaningful scrutiny of the 2027 budget.
On elections, Abbas called for lawful support for INEC and neutrality from institutions involved in the process. He said political realignments among members should not prevent cooperation on legislation and oversight.
Reviewing the economic environment, the Speaker cited stronger growth, moderating inflation, higher external reserves and an improved trade balance. He cautioned that such indicators mattered only if they resulted in affordable food, jobs, credit and better public services. The figures were presented in his address and were not independently assessed here.
Abbas also raised security concerns, flooding and erosion in affected communities, and the need to scrutinise the implementation of capital projects. He said the extension of the 2025 capital budget to December 31 should produce measurable progress rather than excuse further delays.
The Speaker urged lawmakers to conclude pending work and maintain oversight until the end of their mandate, saying public confidence would depend on what the House delivered during its remaining months.
