He said this at a citizens’ roundtable with the House of Representatives, co-organised by an NGO, Global Foundation, in Abuja on Wednesday.
Represented by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, Abbas underscored the 10th House’s commitment to fostering inclusive governance through active public dialogue.
“As speaker of the house of representatives, I am more convinced than ever that the strength of our legislative work depends on the depth of our engagement with citizens.
“That is why we placed citizen participation at the heart of the legislative agenda of the 10th House. That is why we have committed ourselves to regular platforms like this one to listen, to learn and to act.
“We believe that laws must reflect the values and realities of the people they are meant to serve. We believe that governance must be transparent, inclusive and accountable.
“And above all, we believe that the people must remain at the centre of our democratic process,” he said.
The speaker urged all stakeholders to exhibit the spirit of dialogue beyond the walls of the chamber.
“Let every citizen remain engaged, active and determined to shape the future of Nigeria’s democracy with courage and purpose,” he said.
Earlier, the Minority Leader of the house, Rep. Kingsley Chinda (PDP-Rivers), said that the roundtable was designed to bring the leaders and the followers together for continuous engagements.
Chinda said that the edition, which coincided with mid-term of the house and Nigeria’s 26th anniversary of unbroken democracy, gave room for reflections and affirmed the dedication of the house to people’s priority.
“We are eager to hear your perspectives and engage you in a productive dialogue,” he said.
Chinda noted that at its inauguration in 2023, the house recognised that its legitimacy and effectiveness was linked to the trust placed in it by the citizenry.
“We, therefore, considered it a solemn duty to create avenues for open dialogue, constructive criticism and collaborative problem solving.
“Since then, we have included citizens’ engagement as a key point of our eight-point legislative agenda.
“We have series of engagement on different legislations and issues of national interests, including appropriation, state policing, state of the economy, political inclusion, among others,” he said.
The lawmaker said that the voice and views of citizens were very important in shaping legislations and policies affecting their lives.
In his remarks, the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Maiha, described the forum as democracy in action, saying that democracy was only not about working for the people but working with the people.
Maiha commended the leadership of the house for the foresight and the political will to deepen the dialogue between the government and the governed.
He said that the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NLGAS) had been approved by the National Economic Council and was already guiding the activities of the ministry.
The minister explained that the strategy was designed to transform the livestock sector from subsistence-based practices to a modern commercial, vibrant and climate resistant system.
He called for investments in rural roads, infrastructure, extension services, animal health systems, feeds and fodder development and access to credits, among others, through legislative interventions to meet desired goals.
In his remarks, the immediate past Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Massari, commended the house for the initiative.
Massari, who was the speaker of the Fifth Assembly, urged the leadership of the house to expand the forum to accommodate more Nigerians and move from rural areas across the country. (NAN)
