PROTOCOL. 1.My sincere thanks to the Chairman and members of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service for inviting me as Special Guest of Honour to declare open this Public Hearing on the consideration of five very important Bills, namely: i. Pension Reform Act Cap. P4 LFN, 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (SB.281);ii. Chartered Polymer Institute of Nigeria Bill, 2017 (SB.396);iii. South East Development Commission Bill, 2017 (SB.303);iv. Council for Facility Management of Nigeria Bill, 2017 (SB.340); andv. Chartered Institute of Directors of Nigeria Bill, 2017

PROTOCOLS. 1.Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my pleasure to be here today for this event marking Nigeria’s 2017 World AIDS Day commemorations, which is taking place under the theme, ‘Right to Health – Making it Happen’. Indeed, it is important to identify and support the fight against the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and to raise awareness about treatment, while supporting and identifying with those living with the condition, even as we remember those we have lost to the disease by adopting the red

PROTOCOL. 1.It is my pleasure to be part of this Strategic Retreat for Members of relevant Committees of the National Assembly on the Progress of Anti-Corruption Bills pending before the National Assembly. This Retreat is even more important now, because of the peculiar position of Nigeria today in the global anti-corruption tapestry. 2.The commitment of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari towards curtailing the incidences of corruption in our national life is not in doubt. The 8th National Assembly, in providing legislative synergy, made anti-corruption one of

PROTOCOL. 1.I am delighted to be invited as the Special Guest of Honour at this year’s Nigeria Clean Cooking Forum. Some of you will already know that I have been deeply involved, over the years, in advocating for cleaner forms of cooking for Nigerians and Africans as a whole. So, I am indeed happy to be given this opportunity to be a keynote Speaker at this event, for a cause that is very close to my heart. 2.Findings show that Nigerians consume between 1.9kg to 4kg/day/capita

PROTOCOL. Your Eminence, Royal Majesties and Royal Highnesses, it is an honour to be with you today at the annual General Assembly of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council (NTRC) on the theme, ‘Harnessing Peace, Security and Development of the Post-Insurgency in the North’. I thank you for the invitation to this venerated platform here in Kaduna, a gateway to the North and one of the most historically important cities in our country, Nigeria. This General Assembly is coming not a moment too soon. In fact, if

PROTOCOLS Education is a fundamental human right and its importance cannot be overemphasised. This is buttressed by several International Human Rights instruments that provide for education as a fundamental human right. These include: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948); the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966); and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981). The relationship between education and development is well established, such that education is a key index of development. The importance and linkage of education to

PROTOCOL. 1.My Distinguished Colleagues, it is my pleasure to be here today in the charming vista of the city of Calabar. Let me express my appreciation to the Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, Chairman of the Southern Senators Forum, for the invitation extended to me to join you at this retreat, which is on the theme: ‘National Unity and Reconstructuring’. 2.I congratulate the Chairman, the Executive and entire members of the Forum for the vision, commitment and dogged determination that made possible this retreat. I have no

Distinguished Colleagues, As you are aware, we postponed the debate on the 2018 Budget estimates so as to focus on approving the 2018-2020 MTEF and FSP submitted last month by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, for our consideration and approval. Notwithstanding the delay in the submission of the 2018-2020 MTEF & FSP beyond the time indicated in the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the revision of the 2018 Fiscal Framework, we have chosen to work objectively and more collaboratively with the Executive to ensure that we

PROTOCOL. 1.It is my pleasure to be at The WAFGAS Conference and Exhibition 2017, organised by the Senate Committee on Gas in collaboration with WAFGAS Conferences Limited. The theme of this 3-Day conference, which is, ‘Portfolio Optimization of Domestic Gas Usage in West Africa’ is one that is long overdue. It also serves to focus our attention on critical areas of attention, if indeed we are serious when we talk about diversifying revenue sources, in the quest to move our economy away from oil. There

PROTOCOL. 1.It is my pleasure to be here today at this Opening Ceremony of the 35th Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE). The theme of the conference, ‘A Roadmap for Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry in a Diversifying Economy’ is very timely, particularly at this period of gradual economic recovery from recession. One of the great lessons of the recession, and one which we must not lose sight of at this time of renewed optimism, is that we