The speaker of the Delta House of Assembly, Dennis Guwor, has presented the eighth assembly’s first anniversary scorecard, saying it passed nine bills.

The speaker disclosed this in Asaba on Tuesday while briefing newsmen on the activities of the assembly within the last year.

Mr Guwor said the house received 18 bills, made up of 15 executive bills and three private-members bills, within the year under review.

”And out of the 18 bills received, nine have been passed and three assented to. The bills assented are, The Supplementary Appropriation (Amendment) Bill, 2022; Additional Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2022 and the Appropriation Bill, 2024,” he said.

The speaker said that apart from the bills passed to positively impact the lives of the people of the state, the assembly also passed some resolutions.

“One of such resolutions is the resolution calling on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to set out security measures to forestall the recurrence of the destruction of farmlands and produce by herdsmen in Abraka and its environs, which occurred on Aug. 17, 2023. The resolution also added that the peace, love and order that is presently prevailing in the communities be maintained. The assembly also passed a resolution condemning rising incidence of open sex trade and use of illicit drugs among youths in Asaba and environs among others,” he said.

In fulfilment of its constitutional duties, Mr Guwor said the assembly screened and confirmed nominees for appointment as members of the State Executive Council and into government agencies, boards and commissions.

”The action of the house in screening and confirming the nominees into agencies, boards and commissions, is to ensure efficient and effective administration of government in the state.

”We do not stop at the confirmation of these appointments, the house, through its committees, regularly performs oversight activities of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the government,” he said.

The speaker, however, reiterated the commitment of the assembly to the welfare of the staff of the Delta House of Assembly Service Commission.

He linked the ongoing strike by the Delta chapter of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) to the fallout of the adoption of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS).

”The state government has set up a committee to work out details of implementation and the committee is already wrapping up the assignment. So, it is not a peculiar issue to Delta House of Assembly. For the record, the state government is not owing any arrears of salary payment to the staff of the assembly,” he said.

Mr Guwor noted that the assembly had consistently built the capacity of its workforce through staff training and retraining.

”I must also put it on record that the eighth assembly is poised to deliver on its mandate of law-making, representation and oversight of government programmes, projects and policies. We will collaborate without compromising the independence of the legislature with the executive arm of government to ensure development gets to every part of the state,” he said.

Mr Guwor also reiterated the commitment of the assembly to supporting government policies that would help to ameliorate the economic pains of the people of the state.

”As we move on to the second session, we are more than ever before prepared and propelled to discharge our duties and responsibilities and ensure the policy trust of government, which is in consonance with our legislative agenda, is fully implemented for the benefit of our people,” he added.

Mr Guwor commended the media for their support in creating visibility and prominence to the assembly’s activities.

He urged the media to continuously use its position to support and safeguard the development and growth of the legislature to deepen and sustain democracy and democratic institutions.

According to him, the legislature is the hallmark of democracy without which there cannot be true democracy.

(NAN)