The Green Chamber had on Saturday, December 30, 2023, proceeded on a 3-week recess, following its passage of the N28 trillion Appropriation Bill (now Act) for the 2024 FIscal Year, in line with its constitutional powers.
Prior to its recess, the House had since its inauguration in June 2023, considered a wide range of issues, including peace and security, social welfare, healthcare, education, infrastructure development, economic growth, and more.
With the instrumentality of robust debates, bipartisan collaboration, and sheer dedication to its constitutional responsibilities, the House passed crucial bills and adopted key resolutions that will shape the trajectory of the country in years to come.
At a special session held on December 30 for final consideration of the budget, speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, had extolled the dedication, unity of purpose, and willingness of members to engage in constructive debates instrumental to the legislative outputs recorded in the last six months.
“I extend my deepest appreciation to all of you and applaud your exemplary conduct, dedication and devotion to upholding the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.
”Of note is the patriotism you all have demonstrated, making astonishing sacrifices to work even on weekends and during public holidays,” he said.
The speaker noted that 500 notions on pressing matters affecting the people were adopted, while 962 bills in the area of legislation had been received since inauguration,
120 of these bills have passed a second reading and are currently undergoing in-depth analysis at the committee stage.
Bukar Bulama, a motorcycle rider in Bulumkutu Kasuwa, Jere LG speaking on his TB experience said he thought he was having fever or flu when the crisis started.
“When I started feeling the symptoms over five months ago, I thought it was just fever or flu, with a mild cough. My condition became serious to the point where a friend alerted me that it was mere hunger. When it got worse, I was down with a fever and severe weakness of the limbs and I was rushed here (the Center). I feel I have now fully recovered,” he remarked confidently.
Explaining further he said, “I am just taking the drugs for the mandatory six-month period to elapse.”
Halima Modu, of Gomari Costain, Maiduguri metropolis, recovered from tuberculosis but was again infected after about a year due to what she described as her failure to heed the doctor’s advice on the dos and don’ts of not contracting the disease.
“I recovered from TB over a year ago, but I infected again partly due to poverty but, if I must be frank, mainly due to my negligence on the advice the hospital gave us. I have been mixing with a lot of relations and friends, most of them poor people, and I didn’t mind even sitting close to them even while most of them were coughing, especially at weddings. I cannot tell you where exactly I contracted it again, but I believe it could be at one of such gatherings. I suffered severely when I again contracted TB if I must confess, the suffering was more severe the second time.”
Halima has been taking drugs for about three months and is eager to complete her treatment by the end of March.
