Yuletide: As Senators Observe Christmas, Dole Out Cash, Gift Items, Medicare To Constituents

ABUJA – As Christians the world over mark this year’s Christmas festivity, some Senators have taken time out to make the celebration memorable to constituents.

In a message on Sunday to mark the season, Deputy President of the Senate (DSP), Barau Jibril, called for prayers and unity, adding that the federal government was committed to reviving the country’s ailing economy, and tackling insecurity

The DSP who urged Nigerians to rekindle their trust in the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu administrationadministration.

In the statement signed by his special advisor on media and publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Senator Barau rejoiced “with the Christian faithful and indeed, all Nigerians on the occasion of this year’s Christmas.

“I urge the Christian faithful, therefore, to remain steadfast in adhering to the tenets of Christ’s teachings on this Christmas, now and always.

I equally enjoin all Nigerians to pray for and rekindle trust in the Renewed Hope Agenda for a brighter future under the purposeful, caring and humane leadership of the current administration.”

On his part, Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele distributed 3,000 bags of rice to members of his constituents in Ekiti Central of Ekiti State, to celebrate the occasion.

The lawmakers who assured the people that the country’s “economic recovery is imminent,” pleaded for patience with the Tinubu administration.

Bamidele, who is also the Chairman of the Southern Senators Forum, told his constituents that the prevailing economic situation in the country was linked to the effect of the Covid-19 global crisis.

Speaking on Sunday in Iyin Ekiti on Sunday, Bamidele explained that the process of economic reconstruction “has started already. All Nigerians, whether in the cities or remote villages, will start experiencing the gains of economic programmes President Tinubu has initiated under his Renewed Hope Agenda.

“As a federation, we may be witnessing difficult times currently. But we will walk into an era of economic boom, for which all Nigerians will glorify the Name of God Almighty. The time is no longer far. It will begin to manifest with the implementation of the 2024 appropriation, which the National Assembly will pass into law this week.

“All the committees of the National Assembly have concluded their hearings. They have equally submitted their reports to the Committee on Appropriations, whose members are now looking into the committees’ reports ahead of the plenary.

“After this Christmas holiday, the National Assembly will reconvene on December 29 to deliberate on the report of the Committee on Appropriations. Hopefully, before the end of this year, the National Assembly will pass the 2024 appropriations bill and also transmit to the Presidency for assent.

“As a parliament, we are committed to maintaining our tradition of January-December budget cycle. Since 2019, we have kept to this tradition and will not allow anything to disrupt it in order to deepen the budget governance,” the senate leader explained with an assurance for a more prosperous Nigeria.

While urging Christian faithful to imbibe the teachings of Jesus Christ in peaceful coexistence and unity, the Senate Leader continued “As we celebrate Christmas, I implore Nigerians to graciously live by the doctrines of Lord Jesus Christ. During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ showed the path to life that every nation, people and race should follow.

“In particular, Jesus Christ emphasised faith in God Almighty, love among people of all races, patience in the face of adversity, perseverance at difficult times and honesty in public and private engagements.”

Similarly, the Senator representing Ogun West and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Adeola, has called on all Christians in particular, and Nigerians in general to use the occasion of the Christmas celebration to renew their faith in Jesus Christ of Nazareth and pray for a better Nigeria with the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration.

In a Christmas message, Senator Adeola urged “all Christian faithful not to use the occasion of 2023 Christmas celebration for merry-making only but use it as a period of reflection and supplication to God Almighty for a better, peaceful and prosperous future.

“With this year’s celebration coming months after the commencement of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, I urge all Nigerians to see the season as another opportunity for fervent prayers for a new dawn and prosperous future for individuals and the Nigeria nation.”

While acknowledging that Nigerians in general are going through a difficult period of socio-economic downturn occasioned by many historical local and global factors, the senator urged all Nigerians to be patient and look forward to a better future of renewed hope adding that with abiding faith in Jesus Christ all our challenges will be a thing of the past with a renewed hope for massive reforms and uplifting national development.

Meanwhile, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central senatorial district has lauded Nigerians for their resilience in the face of the challenges facing the nation, urging them to embrace love and unity.

“Christmas reminds us of the reason for the season. It’s a time to inspire hope and spread the message of love.

“On this auspicious occasion, I wish all Nigerians a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

“I want to call on Christians in particular and Nigerians in general to emulate the virtues of Christ, who through self-sacrifice brought salvation to humanity. We must embrace love, peace and unity even as He first loved us by giving Himself for us.

“As we celebrate, may the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow,” she said.

In another development, President of the Ninth Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has flagged-off the Sixth free medical care for poor and aged constituents in his Yobe North Senatorial District.

The 2023 edition of the interventions sponsored by the Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (SAIL) Foundation, covered the General Hospital, Gashua; and Federal Medical Centre, Nguru.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Saturday, at the Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, Senator Lawan said the medical outreach by the SAIL Foundation was an effort to complement those of the Yobe State Government under the leadership of Governor Mai Mala Buni.

He lauded the Ministry of Health for partnering with the foundation in ensuring improved quality of healthcare for citizens of the state.

The former Senate President said that the partnership with the Ministry of Health facilitated the establishment of healthcare facilities across the various local government areas in Yobe North.

Lawan said, “Let me assure you that by the grace of God we will continue with this programme in the coming years, and we will always like to improve on what we have done before.

“The adages, “health is wealth” and “a healthy nation is a wealthy nation”, are facts. We want to ensure that our people are healthy, so that they can go about their normal businesses.

“Our intervention has been to support those people who are not only challenged but who have less or probably even nothing to fight those challenges.

“In society, those who have should support those who don’t have or who have less; that is why the SAIL foundation instituted this particular programme, and as we do today, we also provided for our livestock vaccination activities simultaneously.

“This morning, we launched and flagged-off the Yusufari local government, the livestock vaccination programme. It is our desire to not only make our people healthy but our animals.

“I am happy to note that what we do in our medical outreach is even touching on some of our neighbours from Jigawa, Bauchi and so on. I wish we could do more but we will try to do better than this.

“What we do is to simply complement what the Yobe State government has been doing. Our state government has been doing so well in health and others areas, too. And, therefore, this token is in support of what it has been doing.

“I want to commend His Excellency, our Executive Governor, Rt. Hon. Mai Mala Buni, for working so hard to ensure that our population is healthy, and, of course, very productive.

“I also want to take this opportunity to commend President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, who has taken health as part of those areas of priority for this administration.

We will continue to support Mr. President to ensure that we are able to deliver completely, improved healthcare for our people. And, of course, the “Renewed Hope” agenda will be realised when we all work together.”