The Senate resumed plenary last Tuesday after a four-week recess that allowed lawmakers to participate in their respective party primaries.
During the three-day plenary session, senators deliberated on several national issues, including the outcome of party primaries, unpaid contractors' debts, insecurity in Oyo State, and a proposed new excise duty on sugar-sweetened beverages.
Hope for Senators Who Lost Return Tickets
In his welcome address, Senate President Godswill Akpabio acknowledged the significant number of senators who failed to secure their parties' tickets for re-election. He noted that the Senate leadership was concerned about the outcome and was exploring possible ways to support affected lawmakers across party lines.
Senate Moves to Address Contractors' Debts
Mr Akpabio also announced the formation of a six-member committee tasked with liaising with the Federal Ministry of Finance to facilitate the payment of outstanding debts owed to local contractors who executed federal capital projects.
The committee is chaired by Senator Sani Musa, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, and has been directed to submit its report within one week.
Senate Condemns Oyo School Abduction
On the second day of plenary, the Senate adopted a motion sponsored by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North), condemning the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
According to the senator, the armed kidnappers tied several children together and took them into a nearby forest. While commending efforts by security agencies to secure the victims' release, he called for stronger implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative to prevent future attacks.
Senators across party lines condemned the incident and highlighted similar security challenges in their constituencies. The Senate subsequently urged security agencies to intensify rescue operations and observed a minute of silence in honour of Michael Oyedokun, a mathematics teacher reportedly killed by the abductors.
New Excise Duty Framework for Sugary Drinks
The Senate also approved a report recommending a new excise duty framework for sugar-sweetened beverages.
The proposed amendment replaces the current ₦10-per-litre levy with a retail price-based tax system. The new framework is intended to generate dedicated funding for health promotion programmes, disease prevention initiatives, primary healthcare services, and health insurance support for vulnerable Nigerians.
Under the proposal, the levy will be calculated as a percentage of the retail price, with the specific rate to be determined by the Minister of Finance. The bill has been forwarded to the House of Representatives for concurrence.
