Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has reiterated the National Assembly’s commitment to delivering people-centred and timely amendments to the 1999 Constitution.

Barau stated this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ismail Mudashir.

Setting the tone for the two-day joint retreat of the Senate and the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in Lagos, Senator Barau appealed to the lawmakers to work towards attaining the promise made to transmit the first set of amendments to the state Houses of Assembly this year.

The retreat was organised to allow members of the joint committees to review the proposed amendments clause-by-clause. A total of 69 bills, 55 state creation requests, two boundary adjustments, and 278 local government creation requests will be considered during the retreat.

“It has been a long journey to bring the Senate and the House of Representatives Constitution Amendment proposals that cut across several sections and dealing with different subject matters.

“We have been in this process for the past two years, engaging our constituents, critical stakeholders, institutions, civil society organizations and interest groups; in town hall meetings, interactive sessions and public hearings, harvesting and synthesizing views and perspectives which has ultimately culminated to what we have here today – 69 bills, 55 state creations requests, two boundary adjustment and 278 Local Government creation requests”.

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Barau emphasised that they are expected to resolve these issues and make recommendations to their colleagues in both chambers.