The outgoing President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has assented to bills establishing the National Social Investment Programme Agency and the National Senior Secondary Education Commission as well as six others passed by the National Assembly.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters – Senate, Senator Babajide Omoworare, the assent was in furtherance of the provisions of the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The statement was titled, ‘President Buhari Assents to the National Investment Programme Agency, National Senior Secondary Education Bills and Six Others.’

By signing its establishment bill into law, it legalises the National Social Investment Programme initiated by the outgoing regime, which was established to assist and empower the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria, and changes its name to National Social Investment Programme Agency.

“The objective of the Act is to provide a legal and institutional framework for the establishment and management of the National Social Investment in Nigeria,” the statement said.

The National Senior Secondary Education Act establishes a Commission, prescribes minimum standards for senior secondary education in Nigeria and the management of National Senior Secondary Education Fund.

The Chartered Institute of Power Engineers of Nigeria Act establishes the Chartered Institute of Power Engineers of Nigeria and is charged with the responsibility for determining the standard of knowledge and skill to be attained by persons seeking to become chartered power engineers.

The statement added, “The President also assented to the Federal University of Health Sciences Ila-Orangun (Establishment) Act, the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (Establishment) Act, the Chartered Institute of Development Studies and Administration of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (Establishment) Act, and the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria Act, respectively.”

Ila-Orangun is the hometown of a former Governor of Osun State and the pioneer Acting Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, a known ally of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.