Review of the 199 Constitution will start next week when the National Assembly inaugurates an 80-member joint committee for the exercise, Senate President David Mark said yesterday.

Speaking at the resumption of the Senate after a two-month recess, Mark said the National Assembly was committed to coming up with new laws that will positively touch on the lives of Nigerians.

The Senate and the House of Representatives have announced membership of the joint constitution review committee before the two chambers went on annual recess. The committee, with membership from each of the 36 states and Abuja, is to be headed by Deputy President of the Senate Ike Ekwer-emadu, while the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Usman Bayero Nafada will serve as his deputy.

Mark said in his address, "As we return the expectation of the people is naturally and rightly high. Among others, our people anxiously await action on the constitution amendment.

"You will recall that before we proceed on recess, we had announced the names of our colleagues who would represent us in the constitution Review Committee. It is heart-warming to note that the House of Representatives has also named its membership.

"We can for all intent and purposes declare that we are set to kick start the process. The Joint Committee should be inaugurated early next week, God willing," he said.