The Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has expressed concern over the “unholy romance”
between state legislatures and state governors.
According to him, such
relationships had constrained the state lawmakers from performing their
constitutional duties effectively.
This is even as he noted the need
to re-examine the role of state legislatures.
Speaking at a retreat organized
for members of the Gombe State House of Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday, Dogara
lamented the dependence of state legislatures on the executive noting that it
hindered the former from performing its constitutional duties.
The speaker who also reiterated
the role of the legislature in managing resources of states, charged the
lawmakers to seize the opportunity presented by the process of constitution
Amendment to endorse their independence as recommended by the National
Assembly.
“I dare say that the relationship
between some state legislatures and state executives is too smooth for comfort
and is giving majority of our people a level of concern and is on that account
that we decided to offer autonomy to state legislatures.
“The responsibility of managing
resources is vested on the legislature. All monies accruing to a state from
whatever source are not meant to be spent except in consequence of
appropriation by the house. And the constitution apart from giving you this
overwhelming Powers of appropriation, still gives you the power to ask
questions if in your opinion, the money is not judiciously utilized.
“It is our responsibility to ask
questions and when we do, certainly some people will not want to answer and
that will lead to dispute. So, we are bound to disagree with the executive. If
we do our job effectively, we will experience that situation but the truth is
that is how it should be.”
He noted that if most state
legislatures effectively discharged their responsibilities, the country would
be better.
“The role of state legislature
needs to be re-examined. I say this without fear or favor. If most of the state
assemblies were effective in the discharge of their responsibilities in terms
of oversight and appropriation, Nigeria will be better.
“From federal allocation, more
money is transmitted to the states than the center hence, the need for us to
look at it more seriously.
“I am not advocating that state
legislatures go up in arms against state executive, no. We can he
confrontational without being combative”, he submitted.
The speaker further hinted that
the proposed amendment to the constitution will soon be transmitted to the
thirty six state Houses of Assembly for concurrence and charged the lawmakers
to seize the opportunity presented by the process to endorse their independence
as recommended by the National Assembly.
“It is on the account of this
concern we decided to offer autonomy to state assemblies. We have offered, it
is for you to take it. It is important you endorse it and other proposals for
good governance. It is about democracy, it is about openness and good
governance at local level”, Dogara stated.
Earlier, the speaker of Gombe
State House of Assembly, Hon. Nasir Abubakar Nono said the retreat themed
“Effective lawmaking for good governance” was borne out of the need for the
lawmakers to keep abreast with lawmaking processes that will foster good
governance and concretize the unity of the country.
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