N’Assembly threatens sanctions against MDAs defying legislative oversight

Nigeria's National Assembly has issued a stern warning, threatening constitutional and legislative sanctions against heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and government-owned enterprises that repeatedly ignore invitations from legislative committees. This move signals a hardening stance against perceived defiance of oversight functions crucial to democratic governance.

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We must start by calling their attention that this is the last warning.

The Senate, during a debate on Thursday, adopted resolutions directing government agencies to comply with committee summons. This action was prompted by the repeated refusal of several agencies to appear before the Senate Committee on Finance. Senator Abdul Ningi highlighted that the National Assembly could no longer plead with agencies to fulfill their constitutional obligations, describing the persistent refusal as a direct affront to the legislative authority and a threat to democracy. Proposed measures include informing the President about the disrespect and withholding budgetary allocations from non-compliant organizations.

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Secondly, we will write to the President to inform him that this arm of government is not being respected.

Contributing to the debate, Senator Adams Oshiomhole argued that the blame lies with the heads of defaulting institutions, not the President, and characterized their non-compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act and Treasury circulars as economic sabotage. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu reinforced the National Assembly's existing constitutional powers, citing Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution, which allow for the issuance of warrants to compel attendance, suggesting these powers should be exercised without executive intervention.

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Thirdly, no budgetary allocation to any organisation that refuses to come.

In parallel, the House Committee on Federal Character ordered the immediate suspension of recruitment activities at the Nigeria Revenue Service. This action was taken due to the alleged defiance of its summons by the agency’s Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji. The National Assembly's unified front underscores a determination to enforce accountability and ensure that government bodies adhere to legislative oversight, a cornerstone of checks and balances in Nigeria's governance structure.

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Mr President should not be bothered about this matter. It is an indictment on the agencies that did not comply with the Fiscal Responsibility Act or Treasury circulars. I consider this an act of economic sabotage.