By Naomi Sharang
The Senate has threatened to sanction Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs)
that deliberately refused or failed to honour invitations issued by the Senate or its committees.
The resolution followed a motion on the persistent failure of some government institutions to honour invitations extended by the Senate Committee on Finance during oversight and investigative proceedings.
The motion was sponsored by Sen. Sani Musa (Niger East) during Thursday’s plenary.
The Senate reaffirmed its constitutional powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to investigate public institutions and scrutinise the administration and expenditures of public funds.
It directed all MDAs and government-owned enterprises to honour invitations, appear before relevant committees and provide documents, records and information required for effective discharge of legislative oversight responsibilities.
The Senate also urged the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of the Civil Service and ministers to ensure strict compliance by agencies under their supervisions.
It mandated the Clerk of the National Assembly to communicate the resolution to all relevant government institutions and authorities for immediate compliance with Senate invitations, summonses and directives.
The Senate further urged the President of the Senate to issue a formal directive reaffirming the legislature’s oversight powers and demanding cooperation from government institutions.
Moving the motion, Musa who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance said that the National Assembly was constitutionally empowered to investigate the administration and expenditures of appropriated funds, expose corruption, inefficiency and waste, and promote accountability.
He noted that Order 97 of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023, as amended, empowered standing committees to exercise oversight over MDAs and government-owned enterprises within their jurisdictions.
Musa expressed concern that several government institutions had persistently failed, neglected or refused to honour invitations issued by the Committee on Finance in furtherance of its oversight responsibilities.
He said that such defiance continued in spite of the constitutional and statutory obligations requiring affected institutions to appear before committees or furnish requested information.
Contributing to the debate, Sen. Danladi Envulu-Anza (Nasarawa North) commended the sponsor for bringing the motion, stressing that the Senate possessed clear constitutional powers to compel attendance.
He said Section 89 of the Constitution empowered the Senate to summon persons to appear, answer questions and provide information relevant to proceedings before the legislature.
The senator urged colleagues to move beyond lamentations and discussions, insisting that the Senate should exercise its constitutional powers whenever individuals or institutions refused to honour legitimate invitations.
Sen. Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) proposed an additional prayer that Senate committees should recommend appropriate enforcement action against agencies that defaulted on summonses issued by the legislature.
He urged that the relevant constitutional provisions and Senate Rules be invoked where necessary, stressing that such actions should be carried out with decorum while preserving the authority of the Senate.
Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) said “It is no longer news to the Senate or the National Assembly that some MDAs and their officials are taking the National Assembly for granted, and I believe that the National Assembly must stand up to this.
“This is not the job of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is our job, and we need to act. Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution empower and protect the National Assembly to carry out its constitutional responsibilities.
“When we summon these MDAs, we do not need to go back to the Executive. We are properly constituted to perform our constitutional duties.
“This responsibility is given to us by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we do not need to rely on anybody to discharge it,”he said.
Similarly, Sen. Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), said “This Parliament is not an arm of the Executive, nor is it a department of the Executive.
“Legislators are not ministers. We are elected representatives, just like other elected officials, but we have distinct constitutional responsibilities.
However, since this motion has been brought before the Senate, let me suggest that there are three steps we can take.
“First, since the committee has reported these infractions, the Senate should give the committee a final opportunity to request the presence of the affected organisations and their officials.
“If that does not work, the committee should write to the President of the Senate, who, on behalf of the Senate, can communicate with the President informing him of the infractions and the conduct of the leadership of these agencies”.
The prayers were unambiguously adopted by the senators after a voice vote by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)