The speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, says the National Assembly must be accountable to Nigerians as it holds other arms of governments accountable through its oversight role.
Abbas, according to a statement by his spokesman, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, said this in Abuja Tuesday at a workshop on ‘Assessment of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy of Nigeria and the Role of Legislature’, organised by the Directorate of Planning and Legislative Budget of the National Assembly.
Abbas, represented by the chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Budget, Mohammed Omar Bio, said, “if as lawmakers we ask other arms of the government questions about the usage of public funds, we must equally be ready to take such questions from the citizens at whose command we function.”
He noted that monitoring and evaluation as a national policy is a framework designed to institutionalise standard practices and culture of good governance in public investment and accountability towards improvement of socio-economic development of the society.
Also speaking, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin said the National Assembly would be more diligent in carrying out its oversight of MDAs.
Barau, represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Idris Abiola Ajimobi, said the Senate would partner with relevant organisations to come up with necessary legislation that would fast-track the development of the country.
