Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Hon.
Aminu Bello Masari, has declared that the Nati-onal Assembly will in 2005, exercise full constitutional powers of control and cens-orship on appropriations of all organs of government to check any slide to dictator-ship.
This is just as Dr Ibrhaim Tahir, the Talba of Bauchi, identified control of approp-riation to the executive by the legislature as a necessary measure to stop creeping dic-tatorship which is threate-ning democracy and the presidential system being practised in the country.
Speaker Masari and Dr Tahir both spoke at the clos-ing of a three-day retreat held by the House of Representatives at the Bauchi zone, although the retreat held in two other zones including Minna in Niger State and Osogbo in Osun State.
At a post-retreat press conference, Masari, while fielding questions from newsmen, said that there are landmark provisions in the 2004 Appropriation Act which vests powers in the National Assembly to determine what goes to the executive, judiciary and other government departments to ensure strict compliance with due process and procedures.
The Speaker said those powers had in the last five years, not been fully exercised but that time has come for the legislature to dictate the pace regarding appropriations so that its constitutional powers would not be usurped and to ensure there is probity in the allocation, disbursement and management of funds in the national, interest.
The Speaker also noted that the National assembly would, in line with its legal powers, monitor the 2005 Appropriations to ensure that it defends fully, whatever it passes as Appropriation Act, including its implementation which must be jealously guided.
“Even if it means a joint sitting to decide, the House will still maintain its position and it will have its way,” he said, adding that it was in line with the new resolve to reposition the House to discharge its constitutional duties.
Dr Ibrahim Tahir, in his presentation at the retreat, suggested that the presidential system of government practised in Nigeria has slide into dictatorship as is the case in other African countries.
This he said, can be checked if only the legislature take proper control of appropriation to the executive, sufficient over sighting of the executive and its agencies and through impeachment, though the last option, he said, might not be easy.
He advised the legislature to evolve a tough stance and establish a liaison with the executive to work out fresh rules and procedures for appropriation and recommended a joint retreat for the executive and legislature on the best ways to govern Nigeria.
Part of his recommendations also was that all stakeholders in the Nigerian project should examine the possibility of adopting a parliamentary system of government like that practised in France, which he said is by far better than the presidential system which oftens slides into dictatorship.
|
