I find it very unreasonable to have the National Assembly, which comprises the humongous 160 standing committees, in the country that is passing through serious economic downturn (in fact, the CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele said recession is looming). GDP is said to have dropped from the steady 7% for over a decade to about 2% presently; inflation rate is racing towards double digits at about 9.4%; and unemployment is growing at an alarming rate. Therefore, austerity measures are a matter of necessity rather than choice in all the three arms of government, be it executive, judicial or legislative.
National Assembly and change
While the Bukola Saraki-led 109-member Senate was constituting 64 committees, 7 more than in the 7th
National Assembly, its counterparts in the House of Representatives
were busy increasing the number of committees from 89 to 96 despite
several calls on the leadership of both chambers to trim it down to
avoid duplication of functions and reduce the operation costs. This
clearly suggests that the lawmakers are not ready to make any sacrifice
at the time it is needed. So, why do they claim to represent Nigerians
in Abuja?If democracy will grow in Nigeria, the three arms of the government must grow proportionately. In fact, we can view democracy as a tricycle, or keke napep in the Nigerian lexicon, where each of the three wheels represents the executive, judicial and legislative branches. No matter how much the driver struggles, the tricycle will not move an inch should any of the wheels be faulty. In the same way, Nigeria will not be able to make progress if our lawmakers are preoccupied with all sorts of indecent shows, controversies and unnecessary distractions. Meanwhile, they are being heavily paid (arguably, their salaries are one of the highest in the world) — loads of allowances, named and unnamed, flow into their pockets steadily.
The Buhari-led executive branch decided to reduce the number of federal ministries from the cash-gulping but inefficient 31 to 25, with the president himself holding the position of the minister of petroleum previously occupied by once the most powerful woman in Nigeria, Madam Diezani Allison-Madueke. With the capable hands in charge, it will help to cut the costs of running the government and improve efficiency. Also, the judiciary is actually transforming in this era of change despite the recent “controversial ruling of the Supreme Court”, as the renowned legal luminary Femi Falana put it with regard to the case of Dr Bukola Saraki versus Code of Conduct Tribunal. Although still far from our expectations, there seem to be a return of some sanity to our judicial system. This is evident in most of the judgments delivered so far, especially on election petitions, across the country.
Serious lawmakers wanted
I take it as a slap on the faces of all Nigerians for the senators, who claim to be representing us in Abuja, to brazenly shut down the chambers only to follow the president of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, to the Code of Conduct Tribunal on two different occasions. This happened at the time when the much anticipated ministerial screening was going on. How does one explain that the highest law-making institution in Nigeria was abandoned because our senators followed their boss to the court, where he was facing a 13-count charge on alleged corruption? That was obviously a broad daylight mockery at our democracy. More disappointing is the manner, in which Senator Dino Melaye, the Senate spokesperson, was “dribbling” Nigerians as though we are were “Jabulani ball” between the magical legs of Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi in a desperate bid to justify that unpopular action.The protracted battle between the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and the majority leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, in the lower house is far from over. Just last week the representatives of the two factions almost exchanged fisticuffs over the composition of the standing committees and the purported removal of Femi Gbajabiamila from office. Recall that the house had been involved in serious crisis since the emergence of Yakubu Dogara. You will agree with me that it will take a miracle for such a divided house to be focused so as to bring the dividends of democracy to the highly expectant citizens, who have been turned into mere spectators in this game of politricking.
The jumbo pay is another issue. Till date it is hard for anyone to accurately give the exact amount of salaries and allowances of Nigerian lawmakers. Over the years it has been enmeshed in all sorts of controversies — the figures are always conflicting and misleading. We are aware that the NASS receives N120 billion, but how it is being spent Nigerians do not know. There have been several useless agitations for #OpenNASS so that the exact costs of running this institution are made public. I do not know why demonstrating accountability and transparency is a nightmare for the forerunners of the APC government of change. A few days ago the Senate President Bukola Saraki again promised Nigerians that the 2016 budget of the NASS would be made public. But then, how easy will it be for one to believe since many promises have been made and broken in the past?
READ ALSO: Delay In 2016 Budget: Buhari Is Not Prepared For Governance
Lawmakers should note that Nigerians are not fools; they must realise that a lot of citizens have lost confidence in them. I can state that many Nigerians are not impressed with the manner, in which our leaders have been doing their job. However, it is not too late for them to make amends; they can repent, and therefore tighten their seat belts to face the tasks, for which they were elected. At least for the sake of change the NASS members should stop dragging our nation back; they should cease to be a spoke in Nigeria’s wheel of progress. Chikena!
Kofoworola Ayodeji for Naij.com
The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Naij.com.
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