Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has said that the National Assembly is the most misunderstood arm of government in Nigeria.
He attributed the misconception to the role of the legislature in stabilizing democracy and ensuring accountability in governance. Saraki spoke at the first ever National Assembly Open Week NASSOW.
He said that we in the 8th National Assembly are directed by the voice of the people, in the full knowledge that governance is the collective responsibility of all arms of Government. The onus is on those who have been elected to be accountable, while the governed should also play their part by continuously engaging representatives, in order to put across their desires and get clarity on how legislators are working to help actualise these yearnings.
However, it remains a concern that, because the legislature is the youngest arm of government in Nigeria, it is the most misunderstood. This is largely due to an abiding misconception as to the role of the legislature and the work we are doing to stabilise democracy and ensure accountability in governance. It is my expectation that this programme will go a long way towards helping to deepen the public understanding of the very real, indispensable work done by lawmakers, in line with our constitutional mandate.
One evidence of the negative perception is the lack of understanding of the budget process and the role of the National Assembly, which is seen, unfairly, as holding up the passing of the budget. Nothing could be further from the truth. We promised and were the first Nigerian legislature to make the civil society part of the budget process through the institutionalisation of the Public Hearing process as part of the Budget process. For the first time, civil society has a voice at the table, with regard to the Budget. Public Hearing on the Budget as part of the enactment process has come to stay.
Source: Daily Post
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