By Saminu Ibrahim
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, Senator Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) has attributed the persistent failure of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to implement Senate resolutions partly to the Senate’s failure to consider recommendations submitted by the committee.
The lawmaker, who spoke with newsmen after Tuesday’s plenary, said the committee had submitted a report detailing its activities over the past three years, including recommendations aimed at addressing gaps in the implementation of Senate resolutions.
He, however, bemoaned that the report, which was laid before the Senate, had yet to be debated or considered by lawmakers.
His comments followed concerns raised by Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) over the failure of government agencies and departments to comply with resolutions adopted after motions and debates on issues affecting Nigerians.
According to Maidoki, the committee had, upon its inauguration, organised a seminar for MDAs and National Assembly officials to clarify their respective responsibilities regarding legislative compliance.
He explained that Senate resolutions were not laws and, therefore, did not carry the same binding force as legislation.
However, he stressed that the resolutions remained important expressions of the concerns and aspirations of Nigerians, conveyed through their elected representatives.
“When we make resolutions, because we are representing people across the country, we are telling policymakers, governments and government parastatals what Nigerians think and asking them to adjust their programmes to address these issues,” he said.
The chairman argued that implementing such resolutions would help the government respond more effectively to the needs and aspirations of citizens.
He maintained that several of the concerns currently being raised by senators had already been addressed in the committee’s report, adding that considering its recommendations would help identify and close existing gaps.
The committee chairman also identified budgetary constraints as another factor affecting the implementation of Senate resolutions.
He explained that government activities for a particular year were usually captured in the preceding year’s budget, making it difficult for MDAs to execute new activities introduced after the appropriation had been approved.
According to him, agencies may struggle to implement resolutions requiring additional activities or expenditure if the necessary provisions are not included in their approved budgets.
To address the challenge, he said the committee had recommended that outstanding Senate resolutions should be given priority in the following year’s appropriation.
He expressed concern that the Senate had yet to consider the proposal, which he said could provide a practical framework for improving compliance.
The chairman further described the Senate President as the chief compliance officer of the Senate, saying the committee’s recommendations were intended to provide the leadership with the necessary tools to ensure that government agencies respond appropriately to legislative resolutions.
He urged the Senate to consider the committee’s report and recommendations as part of efforts to strengthen legislative oversight and improve compliance with resolutions adopted in the interest of Nigerians.
