An elder statesman in Katsina State, Alhaji Dayyabu Gwarjo has blamed lawmakers at the federal and state levels for the economic hardship being faced in the country.
In an interview with newsmen in Katsina, Gwarjo noted that without effective oversight by legislators, the Executive Arm will malfunction.
“The constitution is very clear on the roles and responsibilities of the Legislative Arm, it primarily exists to make laws and supervise the Executive Arm without which there would be no democracy.
“I have been in active politics since the Second Republic but I have never seen a passive legislature as the current Tenth Assembly, I think they just go to Abuja and earn jumbo allowances without monitoring the activities of the Executive Arm.
“The difference between democracy and dictatorship is an active legislature, if the legislature is asleep, the President becomes too powerful and governors become Emperors in their states, this way you can never have accountability in governance”, Gwarjo said.
He lamented over what he described as “nonchalance by NASS members in managing the Nigerian economy”, noting that this has led to rising inflation, increasing pump price of petrol and progressive devaluation of the Naira.
“It is quite disturbing that from June 2023, the National Assembly divorced itself from the all-important task of managing the Nigerian economy, they do not supervise the NNPC, the CBN, the Ministry of Finance and other key organs of the economy.
“The conduct of officials of these agencies directly reflects in the economic indices in the country, if they are accountable, the pump price of petrol will not be increasing every week.
“Each rise in the pump price of petrol affects the price of every other item in the market including food and other consumables, and it affects the value of the Naira, leading to inflation and more economic hardship in the country.
“Since lawmakers represent the people of every constituency in Nigeria, why should they not be interested in what happens at the NNPC, how our crude oil is being refined, at what cost, and why the pump price of petrol keeps increasing?
“If a project worth N15 trillion is being considered for inclusion in the budget, which is more than half of the National budget, why then should federal lawmakers not hold debates to query the economic value of the project, why should they not consult their constituents through town hall meetings?
“If contract for the project is being awarded, why should NASS not follow up with oversight at the Federal Ministry of Works to scrutinize the bidding process and how the project will be funded”, the elder statesman queried.
Gwarjo, who also accused NASS of apathy in matters of fiscal policy, particularly foreign exchange policies that lead to the devaluation of the Naira, urged the lawmakers to be alive to their responsibility of vigilant oversight of MDAs.
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