ABUJA – Senate President, Goodwill Akpabio, has read the riot act to Heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) with the habit of refusing to submit themselves to Legislative oversight on their sectorial allocations.
Speaking during the presentation of the 2025 Appropriation Bill by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he stressed the importance of Ministers and Heads of Extra ministerial Departments to respond promptly to requests for them to come and defend their sectoral allocations.
The Senate President expressed concern over the behavior by some ministers and heads of extraministerial departments, who sometimes neglect their duty to promptly submit to legislative oversight, sometimes even disregarding invitations from relevant Committees of the legislature.
He said it is imperative heads of MDAs with such habit understand that the National Assembly will not condone such breaches of the Constitution any longer.
The Senate President insisted that the controversy surrounding the veracity of constituency projects are uncalled for since they are required by Nigerians.
Pledging the resolve by national Assembly members to interface with Nigerians on behalf of President Tinubu, he said there is not iota of truth that constituency projects are a scam.
”Mr. President, while you cannot be everywhere, you have eyes everywhere. We, the Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members of the House of Representatives, are your eyes in our constituencies and every corner of Nigeria. When our constituents struggle to afford rice, they come to us. When their shoes pinch, they seek our assistance,” he said.
”When the economic alarm sounds, they turn to us. Therefore, we are committed to ensuring that you touch the hearts and pulse of Nigerians through these appropriation bills resonating with the sounds of hope and signaling the dawn of Nigeria’s economic.”
