…We are committed to our responsibilities, Assembly spokesman insists
Okon Bassey in Uyo
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) in Akwa Ibom State has alleged that the seventh state House of Assembly ‘is too weak’ to be called an arm of a government in a democratic setting.
The state Chairman of the CLO, Mr. Franklin Isong, made the allegation yesterday while interacting with journalists in Uyo, the state capital.
Isong alleged that the Assembly lacked initiative to carry out its oversight functions, just as a member of the Assembly also anonymously side with the CLO, claiming that the state Assembly is now like one of the Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) of the state government.
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) Akwa Ibom State Chapter has described the State House of Assembly as being too weak to be an arm of government in a democratic setting, alleging that the legislature has been tied to the apron-string of the Executive.
The State Chairman of CLO, Otuekong Franklyn Isong in a chat with journalists in Uyo on Thursday said the 7th Assembly lacks initiative in carrying out its oversight functions, adding that the House merely passes motions to approve loans for the Executive without monitoring the utilization of such funds.
He, however, regretted that the legislature was unable to unravel the allegation that it received N1.057 billion of constituency project as indicated in the annual report of the Accountant General of the State before it came public saying that the act of setting up a committee by the legislature to probe the report at the tail end was just a ‘crying shame.’
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