In a stern reminder to government agencies, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has highlighted that compliance with the resolutions of the National Assembly is not optional but a constitutional obligation. This warning came during the 2nd National Workshop organized by the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, held in Abuja on Tuesday. The workshop, which focused on “Consolidating Strategies for Strengthening Legislative Compliance by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs),” addressed critical issues around the increasing disregard for the resolutions passed by the legislature.
Represented by Senator Osita Ngwu, the Minority Whip of the Senate, Akpabio highlighted the vital role of compliance in ensuring good governance, transparency, and accountability in public institutions. He warned that the National Assembly would no longer tolerate any form of non-compliance by MDAs and other public institutions that are expected to adhere to legislative resolutions.
“Let me state emphatically, compliance with legislative resolutions is not optional. It is absolutely fundamental,” Akpabio stressed, underlining that such compliance was a constitutional obligation owed to the people of Nigeria. The Senate President also reiterated that the laws, policies, and oversight functions of the National Assembly are meant to guide the execution of government programs in a manner that ensures transparency, equity, and effectiveness.
Akpabio’s message came amid growing concerns about the failure of some MDAs to comply with directives from the National Assembly. The Senate President emphasized that when public institutions fail to comply with legislative resolutions, they not only undermine the authority of the legislature but also erode the trust of the Nigerian people in their democratic institutions.
“The days of impunity must give way to the reign of institutional discipline,” Akpabio asserted. He also clarified that while the National Assembly was committed to enforcing its resolutions, such enforcement would be accompanied by constructive engagement with the relevant institutions to address underlying challenges.
A key aspect of Akpabio’s statement was his call for a closer collaboration between public institutions and the National Assembly. “When public institutions ignore legislative resolutions, when compliance becomes selective, and when oversight is treated with disdain, the result is a breakdown in trust,” he added. He also reassured Nigerians that the National Assembly remained unwavering in its resolve to ensure that legislative resolutions were respected and implemented.
Senator Ede Dafinone, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, also voiced concerns over the non-compliance of several MDAs. Dafinone described the failure of some agencies to act on National Assembly resolutions as a serious threat to the foundation of Nigeria’s democratic institutions. “In recent times, we have witnessed several instances where MDAs and public institutions have either delayed or outrightly disregarded legislative resolutions passed by the Senate,” he noted. This, he added, had weakened the ability of democratic institutions to function effectively.
The workshop aimed to provide stakeholders with a platform to critically examine the root causes of non-compliance with legislative resolutions. Dafinone identified several challenges contributing to the problem, including legal ambiguities, institutional rivalries, capacity gaps, and bureaucratic hurdles. He called for practical and enforceable solutions to address these challenges and ensure that legislation was properly implemented.
“The goal is to develop strategies that will bridge the gap between legislation and execution for the benefit of good governance, institutional effectiveness, and the Nigerian people,” Dafinone said. His comments underscored the importance of bridging the divide between policy formulation and its actual implementation at the grassroots level.
The workshop also received praise from Mr. Francis Usani, the Director of Fraud Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Control, who represented the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede. Usani commended the workshop’s timing, particularly as Nigeria had recently witnessed an alarming number of instances where laws, policies, rules, and regulations were being disregarded.
“This workshop couldn’t have come at a better time—when we are witnessing increased instances of laws, policies, rules, and regulations being observed more in the breach than in compliance,” Usani remarked. He stressed that democracy could only be sustained if the laws made by the legislature were obeyed, noting that failure to comply with laws would lead to anarchy.
The theme of the workshop, “Consolidating Strategies for Strengthening Legislative Compliance by MDAs,” sought to tackle the broader issue of accountability in governance. With an increasing number of MDAs ignoring legislative resolutions, the National Assembly’s authority was being questioned. This situation has sparked debate about the role of legislative oversight and its capacity to hold public institutions accountable.
Usani’s comments reflected a widely held sentiment that without strict adherence to laws and resolutions, Nigeria’s democratic processes could be seriously undermined. “Compliance with resolutions made by the legislature is therefore critical to the sustenance of institutions,” Usani emphasized. “Where there are no laws, there will be anarchy, and where laws are made but not complied with or implemented, there will also be anarchy.”
The discussions at the workshop highlighted several important points. The need for legal clarity, better communication between the executive and legislative branches, and the role of effective oversight mechanisms in ensuring that MDAs fulfill their obligations were all considered essential to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions. Furthermore, the call for a coordinated approach to enforcement and engagement with MDAs demonstrated the Senate’s commitment to improving governance in the country.
The workshop also pointed to a deeper issue within Nigeria’s public service—structural inefficiencies and lack of accountability in various MDAs. As more agencies fail to comply with legislative resolutions, questions about the broader health of the country’s public sector remain critical. The workshop, therefore, provided a much-needed forum for discussing these issues and formulating solutions.
Ultimately, the message from Senate President Akpabio and other speakers at the workshop was clear: compliance with legislative resolutions is essential for the proper functioning of Nigeria’s democracy. As the workshop concluded, it became evident that the National Assembly was not only committed to ensuring adherence to its resolutions but was also determined to engage with MDAs to create a more accountable and transparent government.
