10th Assembly’s Legislative Agenda and the Imperative of Accountability -By Sunday Taiwo

The 9th National Assembly garnered mixed reviews, leaving many Nigerians disillusioned with its overall performance. While there were commendable achievements, including the successful passage of critical bills that had been stalled in the previous assembly, such as the Petroleum Industry Act 2021; Electoral Act 2022, and the restoration of the budgetary calendar from January to December, there remained a sense of underwhelming outcomes, particularly in areas of pressing significance. 

With the emergence of the 10th Assembly, concerns have surfaced regarding the involvement of the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the election of the Assembly’s leadership. The perception that the President played a pivotal role in shaping the assembly’s leadership has raised questions about its independence and ability to serve as a true check and balance to the executive arm of government. 

Nevertheless, the recent unveiling of the 10th House of Representatives’ six-point legislative agenda brings new optimism, with its potential to drive progress, prosperity, and inclusivity for all Nigerians. With a focus on economic empowerment and diversification, infrastructure development, education, healthcare, security, and transparent and accountable governance, the 10th Assembly aims to steer the nation toward a brighter future. 

To achieve this ambitious agenda, the Assembly must astutely leverage the legal frameworks at its disposal while diligently exercising effective oversight. As lawmakers, they hold the power to create and amend laws that will drive economic growth, enhance social development, and address the nation’s most pressing challenges. Through the enactment of relevant legislation, they can influence the executive to implement policies and programs in line with their agenda.

However, Nigeria’s path to real progress lies in the synergy of a visionary legislative agenda and a robust accountability mechanism backed by a comprehensive audit legal framework. While the legislative agenda holds promise, we cannot ignore the pressing issue of the Federal Audit Service Bill. Passed by the 9th Assembly and transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent in March 2023, the Bill, regrettably was not assented to, till tenure expiration of the past government.

The enactment and implementation of this crucial bill is long overdue, and the consequences are evident, including misappropriation of public funds, massive under-remittances to government coffers by revenue generating agencies, untimely release of audit reports for accountability, and an erosion of citizen trust in the government’s financial management. If Nigeria is to achieve its sustainable development goals and improve the well-being of its citizens, this stagnation must not persist. The pre-independence audit law in operation, “The Audit Ordinance Act of 1956” which does not provide sufficient leverage for the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation to function optimally, must be repealed, and replaced with a modern federal audit law.

Section 11.(1) of the Federal Audit Service Bill 2022, if enacted and implemented, is poised to stabilize and aid effective formulation, implementation, and sustainability of programs and policies needed to strengthen accountability and good governance in Nigeria through a secure tenure for the Auditor-General for the Federation. 

Currently, the Supreme Audit Institution faces limitations in staff recruitment as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Civil Service Commission, impeding the Office’s ability to select personnel tailored to its specific requirements. Moreover, inadequate allocation of resources further exacerbates the Office’s prevailing financial challenges.

The Federal Audit Service Bill 2022, specifically Section 5.(1), plays a pivotal role in addressing these issues by conferring the mandate upon the Board to appoint staff of the Service. This provision grants the Board the authority to determine the administrative structure of the Service, oversee all matters related to recruitment, promotion, and disciplinary actions concerning members of staff. Additionally, the Board, in consultation with the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission, is empowered to determine the salaries and other conditions of service for the Service’s members of staff. These provisions pave way for an efficient and specialized workforce, enhancing the Office’s capacity to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities effectively.

The enactment of the Bill, asides granting much-needed financial autonomy to the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, will empower the SAI with the authority to conduct audits of all revenues and expenditures accrued to the federation, donations, grants, and loans to public entities. This critical oversight function will create a culture of accountability, instill confidence in Nigerians that their resources are judiciously utilized and managed for national development.

Hence, the 10th National Assembly must prioritize the enactment of the Federal Audit Service Bill to complement its ambitious goals. Without an effective audit framework, the potential positive impacts of the legislative agenda may be hindered by mismanagement and corruption.

Sunday Taiwo, a development enthusiast writes from Ibadan.