Group to NASS: Be more patriotic in handling budget matter
An appeal has gone out to members of the National Assembly to be more patriotic in their approach towards matters that concern the budget, noting that, “though their patriotism is not in doubt, it can still be upped in the interest of the generality of the citizenry.”
Making this appeal in a press release signed by its National Coordinator, Ogbeni Kunle Adeosun, a human rights group, Yoruba Radical Assembly (YRA), also called on Nigerian to caution the Federal Lawmakers over what it termed, “annual legislative high handedness on budget passage.”
The group asserted that, “unless the people show their displeasure over their perceived anti-progress and anti-development attitude, the country will continue to nose dive into more hardship,” lamenting that, “our highly respected representatives appear to be our albatross rather than being protectors of our collective interest.”
The YRA also expressed displeasure over the embarrassment suffered by the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), in the hands of the legislators recently when defending his ministry’s budget, wondering how a Minister that has been earning accolades from the people over his superb performance could be subjected to such an undeserved embarrassment from those who should commend him for a work well done.
While cautioning the lawmakers to desist from any act that could portray them as exhibiting an opposition induced bad blood, the group therefore urged Nigerians to appeal to the legislators over their alleged high handedness in their ways of handling the budget passage, saying, “the oversight antics are holding the country to ransom.”
The YRA is not also happy with the way the 2018 budget presented to the members by President Muhammadu Buhari was treated, complaining that, “their attitude, regrettably toed the same path of unnecessary delay, pointing out that, “the clarion call to Nigerians’ collective intervention is the only way to save the country from another round of budget passage delay.”
The group is of the strong conviction that, prompt collective intervention of the citizenry can guarantee the expected growth and required development that President Muhammadu Buhari desired by presenting the document very early.
“And it is our candid belief that our honourable members in the House would be patriotic enough to assist the President, nay, the whole country to achieve the desired goal of early passage.
We still repose our unflinching confidence in them, just as we are not against proper scrutiny of the document for the good of all of us. What we are after is a robust synergy between the executive and the legislative arm of government for the benefit of all and sundry,” the statement concluded.
Patrick Okohue
