Imported User:
The Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsudeen Usman, on Tuesday canvassed for the enactment of a law to criminalise the abandonment of projects by agencies of government.
Usman stated this in Abuja when he paid a courtesy visit to brief the Leader, House of Representatives, Mrs Mulikat Akande-Adeola ,on a bill to make development planning compulsory for all tiers of government.
According to him, when passed into law, medium and long term plans provided in the constitution will be synchronised as well as continuity of projects at all levels of government.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Adesoro Austen, Principal Information Officer to the House Leader.
He commended the House leader in particular and the House in general, for a new and pragmatic approach to legislative business.
The minister regretted the past practices of the House when there was stagnation of bills which necessitated undue lobbying.
Responding, Akande-Adeola said that no country could progress without adequate planning, hence the need for development plan.
She said that there was the need to brief members of the National Assembly by stakeholders, before a bill was mentioned on the floor of the House.
``It will also enable the leadership of the House to have preliminary grasp of the intention of the bill,’’she said.
The House leader bemoaned the non-implementation of laws in the country.
She warned all Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) that it would not be business as usual, as time has changed.
The legislator said that the National Assembly was proactive and would live to its responsibility in ensuring responsiveness, accountability and probity.
