Stakeholders Charge NASS To Be Progressive Partners

Stakeholders have enjoined lawmakers and the executives to be progressive partners that extend hands of fellowship to the executive for good governance and effective budget process.

This they said recently at the Gombe State Legislative Assembly annual retreat for members, the management and staff of the assembly with theme: “Enhancing Good Governance through Effective Budget Process,” in Abuja.

Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali who hails from Gombe State, stressed the need for handshakes across the Legislature and Executive divide if any political entity, especially Gombe State, hopes to foster good governance through budget process.

In his words, “I admonish you to take advantage of this unique opportunity to make the legislature a progressive partner that extends hands of fellowship to the executive arm in ensuring effective budget process for good governance of Gombe State.”

The Minister stated that it is his conviction the choice of the theme of the retreat “Good Governance through Effective Budget Process” will discuss critical issues that will enhance capacity for quality budget legislation and effective oversight.

“A careful perusal of the retreat agenda vindicates this expectation, given the diversified topics that will no doubt strengthen legislative capacity for optimal performance,” Alkali stated.

According to the Minister, the choice of topics such as Budget Monitoring and Tracking, Operationalization of Financial Autonomy, Bill Process, Scrutiny and Analysis as well as Techniques for Conduct of Oversight, Work Plan Development by Committees and Operations of Committee System will certainly equip the Lawmakers to acquire more skills that will make their constitutional duty easy and result oriented.

The Minister further admonished the Gombe Lawmakers to engage the resource team to share knowledge and experience on different methods of application of rules of legislative practice and procedure.

Speaker, Gombe State House of Assembly, Honourable Abubakar Mohammed equally revealed that the overall aim of the 2023 Retreat is to deepen the understanding of the Legislators on legislative procedures and effective budget process, by enhancing their skills on modern legislative approaches towards establishing dynamic Legislature – Executive relationships for good governance.

According to the Speaker, developing and strengthening skills, instincts, and abilities is crucial for development and success of any organisation, particularly the Legislature, which is vested with the responsibility of law making, oversight and representation.