Tambuwal: Why House Fails to Probe, Oversee Security Votes

 Hon. Aminu Tambuwal

Insists Alison-Madueke’s investigation will continue

By Muhammad Bello 

The executive arm of government and the media were yesterday fingered for the inability of the federal lawmakers to effectively probe appropriation accruing to security agencies and also conduct oversight on those agencies of government.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, stated this while responding to the  call by the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) on the House to prevail on the executive arm of government to tackle  the reign of terror in the country and bring back the schoolgirls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok.

This was as Tambuwal insisted that the House, which resolved yesterday to urge security agencies to provide monthly briefings on the progress they were making in states under emergency rule, would proceed with the probe of the alleged personal use of a private jet charter and maintained at the cost of  N10billion by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The speaker said it was the responsibility of the parliament to appropriate funds to the security agencies and give them legal backing to conduct their operations, with reference to the extension of emergency rule in the North-east states.

He said the House had been unable to follow up on how monies appropriated had been spent and on what.
“As a parliament, we are expected to oversee the implementation of laws. We have not been able to do much for certain reasons.

“Any day a committee of the National Assembly goes on oversight, we meet a lot of resistance from some of these agencies of government,” he noted.

He blamed the media for its campaign against the  National Assembly in its quest to probe and perform its oversight functions.

“There has been the tendency to slant stories against the  Legislature, in favour of the executive arm of government. You can’t seat somewhere and say that public officers shouldn’t appear before the National Assembly,” he offered.

The speaker also took a swipe at public officers who promote stories that they are being persecuted when they are invited to grace public hearings trying to get to the root of allegations made against them.

“We are often misunderstood. But we will continue to do our best,” the Tambuwal assured Nigerians, just as he condemned the belligerent Boko Haram insurgents for being anti-Islam in their positions.

He also expressed “concern with the level of corruption going on in the country,” pointing out that the House was privileged to know much about this “because we are the ones working hand- in-hand with the executive and we see more of these things.”

Meanwhile, against the backdrop of  the reports last weekend that Tambuwal had directed that the investigation of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, be swept under the carpet, he on Wednesday, reacted saying the lower chamber will still scrutinise the matter, which was dragged before an Abuja High Court by the minister.
The Speaker premised his insistence for the continuation of the probe on the fact that the House had consulted with Justice Mahmud Mohammed who supposedly granted a restraining order stopping the probe.

According to him, other stakeholders were also reached.
He noted: “It was widely reported that I ordered that the investigation should be stopped. But it was my position that we should hold on until I receive a legal briefing on the matter, as even the judge himself had said he didn’t grant an injunction to halt the probe.

“You should continue with your investigation and turn up your report accordingly,” the speaker challenged the Public Accounts Committee probing the private jet issue.
In her speech, FOMWAN’s

Deputy National President, Hajiya Farida Sada Yusuf, said it was with a bleeding heart and agonising pain that the organisation view the  wanton violence being unleashed in some states in the country.

Expressing its sadness and trepidation over the issue, FOMWAN lamented the inability of security agents to explain the situation and apprehend the perpetrators.

It urged the House to stand up and be counted by exploring “all avenues to find solution to this crime against humanity.”

She called on the legislators to resist the easy path of blame, adding that instead, it suggested that they should seek and identify the perpetrators of terror, “rise to the occasion and give responsible leadership.”

The group urged the House to prevail on the presidency to release white papers on all reports submitted to it on Boko Haram insurgency.

In a related development, the House adopted a motion on the need for monthly briefing on the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States sponsored by Hon. Aishatu Ahmed (PDP, Adamawa).

Noting that economic development can only be sustained in an environment of peace, the House posited that “a periodic briefing on the measures undertaken by the security agencies to combat the insurgency since the declaration of the state of emergency will go a long way in reassuring Nigerians of adequate guarantee of security of lives and property.”



REF     http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/tambuwal-why-house-fails-to-probe-oversee-security-votes/179137/