Abeokuta: By Andy BABATUNDE
Published, Friday, July 8, 2022
A FORMER CLERK OF THE STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY/PERMANENT SECRETARY in Ogun State has stated that majority of governors in the 36 States of Nigeria don't want independent Houses of Assembly.
Barrister Demola Badajo, who was the Clerk of the Ogun State House of Assembly between 2009 and 2011 disclosed this while delivering a paper entitled: “Values, Attitudes and Work Ethics in the Parliamentarism: Issues, Challenges and Panacea” at the maiden edition of Public Lecture to mark this year International Day of Parliamentarism organised by the State Chapter of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, yesterday
Badejo, also an ex-Permanent Secretary, explained that it was essential for the legislative arm to be independent in order to fully discharge its constitutional responsibility in a democracy.
He said an independent legislature must attain a new dawn that would enable it perform in line with the high expectations of the populace as the only arm of government responsible for the identification of the needs, yearnings and aspiration of the common man.
The former Clerk of Ogun State House of Assbly who's also a journalist and former State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State, urged the media in the country to support independent Legislature in the country, imploring the media to amplify, and escalate the importance of an independent legislature as State Houses of Assembly are being relgted to the background.
While lamenting the long process and tortuous journey towards achieving independence for the State Houses of Assembly, the former information manager turned lawyer noted, “in this respect, the principle of separation of powers, a basic element in a democracy is yet to evolve fully.
Consequently, the growth and development of the legislative arm, the major difference between a democratic dispensation and military rule, has been stunted over the years because the executive obviously do not want an independent legislature.
He posited that most State goernors would prefer a lame duck Houses of Assembly, acknowledging that the situation in the National Assembly is fairly better, the State Governors have held their Houses of Assembly on the jugular in order to stifling them of necessary funds.
Reeling out of his experience as the Chief Accounting Officer of the Ogun State House of Assembly, he recalled how he joined others in the battle in the past to get Houses of Assembly budgeted funds on the first line charge.
He said some Hon. Speakers even voted against the initiative as some claimed their Governors would have removed them from their positions before they got home from our meeting in Abuja.
Barr. Demola Badejo postulated that “absence of infrastructure has also hindered efficiency and stagnated development of the legislative arm of government in the State, saying while the executive arm in Ogun State has moved the Office of the Chief Executive from Oke-Ilewo to Oke-Mosan (1, 2, 3, & 4 times) and the Judiciary has moved from Isabo to Kobape, the Legislature has remained in its 1978 complex, which has become archaic and most unbefitting.
“Closely related to this is the issue of lack of regular training for legislative staff. As the least developed arm of government through no fault of hers, the legislature (members and staff) need to be exposed to regular training, locally and abroad”.
Counseling the Assembly’s staffers to perform their functions effectively, Barr. Badejo noted that availability of competent, dedicated and professional staff remained of high priority; admonishing them to exhibit loyalty, integrity, humility, honesty, spirituality, selflessness, compassion and kindness in addition to the strict adherence to the public service maxim of impartiality, neutrality and avoid animosity as encapsulated in the “omoluabi ethos”.
He further reiterated that Clerk of the House of House of Assembly was at par with Head of Service in the State civil service when the first Arm of Government, the Legislature becomes fully independent, corroborating the need to self a development.
He advised the parliamentary staff to constantly acquire new knowledge that would enhance their efficiency, proficiency and competence in the course of their duties.
In his opening remarks, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, admonished the staff to continue to exhibit respect for the work ethics and the workplace towards sustaining productivity, “knowing fully well that the fine values, ethics and behaviours such as courtesy, integrity, accountability, diligence, perseverance and sense of discipline in their collective bid are essential towards achieving institutional goals”.
Oluomo frankly told the parliamentary staff of the State House of Assembly to ensure discipline and efficiency at work, assuring them of sustaining a reward-driven institution and enabling environment,
Oluomo challenged the workers to upgrade their skills, seek additional knowledge with a view to meeting emerging innovation in the discharge of their legislative duties; saying that today’s knowledge and skills would not be sufficient in confronting tomorrow’s challenges.
He said opportunities abound in an independent House of Assembly, adding that vacancies that would emerge when the Legislature gains its independence would be filled by giving consideration to existing workers before outsiders.
He admonished the staff of the House to rather gain competence and be loyal to the management in the discharge of their duties, saying pendling influence, favouritism and parochialism around would not stop efforts to raise the standard of administration in the House.
“However, at a time like this in the nation’s polity where the structures and institutions of democracy, whether in the developed or developing climes are built and centered around the legislature; workers who find themselves in its service must, as a matter of utmost responsibility be mindful that values, work ethics and attitudes are dynamic factors that determines the workers’ effectiveness.
"They must exhibit time-tested values, ethos and traditions of honesty, probity, transparency, integrity, hard work and service excellence that are all the attributes of the public service founding fathers”, the Speaker stated.
Earlier in his welcome address, the State Chairman of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, Comrade Ayotunde Ojediran appreciated the members of the association for their steadfastness in the discharge of their duties, adding that the association was irrevocably committed to exploring all avenues to improve on the capacity of its members, who would in turn contribute to the development of the legislative institution.
No comments:
Post a Comment