Bad governance: Autonomy of Legislature is the key- Ondo Speaker.
By Olusegun HOSEA. 19th, 2024.
Mrs Odunayo Sawyer , Chairperson of Ondo NUJ/ OSRC chapel welcomed Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, the speaker of the Ondo state House of Assembly to their programme “The Circuit ” a programme that featured important personality to discussed issue that affects the society in a away to provide solutions to such matter. Speaking at the OSRC news room in Akure state capital.Mrs Odunayo said she was very happy that the programme have impacted positively on the development of the democracy and society at large.
In her remarks, She spoke on how the legislative members could strengthened our democracy in Nigeria via their legislative proceeding by making laws that won’t impacted members of the society positively.
Mr Kunle Adebayo, Director in OSRC thanked the Rt Hon Speaker for his support given to the governor of Ondo State, HE Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa . He also, thanked the NUJ Chairman Prince Leke Adegbite and his team for leading the crops of the Briliant Journalists in the state. He prayed for the speaker that God would not allowed him to make a mistake as it’s very easy for some people to criticized when they are out of power. He proposed for the home grown democracy that would suit the our society. According to him, the inherited democracy doesn’t not feel our society because it was too expensive to practice.
Rt. Hon. Speaker Olamide Oladiji Short Speech .
The speaker appreciated the OSCR crews for using their platforms to support the state government. He talked the Impacts of legislature on the viral improvement of Democracy. He explained that the legislature played a vital roles in democracy. As the system gave room for transparency and encouraged accountability.
He used the occasion to explained their roles in democracy as the legislature. He said they could investigate, and exposed corruption and also ensure that legal framework could promote the rights of the citizen. He said an independent legislature served as a platform of promoting diverse opinions in the society.They also balancing power dynamism.
He also spoke on the challenges of the legislative like financial constraints and lack of independency. He said an independent legislature was a vibrant to the democracy and it has to been safeguarded. He said an Autonomy of independent legislature would enable them to functions very well and reduced the undue influenced from the executive.
A question on the position of the House of Assembly on the local government Autonomy was asked and why is it difficult for the members of Parliament to disclose what they earn?
In his response, the Speaker said that the legislature were able to stabilized the political crisis in the state as one of their achievements. He spoke further that since the governor lucky Aiyedatiwa took over , the house have been given him massive support.
He said that they all welcome the judgement of the supreme Court on the issue of Local government autonomy and that they are only awaiting the supreme Court to served them a copy of that judgement. According to him, as soon as they get the copy, he said they would swung into action by passing the local government Autonomy into law .He said they have passed series of bills into law but the most important of it was the law on the increment on the wages of the workers.He said the oversight functions of Constituencies project have been captured in the state budget for this year.
On the issue of ” jumbo” salaries, he said they didn’t have autonomy as they are still at the mercy of the executive. He said they are still the one that are still determining their salary. He said all allowances related to the house Assembly members are in the public domain for public to see. He said he would look into the OSRC and Owena budget when ever it comes to them and that they would give a maximum attention to it .
He also said that to rebrand our democracy,, the move has to begin from our people by changing their orientation and vote for those people that could do the job not the highest bidder. He said if our people continued in that mentality, it’s very important to be experiencing bad governance in our country. He emphasized that it’s when the leaders in power change their orientation , it is then that the people would follow suit. He explained that if actually we wanted the good governance, the legislative autonomy is the key.
Highlights of the event was the presentation of the birthday day cake to celebrate the Rt Hon Speaker and Mrs Ireti Alewi ,a Director in the OSRC to climax the programme.
Presents at the event were Mr Kunle Adebayo- DG OSRC
* Director of Administration -Mr Segun Fadayomi
Mr Kundele Adebayo- Director OSRC
Richard Odofin
Mrs Ireti Alewi
Mrs Nike Busari
Mr Taiwo Ibitoye.
Princes Bimbo Akindele.
Comrade Prince Leke Adegbite.-NUJ
Mr Mesach Olaoluwa.
Kehinde Adeleye
