Senator Ita Enang, who previously served as the President’s Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters, pointed fingers at the National Assembly for the poor state of Nigeria’s economy, the increasing national debt, and the devaluation of the naira.
Speaking at the public launch of Oversight Magazine, a publication dedicated to covering parliamentary events by former House of Representatives member Aniekan Umannah, Enang criticized the National Assembly for not asking pertinent questions that could have averted economic issues.
Enang, who chaired both the House and Senate Committee on Rules and Business, highlighted that both chambers have failed to publish reports on their oversight activities or address crucial concerns regarding the country’s debt.
He noted that while lawmakers conduct oversight visits to monitor the activities of government agencies, they do not present their findings to the parliament for discussion, as mandated.
Attributing the subpar performance of the executive arms in both state and national governments to the National Assembly’s oversight shortcomings, Enang emphasized the importance of parliamentary scrutiny in ensuring accountability.
According to Enang, effective oversight should involve scrutinizing budget implementation, monitoring project execution progress, and reporting findings to enable informed decision-making for future budget allocations and fiscal planning.
Enang concluded by asserting that the National Assembly’s failure to fulfill its oversight responsibilities has directly contributed to Nigeria’s economic challenges, currency devaluation, and escalating debt burden.