The Oyo State House of Assembly has said State Houses of Assembly continue to be constrained in the exercise of its constitutional powers because some items that should be moved to the Concurrent List remain on the Exclusive Legislative List.
In particular, the Assembly bemoaned the fact that Houses of Assembly are not constitutionally empowered to legislate on issues of security, police, control of solid mineral resources among some others on the exclusive legislative list.
According to the 1999 Constitution (as amended), State Houses of Assembly are empowered to make laws “for the peace, order and good governance of the State in respect of matters not in the exclusive legislative list but in concurrent list.”
The Oyo Assembly’s position is contained in the 10th Assembly legislative agenda 2023-2027 recently unveiled by Governor Seyi Makinde at the parliamentary caucus room of the State Assembly, State Secretariat, Ibadan.
Aside from constitutional constraints, the Assembly notes that it is expected to function amid institutional constraints that include “non-implementation of full financial autonomy of the state legislatures, limited funding for training and re-training of members and legislative staff, inadequate office accommodation, committee meeting rooms, tools and equipment.”
“While the House has its powers and privileges clearly codified in some legal frameworks such as the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as altered), the Standing Rules and some resources to match, there are still some noticeable gaps in its institutional capacity to effectively deliver on its mandates.
“Its constitutional power is constrained by the fact that some items on the exclusive legislative list should be moved to concurrent list. These related gaps must be addressed for the House to be able to live up to its responsibilities,” the agenda read.
There are also issues of non-functional, inadequate constituency offices, inadequate manpower, poor infrastructure especially ICT, lack of qualified and adequate legal drafters.
Its performance of oversight function is equally affected by inadequate accessibility to relevant data, monitoring vehicles, relevant professional services, inadequate competent parliamentary staff, legislative aides and other logistics.
The priority of the Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin-led Assembly, between 2023 and 2027, would be the passage of bills, motions, resolutions relating to poverty alleviation, strengthening of the parliament, education, agriculture and food security, security and safety, health, economy and job creation.
The Assembly is resolved to dedicate its legislative powers to addressing the high number of unemployed youth, poverty, rising criminality and related anti-social behavior.
The Assembly is also committed to intervene through appropriation of more funds for rural development, amendment of existing laws to attract investors, encourage industrialization, enactment of Oyo State SMEs Trust Fund Bill, increase appropriation to poverty alleviation.
Also to be prioritized is giving attention to issues of gross underfunding, infrastructural deficiencies, poor condition of service which affect morale, motivation, need to improve teachers’ welfare, need to increase appropriation to the education sector.
On agriculture and food security, the state legislature is also concerned that the state is yet to optimize its full agricultural potential, address issues of destruction of farm land, incessant herdsmen/farmers clash, inadequate extension service, inadequate agricultural inputs, poor infrastructure.
As regards security and safety, the Assembly also hopes to address incessant herdsmen/farmers clashes by harping on the need to implement the Oyo State Open Rearing and Grazing Regulation, 2019, address the issue of gang war, influx of commercial motorcycle riders, see to implementation of anti-kidnapping law and existing open rearing laws.
The Assembly also notes the need for increased appropriation to the health sector, motion for public private participation in healthcare provision and administration to tackle issues of inadequate medical personnel, inadequate health facilities, poor remuneration of health workers, unhealthy rivalry among different actors in the health sector, effective oversight of the health sector.
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