The House of Representatives moved on Thursday to strengthen the oversight powers of the National Assembly by prescribing a jail term of one year for heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies who fail to honour invitations to appear before the legislature or its committees.
A bill to amend the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2004 to accommodate the provision passed second reading at the House in Abuja on Thursday.
It was sponsored by a member from Kogi State, Mr. Sunday Karimi.
It also made a provision for a fine of N1m for failure to appear or respond to a parliamentary invitation.
An offender may also pay both the fine and endure a prison term of one year.
Ministers are the political heads of ministries.
Most departments and agencies are also tied to ministries, but they have heads that are accountable for their actions and decisions.
However, the new provisions cover anybody invited by the National Assembly or who is under investigation by a committee of the National Assembly, including persons in the private sector.
Defending the amendment, Karimi argued that there was a growing trend among heads of MDAs to show little regard for parliamentary invitations.
He said such officials felt that the decisions of the National Assembly were merely advisory and did not see them as binding, a reason they acted with utter disregard for invitations.
“We have to stop this attitude. The National Assembly is the Nigerian people and has the full authority of the people to ask questions on their behalf.
“Where our decisions are not given the needed respect or to have the full force of law, there is a problem there,” he added.
But, some members observed that the amendment was unnecessary because sections 88-89 of the 1999 Constitution already gave express powers to the National Assembly to perform the duties the bill was seeking to achieve.
For example, a member from Ebonyi State, Mr. Igariwe Enwo, said there was no need making a new law when the Constitution adequately captured the purpose of the new bill.
“The Legislative Houses Act is an affiliate law or an offshoot of the Constitution. The provision is there,” he stated.
Enwo pointed out that there were powers in the constitution, including the power to issue a warrant for the arrest of persons ignoring legislative summons.
However, the majority of members supported the amendment and passed it for second reading in voice vote.
The session was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yussuff Lasun.