It is a known fact that the parliament everywhere is a bridge between the government and the people because of the fact that it is a composition of the representatives of the people.
It is an arm of government that must at every point in time pay attention to the yearnings and aspirations of the people because if the parliament fails or decides to go a different route from that which the people want for the government, there will be calamity and a gulfbetween the people and the government. Legislations must therefore be in tune with the vision of government so as to encourage growth.
In Nigeria’s democracy, state houses of assembly are seen as mere appendages of their state executives and as a result are often regarded as incapable of discharging their statutory responsibilities as independent arm of government at the state level.
Although this situation is evident in most states of the federation, some state legislatures have in the course of the deepening of our democracy proven their legislative mettle by not only exercising their independence but also impacting on their constituents directly through sound legislations and playing their oversight role fearlessly.
For the houses of assembly in this category, one thing is common among them – committed leadership with a speaker whose capacity to carry everybody along and set the paradigm for excellent representation is never in doubt. In this wise, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly serves as model.
Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke, a two-term member representing Nsit Ubium State constituency, has shown profound capacity in leading the 26-member Akwa Ibom State house of assembly, popularly known as the People's Assembly given its pro-people philosophy. Continuous public participation in the review of the state budget to ensure the people have a say in what goes into the budget every fiscal year sharply gives credence to the People’s Assembly standard of the state legislature.
In its two years since formation, the 6th Akwa Ibom Assembly which boasts of articulate, dynamic, resourceful and brilliant lawmakers has brought to bear the fact that the vibrancy of the legislature is not in entering into fisticuffs with other arms of government but being able to work in synergy with those arms of government to effectively deliver the dividends of democracy to the people. This is evident in the actualization of the vision of Gov. Udom Emmanuel for the people of Akwa Ibom state.
For instance the Akwa Ibom state government in the first quarter of 2017 attracted over $18m in capital importation, coming behind Lagos state and above the FCT and Rivers state. The Nigerian Bureau of Statistics rates Akwa Ibom as the second most preferred investor destination in the country.
Achievements like this can only be attained under a governor as focused as Governor Emmanuel and with a supportive state legislature such as that which is led by the 39-year-old Speaker Onofiok Luke.
A staunch advocate of social justice and astute democrat who believes that the masses should be empowered through the dividends of democracy, the speaker of the house has so far revolutionalised the art of legislative representation, thus setting the template for his colleagues in the 6th assembly.
As a corollary, the last two years has seen the 26 assemblymen performing tremendously in lawmaking, oversight and developing constituents through the provision of basic welfare packages such as free healthcare services, donation of cars for transport schemes, provision of startup funds for small and medium scale businesses, funds for commercial agriculture supports, provision of funds for skill acquisition, and scholarship awards for educational development.
A 2-year assessment of the 6th assembly shows the house to have heightened performance in the three mandate areas of legislative engagements. The house has successfully moved motions and passed several bills, some of which have become laws having all been subjected to public hearing. Evidently, public hearing has been one of the prominent legislative policies of the current assembly.
Architected to address core human needs rather than political desires, these bills have impacted the state’s economy, education, security, infrastructure, and most palpably, it has protected the rights of the citizenry, shielding them from abuse, injustice and oppression.
Out of 40 bills so far presented, sixteen have been passed into laws. Some of the bills include, the bill for a law to establish the Akwa Ibom State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency; the bill for a law to upgrade Akwa Ibom State College of Arts and Science, upgrading of Akwa Ibom State College of Health Technology, and the social housing bill. Others are the bills to establish Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Scheme, Akwa Ibom State Youth Development Fund, State Department for the Physically Challenged, the Revenue Administration bill, the public private partnership council bill, the administration of criminal justice bill, and the Primary Healthcare Development Scheme among several others.
A close study of these bills reveals their underlying principle – to cater for the welfare of the masses. Two bills sponsored by Speaker Onofiok Luke for instance serve to provide universal health coverage to Akwa Ibom people and to support Governor Emmanuel’s affordable housing ambition.
They are the primary healthcare development scheme and agency bill and the social housing scheme and agency bill. Until the passage of these bills into law, Akwa Ibom was one of the few states in the country without the two welfare oriented laws.
The recently proposed youth development fund bill specifically seeks the establishment and composition of Akwa Ibom State Youth Empowerment Fund “into which shall be paid all monies received as 10% Oil Derivation Fund, grants, and subventions from National and Donor agencies for the purpose of youth development…”
With over 40 motions moved on the floor of the house resulting in more than 100 resolutions giving directive to either the governor or MDAs to take various actions, the house has intervened on many occasions to protect genuine individual and public interests.
Among others, the last legislative year for instance saw to four of such major interventions through the instrumentality of the legislature. One was the ordering of the immediate reinstatement of some staff members of Akwa Ibom State University, AKSU, who had been arbitrarily sacked by the school.
This followed the recommendation by an ad hoc committee set up by the speaker to investigate a petition by the affected lecturers who alleged wrongful termination of their services. The house not only ordered their reinstatement but their full regularization and release of their two-year entitlements which had been withheld. The university has since complied with the directive.
In the later part of 2016, the house also investigated a petition on the disengagement of some academics in the state college of education in 2013. Acting on its findings, the house ordered the reinstatement of the 11 affected teachers.
Another petition which spurred an investigation was that which involved the expelling of 21 students by the state college of technology, Etinan. Findings by the house committee on judiciary, justice, human rights and public petitions exonerated the students and their recall to classes was ordered by the house.
Another giant intervention of the house in issues which affect the citizenry was in the payment of entitlements owed workers of Akwa Savings and Loans Limited. This intervention has saved hundreds of jobs in the state run bank.
In yet another bold decision, the house passed a resolution directing the state executive to clear arrears of gratuity owed retirees in the state amounting to N2.08 billion. This plausible intervention followed a disagreement between the pensioners and government on whether there were outstanding payments owed to the retirees or not.
But a painstaking investigation by an ad hoc committee set up by Speaker Luke showed that indeed there were payments to be made.
This led to a house directive to the governor that the issue be sorted out and that an outstanding 7.5% contributory pension scheme be paid to all civil servants who contributed to the funds but were not paid. Human interest interventions like this are part of what has stood out the Akwa Ibom Assembly as the People's Assembly.
In line with its openness and transparency policy, the house thoroughly scrutinizes the budget of the state in a bid to ensure that the budget aligns with the vision which the governor had shared with it before giving their legislative backing.
Where necessary, some proposals are struck out of the budget. In so doing, the assembly has been able to cut off waste, increase savings for the state and also impact positively in the areas of welfare and infrastructure.
These reflect in the sustainability and strengthening of infrastructure and welfare-boosting agendas like the ongoing free and compulsory education, road construction, public-private partnership as well as interest-free grants to small and medium scale enterprises among others.
The Speaker himself explained after the passing of the 2017 appropriation bill into law that it was the initiative of the house to increase capital expenditure based on needs assessments and the demands made by Akwa Ibom people during public hearing.
“After listening to the concerns of stakeholders during the public hearing on the budget, we made an increase to the overall budget layout to the tune of 8 billion Naira in capital expenditure.
We had to augment the social sector, especially in the areas of healthcare delivery, the sum for the construction and renovation of hospitals and health institutions which original provision was too minimal.
“We had to provide for massive renovation of schools, provision of water boreholes especially in rural communities, desks in schools under the inter-ministerial direct labour coordinating committee to improve the free and compulsory education efforts of government.
“These increases account for the little over 8 billion in Capital expenditure increase that we have had. It is important to state that the increases were inspired by the needs assessment which we carried out.
It was also necessary following the contributions from stakeholders during the public hearing. Also, we had considered the need to meet certain urgent socioeconomic demands in riverine and interior communities of the state,” Speaker Luke had said.
The peaceful coexistence and transparency of the house leadership is believed to be reason for the superb output of the state assembly. Speaking with the Deputy Speaker of the house, Hon. Princess Felicia Bassey, representing Okobo State Constituency she explained that the transparent leadership of Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke has been responsible for the love and unity that exist in the house.
According to her, the house operates as a family such that it is hard to believe that of the 26 members of the house, there is one member that is not a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.
"The crop of lawmakers we have here are experienced and matured people who actually know what their constituents want; people who can define what they are here for and when you know why you are in the Assembly, you will understand your role as a lawmaker. The Speaker understands what leadership is and he goes about his duties with total humility.
Even though he is way younger than majority of us, he has demonstrated total maturity in dealing with issues on the floor of the house and in his relationship with other members. Sometimes, he goes to members' offices to invite them for meeting (executive session) not minding his position in the house.
"He is a dependable ally and we are blessed to have him in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. He doesn't operate alone; he treats everyone equally.
He carries the house along in whatever he is doing which explains why the house is succeeding as well as the cordial relation that exists between the executive and legislature", she said.
This was echoed by Hon. Mark Esset, Chairman House Committee on Boundary, Conflict and Peace Resolution and Hon. Nse Essien who maintained that the house has been alive to its duties and attributed the harmonious relationship among members of the house to purposeful leadership which in turn has brought about a cordial relationship between the legislative house and other arms of government.
"We have passed over 15 bills into law so far, some are at the committee level. The most important thing going for the House is the harmonious working relationship that exists among members of the House because no meaningful development can be achieved where there are dissenting voices and disunity", Hon. Esset explained.
Corroborating him, the Chairman, house committee on labour and productivity, Hon. Uduak A. Odudoh from Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo State Constituency explained that the house has been peaceful owing to the transparent leadership of the Speaker.
In his words, "when he came on board, he promised that all members will be treated as one and he has not failed. His humility is not a borrowed attribute because it has always been in him.
With respect to past assemblies, he has achieved what they couldn't achieve. I won't forget the training program he organized for members of the house through the National Institute for Legislative Studies, the training reshaped my thinking and widened my horizon in the area of law making."
According to the Chairman, House Committee on Finance & Appropriation, Hon. Dr. Usoro S. Akpanusoh representing Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency, the state assembly has “been able to do all these because we are in an administration which prides itself in transparency plus that we have a transparent and responsive leadership in the person of Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke. For those of us who have known him before coming to the house, we are not surprised because he has every trait of a responsible leader in him.
He has improved capacity building through workshops and seminars for members within and outside the country. He is somebody we all elected and accepted to lead the house and he has never disappointed", he stressed.
The house also stands out as one which prioritizes workers welfare. According to the Chairman of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Comrade Etiwa Etim, the present assembly has been unrelenting at improving the welfare of staff.
“In the area of welfare, the speaker is not relenting in improving the welfare of staff of the parliament; the tremendous support we got from him during the May Day celebration can attest to this".
Perhaps the assembly’s constant interaction with other government arms and stakeholders is the reason for its achievements in almost all target areas.
The house has set the ball rolling for legislative parleys with women, youths, religious leaders, traditional rulers and the labour unions so as to get first hand information about issues affecting these strata of the state so that legislation can be strengthened where necessary.
These parleys have influenced amendment of existing laws or introduction of new legislations to reflect current realities. There are also plans in place to engage the National Assembly members representing the state in a bid to have a comprehensive position on issues affecting the people of the state.
As enunciated by the member representing ONNA in the house, Hon. Nse Essien, the leadership of the Akwa Ibom assembly has successfully stirred the state legislature to perform its duties “as is expected of us to support the vision of His Excellency the governor.” He said the two years formation of the House has been very peaceful.
The speaker's press secretary, Mr. Kufre Okon, said Speaker Luke’s “towering output is driven by his policy initiatives in the state assembly which include openness and transparent legislature, democratization of the legislative processes, legislative internship programme, legislative-civic engagement, legislative representative agenda, and the promotion of political stability.”
Source...THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER
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