Senate warns MDAs to honour oversight invitations or face sanctions
The Senate has cautioned heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Government-Owned Enterprises about ignoring committee invitations. Godswill Akpabio presided as senators debated the persistent refusal of several agencies to appear before oversight committees. Lawmakers stressed that this defiance threatens the authority of the National Assembly and undermines Nigeria’s democracy. The Senate resolved to enforce compliance and warned of constitutional and legislative sanctions for non-cooperation.
What we know
- The Senate warned that MDAs and Government-Owned Enterprises must honour committee invitations or face sanctions.
- Senator Sani Musa chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, which has faced repeated refusals from several agencies.
- Senator Abdul Ningi and others argued that ignoring invitations is a direct affront to the National Assembly’s authority.
- Senator Adams Oshiomhole stated that the blame lies with agency heads, not President Bola Tinubu, and called the non-compliance economic sabotage.
- The Senate resolved that agencies refusing to cooperate could lose budgetary allocations and face sanctions under the 1999 Constitution and other laws.
