Senate Warns MDAs of Sanctions Over Failure to Honour Oversight Invitations

The Senate has issued a stern warning to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs), declaring that institutions that ignore invitations from its committees will face constitutional and legislative sanctions.

The resolution was adopted during Thursday’s plenary following concerns over the repeated refusal of several government agencies to appear before the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa.

Presiding over the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio led lawmakers in unanimously approving resolutions directing all government agencies to cooperate with legislative oversight or face sanctions provided under the Constitution and other relevant laws.

Senator Abdul Ningi, who initiated the debate, described the persistent absence of agency heads before Senate committees as a challenge to the authority of the National Assembly and a threat to democratic governance.

“This should be their last warning. We will notify the President that this arm of government is not being respected, and any organisation that refuses to appear should not receive budgetary allocation,” Ningi said.

Former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, said President Bola Tinubu should not be blamed for the conduct of the agencies, arguing that the responsibility lies with the heads of the defaulting institutions.

“Mr. President should not be bothered about this matter. It is an indictment on the agencies that failed to comply with the Fiscal Responsibility Act and Treasury circulars. I consider this an act of economic sabotage,” Oshiomhole stated.

Senator Oji Uzor Kalu maintained that the Senate already has adequate constitutional powers to compel attendance without involving the Executive, citing Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution.

“This is not the job of the President. Our responsibility is oversight. Sections 88 and 89 are clear. If they don’t come, we raise a warrant,” Kalu said.

Supporting the position, Senator Halilu Ahmed of Nasarawa West reminded lawmakers that Section 89(1)(d) of the Constitution empowers the National Assembly to compel attendance through the issuance of warrants.

“The Senate has the constitutional authority to issue warrants where necessary. The Clerk should first write to the agencies, and if they still fail to appear, the Senate should invoke its constitutional powers,” he said.

While backing stronger oversight, some senators urged restraint, insisting that enforcement should remain within the bounds of the Constitution and the Senate Standing Orders.

Following the debate, the Senate directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and all ministers to ensure agencies under their supervision promptly honour invitations from the National Assembly.

Lawmakers also resolved that any agency found deliberately obstructing legislative oversight would be sanctioned under the 1999 Constitution, the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Senate Standing Orders.

A proposal seeking the immediate issuance of bench warrants against defaulting agency heads was later withdrawn after procedural objections, while another prayer in the motion was removed before the motion was adopted.

In a related development, the Senate also approved a motion sponsored by Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero directing all MDAs to submit their audited financial statements regularly to relevant Senate committees in compliance with Section 85(2) of the Constitution.

Emphasising the importance of accountability, Aliero said:
“We cannot do effective oversight without seeing the books.”

The Senate said the resolutions underscore its determination to strengthen legislative oversight, improve transparency and ensure greater accountability in the management of public resources.