LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTIONS AND SELECTIVE COMPLIANCE BY MDAS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE LEGISLATURE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This policy brief focused on issues of selective compliance with resolutions passed by the legislature and its negative implications on the image and effectiveness of the legislative institution in Nigeria. It is worrisome to note that members of the parliament still find it difficult to get the various Agencies of Government to implement legislative resolutions without having to lobby for it. The brief is designed to evaluate the factors relating to resolutions and compliance under four sub-themes. The first, highlights the existence and duties of the Legislative Compliance Committee. Second theme addresses some negative impacts of non-compliance on the image and effectiveness of the legislature. While the third sub-theme deals with the conclusion and recommendations. The brief recommends the following legislative actions and policy directions to strengthen and enable legislative Committees enforce compliance and implementation of its resolutions by the MDAs: Legislative resolutions, whether in form of summons or recommendations, should be tied to the specific Acts establishing respective MDAs, thereby making selective or non-compliance by MDAs easily discernable and punishable. Failure to comply within the time frame should attract sanctions including zero budgeting. The legislature should adopt this policy directions with a view to record higher compliance prospects; The legislature may engage professional legislative drafters to draft their resolutions using appropriate legal and legislative languages. Members and staff of the Legislative Compliance Committees should be trained to acquire the knowledge and skills required to enforce legislative resolutions and demand accountability and implementation from MDAs; Sociological and political factors hampering effective and efficient compliance with legislative resolutions by MDAs should be identified and factored into a non-compliance reduction policy of the legislative institution; The legislature may strengthen cooperative relationships between the Legislative Compliance Committee and MDAs. Compliance desks should be established at the various MDAs, while monitoring and evaluation team should be constituted by the Legislative Compliance Committee for routine follow-up on the level of compliance.