Senate threatens sanctions as MDAs shun oversight invitations

The Senate has expressed concern over the lack of implementation of resolutions by ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), with some lawmakers considering budgetary sanctions as a potential response. During a plenary session on Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance presented a detailed report assessing how effectively various agencies have executed resolutions stemming from motions passed between July 2023 and December 2025. The findings revealed widespread delays or outright neglect in implementing these directives, which cover critical areas such as road rehabilitation, disaster management, and public welfare. Chairman of the committee, Garba Maidoki, who represents Kebbi South Senatorial District, outlined the committee's findings during the presentation. He noted that while the committee made concerted efforts to track compliance, many MDAs consistently failed to respond or provide necessary updates. This pattern, according to Maidoki, reflects a systemic disregard for the authority of both the committee and the Senate itself. He emphasized that although the executive branch holds the final say in executing Senate resolutions, the failure of MDAs to act undermines the legislative process and the trust placed in them by the public. Maidoki further pointed out that several key resolutions remained unimplemented due to the absence of allocated funds in the annual budget. For instance, certain initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure and enhancing emergency preparedness were stalled because the required financial resources had not been included in the fiscal plans of the respective agencies. This omission, he argued, highlights a broader challenge in ensuring that legislative mandates translate into tangible outcomes for citizens. Section 4 of the Nigerian Constitution grants the two chambers of the National Assembly, namely, the Senate and the House of Representatives, the power to legislate for the nation’s peace, order, and good governance. Among the core duties of legislators is the oversight of government operations, including monitoring the performance of MDAs. These responsibilities extend to reviewing and approving legislation, scrutinizing executive actions, and responding to citizen petitions. In practice, senators frequently introduce motions that direct the federal government or specific agencies to undertake particular actions. While these motions carry weight within the legislative framework, they do not possess the legal enforceability of formal bills. The committee’s investigation uncovered that numerous such motions had gone unaddressed. One unresolved case involves a resolution calling for the federal government to compensate the family of Eromonsele Omhonria, a two-year-old boy who was critically injured by a stray bullet during a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operation in Asaba, Delta State, on 13 July 2023. Following the incident, Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District, submitted a petition on behalf of the affected family. The petition, supported by lawyer Matthew Edaghese, was forwarded to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for review. The committee, led by Chairperson Neda Imasuen, recommended that the federal government, with presidential approval, provide N200 million in compensation to the family and that the NDLEA bear full financial responsibility for Eromonsele’s medical treatment, ideally overseas, to restore his vision. The Senate endorsed these recommendations, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio urging President Bola Tinubu to expedite the approval process as a sign of the administration’s dedication to justice and accountability. Despite this endorsement, the resolution remains unexecuted, with the NDLEA yet to address the child’s medical needs due to difficulties in accessing funds from seized assets.