Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas has stated that the National Assembly’s oversight of holding the other arms of the government accountable is critical to Nigeria’s democracy. 

He made this known on Tuesday at a one-day workshop on ‘Assessment of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy of Nigeria and the Role of Legislature’ organised by the Directorate of Planning and Legislative Budget of the National Assembly.

He assured that the 10th Assembly would also be accountable to the public. According to Abbas, who was represented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Budget, Hon. Mohammed Omar Bio, it was in line with the agenda of the 10th Assembly to ensure, through oversight, that “our commonwealth is properly managed for the benefit of all Nigerians.”  He said through oversight, the Legislature, as the representatives of the people, ensures that the government remains accountable to citizens on the utilisation of public funds, as well as in the implementation of policies and laws.

A counter-terrorism expert in the United Kingdom, Dr Joseph Sunny Ifedimma has advised the Federal Government to set up a third force and establish a counter-terrorism agency to effectively tackle the growing insurgency and other criminalities including banditry and kidnapping. Ifedimma, who was a one-time private adviser to the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Late Gen. Andrew Azazi gave the advice in an interview with New Telegraph in Abuja on Monday. He also insisted that there was the need for a special adviser on counter-terrorism to the president, saying, “As counter-terrorism operations are becoming too costly, deadly and endless, we need to reactivate and bring back the dormant office of the Special Adviser to the President on Counter terrorism to the frontline. “Suffice me to say that this office was originally planned to be our counter-terrorism policy focal point, the audacious voice of the President, the government, and the foreign face of Nigeria abroad on counter-terrorism and allied critical crime matters.