A civil society organisation in Kwara State, the Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), has disclosed that none of the 24 serving lawmakers at the Kwara State House of Assembly sponsored a bill at the plenary session since 2019.
According to ENetSuD’s report, the 9th assembly has passed a total of 25 bills into law. But strangely 80% (20 out of the 25) were initiated by the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq.
The report reads, “None of the passed bills in the last 2 years was initiated by 9th KWHA lawmakers – ENetSuD research; 80% of Kwara Laws was proposed by the Governor since 2019.
“The Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), an anti-corruption Civil Society Organisation known to be promoting good governance, transparency, and accountability, has released a part of its novel #KwaraBillsTracker report for the 3rd legislative year of Kwara State House of Assembly (KWHA). The report is the 3rd of its kind since the inauguration of the 9th KWHA.
“In the report, ENetSuD disclosed that the 9th KWHA has passed 25 bills into law since its inauguration. Out of these 25 bills, only 5 were initiated and sponsored by the lawmakers in the first year of the 9th Assembly. These bills are Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education (SUBEB) amendment bill 2019 (sponsored by Hon. Muhammad Baba Saliu representing Okuta / Yashikira Constituency), Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions amendment bill 2019 (sponsored by Hon. Abdulganiu Afolabi Salaudeen representing Omupo Constituency), Kwara State University (KWASU) amendment bill 2019 (sponsored by Hon. Aliyu Wahab Opakunle representing Afon Constituency), Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) amendment bill 2019 (sponsored by Hon. Muhammad Baba Saliu representing Okuta / Yashikira Constituency), and Sports Commission bill 2019 (sponsored by Hon. Abubakar Mogaji Olawoyin representing Mogaji Ngeri Constituency).”
“ENetSuD’s report revealed that the remaining 20 bills were proposed by the Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, as Executive Bills (details available in the attached infographic).
“ENetSuD noted that all the 17 bills out of these 20 bills were passed by the KWHA in the last 2 years (2nd and 3rd years) and they were initiated and proposed by the Governor. This indicates that none of the passed bills were initiated by the lawmakers in the last 2 years,” ENetSuD disclosed.
“ENetSuD calls on the KWHA lawmakers to use the remaining one year to focus on the legislative duties that they were voted for by their constituents, as the last 3 years have not been good enough as far as their legislative performance is concerned,” the report added.
