Senator Ita Enang, former Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, attributed the failure of the Nigerian economy, the escalating debt burden, and the depreciation of the national currency, the naira, to the National Assembly. Enang made these remarks during the public unveiling of Oversight Magazine, a publication dedicated to covering parliamentary events, by former House of Representatives member Aniekan Umannah.
Enang asserted that the National Assembly’s inability to pose pertinent inquiries was accountable for the economic challenges. Having chaired both the House and Senate Committees on Rules and Business, Enang criticized the chambers for never releasing reports on their oversight duties as required, nor for questioning the nation’s debt.
He highlighted that while lawmakers frequently conduct oversight visits to scrutinize the activities of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, they neglect to present their findings for deliberation on the parliamentary floor. According to him, the executive’s suboptimal performance, at both state and national levels, can be attributed to the deficient oversight of the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly nationwide.
Enang emphasized the importance of the oversight function, stating that it allows for monitoring the utilization of budget allocations, assessing project progress, and planning future budgets accordingly. He concluded that the failure of the Nigerian economy, the devaluation of the naira, and the excessive debt accumulation are ultimately the responsibility of the National Assembly.