CSOs Condemns NASS For Going On Long Recess

A coalition of 40 Civil Society Organizations has condemned the National Assembly for going on long recess despite the current challenges rocking the country.

Accusing the lawmakers of breaching the constitution by failing to meet the compulsory 181 days plenary sessions, the coalition in a statement said the National Assembly in its first legislative year from June 2019 to June 2020 did not sit up to the required 181days.

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“The legislative year is June 2019 to July 2020. Two months vacation: 56 days public holiday, 6-week Yuletide vocation, 42 days, 7-week coronavirus break, 49 days in addition to 62 days for Saturdays and Sundays, this means 216 days out of 365 days in a year. Therefore, the National Assembly sat for only 149 days instead of the 181 days prescribed by the constitution, ” the statement by the coalition read.

Condemning the national assembly for going on the long break rather than working with the executive to prefer solutions to the challenges rocking the country, the coalition pointed out that the lawmakers move to suspend all investigative hearings until the end of recess was ill-timed.

It further urged the House to resume the hearings with findings made public.

“Prior to and during the ongoing vacation, the lawmakers were conducting very important investigative hearings into the mismanagement of public funds by various ministries.

“It was, therefore, shocking to wake up to the August 19th directive by the leadership of the House of Representatives suspending all legislative activities including those investigative hearings that had captivated the nation,” the groups said

Part of the notable civil society organization that joined the coalition includes Femi Falana Chamber of activist, Budgit amongst others.

 It will be recalled that Allnews had earlier that the National assembly announced that it will be going on a 2 months break