BY BEN AGANDE

ABUJA- Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, has called on speakers of state Houses of Assembly to ensure that the issue of financial autonomy for Houses of Assembly was included in the proposed amendment of the constitution to guarantee greater independence and efficiency of the state legislature.

The Speaker, who spoke yesterday, at a workshop for speakers of the 36 states Houses of Assembly in Abuja, noted that lack of financial autonomy for state assemblies had reduced them to mere appendages of the executive arm of government, which has further whittled down the powers of the state legislature.

Tambuwal, represented by Deputy Speaker of the House of Repesentatives, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, regretted that while the National Assembly demonstrated a commitment to grant state assemblies financial independence during the last constitution amendment, some state assemblies, through tunder hand tactics of their governors, frustrated the exercise.

He said: ‘’The three arms of government have undergone grossly inequitable developmental opportunities as a result of intermittent military intervention in governance. It is the legislature that is the worst victim, suffering total disbandment together with its bureaucracy at every such interregnum.”

Tambuwal commended the State Accountability and Voice Initiative of the British Department for International Development for building the capacities of state legislators to carry out their constitutional responsibilities.

In a keynote address, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, decried the frequent changes to candidates for state and national assemblies, saying such changes were inimical to the development of democracy in the country.

“The rapidity with which legislators are churned out is inimical to democratic development. If you don’t have experienced legislators, you cannot cope with the challenge of capacity. You will continue to re-invent the wheel. We need more experienced legislators that can strengthen the legislature” he said.

The National Team Leader of SAVI-DFID in Nigeria, Mr Kevin Gager in his welcome remarks said the organization was committed to supporting the work of the National Assembly to reflect on the strength and challenges facing the state assemblies and see how their capacity can be better enhanced.

The workshop had in attendance speakers from the Thirty six states of the Federation.