Tinubu’s aide raises concern over MDAs’ failure to honour Senate invitations

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Senate Matters, Basheer Lado, has appealed to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to always honour invitations from senate committees.

Mr Lado, at a news conference in Abuja on Monday, said there was a need to enhance executive-legislative cooperation in line with Mr Tinubu’s vision.

He said a critical part of realising the vision involved a proactive, respectful and transparent relationship between the government bodies and the Senate in its oversight roles.

“My office has noted with concerns that some agencies may not have consistently adhered to Senate invitations or requests for them to appear before its committees.

“While we acknowledge that competing official engagements may sometimes make it challenging to respond promptly, it remains essential that these opportunities for engagement are prioritised to demonstrate our continued collective commitment to accountability and good governance,” Mr Lado said.

He said engaging with Senate committees was an important opportunity for agencies to showcase their dedication to public service and accountability while reinforcing the people’s confidence in the government.

Mr Lado said MDAs’ response to invitations of Senate committees aligned with constitutional obligations and the president’s vision of a government that was responsive and accountable to the Nigerian people.

He reaffirmed the importance of close and constructive collaboration between ministries, extra-ministerial departments and agencies, and the National Assembly as a cornerstone for good governance and accountability.

He said the Tinubu-led administration was fully committed to upholding principles of transparency and accountability. He added that the “Renewed Hope Agenda” was built to deliver tangible democracy dividends to Nigerians without delay.

“The Office of the Special Adviser on Senate Matters is committed to facilitating open channels of communication between agencies and the national assembly to ensure meaningful contributions to our shared mission of national development,” he added.

(NAN)