|
Mark:Era
of impeachment is over, says ministers can't afford to fail
Newsdiaryonline
Sun July 10,2011(Updated)
President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has cautioned that
the era of resort to impeachment of members of the executive arm
of government or removal of principal officers of the
legislature is over as such move neither helped to promote or
sustain democracy in the land.
"The legislature
especially the national assembly has moved from the era of
impeachment of principal officers or threat to remove the
executive and concentrate on legislation that will ultimately
provide democratic dividends to all Nigerians", Senator Mark
stated.
Commissioning the ultra
modern administrative block of the cross river state house of
assembly in Calabar during the weekend, he maintained that the
legislature is the hallmark of democracy and should therefore be
jealously guarded to sustain democracy.
Senator Mark stressed
that the legislature is the engine room of democracy that lays
the legislative framework for other arms of government to
perform.
He called for cooperation
and mutual respect between and among the three arms of
government so that the entire citizens could benefit from their
investment in a
democratic government.
Senator Mark added that
as part of measures to strengthen the legislature and ultimately
democracy the national assembly would embark on series of
capacity building not only to enhance their performance but
enlighten the citizenry on the workings of the legislature that
is largely misunderstood.
He praised the cross
river state governor Lyle Imoke for providing a comfortable
edifice for the state house of assembly to operate saying " the
governor is leading by example so that this synergy between the
two arms of government would produce the desired result for the
benefit of the people".
In his remark governor
Imoke assured of a harmonious working relationship with the
state house of assembly so that the dividend of democracy would
flow to the people unhindered.
In a statement earlier,President
of the Senate, Senator David Mark sent a strong
message to the new ministers to brace up to the challenge of
total transformation in all sectors of our economy in order to
salvage the nation from the brinks.
According to a press statement this morning by Paul Mumeh, chief
press secretary to the senate president, Senator Mark said
Nigeria is no longer a toddler whose first faltering steps must
of a necessity be tolerated in life saying " we have come of age
and we must hit the ground running".
The senate president spoke
when he played host to ministers; Comrade Abba Moro and
Dr. Sam Ortom both from his home state Benue at the weekend in
Abuja, during which he reminded them that Nigeria is in a hurry
to develop and therefore requires men and women of good
conscience, competent, capable hands and patriots committed to
the ideals of nationhood".
Said he:" it is God's appointed time that you are ministers of
the federal republic of Nigeria at this time of our history. You
must therefore prove that you are the right choices. You must
perform to make the positive difference. That is the only way
you can justify
your appointments and make us proud."
The National assembly and in particular the Senate he pointed
out will no longer accept excuses or failure to implement annual
budgets advising that everything must be done to comply with
appropriation acts forthwith.
The standing committees of the Senate soon to be constituted
Senator Mark added would be given a clear cut mandate to
be stringent on over
sight functions assuring that there would be no sacred cows and
nothing would be compromised to get things done and rightly too.
He however pledged cooperation
with other arms of government to the extent that such
synergy would impact positively on the lives of the ordinary
citizen.
"We would have failed in our responsibilities if our efforts
does not affect the ordinary man on the street positively. We
must therefore work together to achieve results because we
cannot afford to fail,"Senator Mark stressed.
In their separate remarks, ministers Moro and Ortom assured that
they have already queued into
the transformation agenda of the administration and would
to strive for excellence.
Specifically, Moro said he is not unmindful of the challenges
but he is determined to make a positive difference and bring
honor to Benue state and the nation.
Otorm on his part pledged that he would use the opportunity of
the appointment to foster peace and unity between and
amongst the diverse group in Nigeria especially in Benue state.
|
