Imo Assembly lauds Uzodimma over financial autonomy for legislature 

The Imo State House of Assembly has commended Governor Hope Uzodimma for granting full implementation of financial autonomy to the legislative arm of government in the state.

The Deputy Speaker, Amara Iwuanyanwu, in a motion on the floor of the House, yesterday, said: “The governor has never hidden his commitment to encourage smooth running of the legislature as well as ensuring general welfare of the lawmakers and Assembly members of staff in the state, hence the autonomy.”

He said that even at the pronouncement, the state Assembly had enjoyed over 80 per cent of financial autonomy since the assumption of office of Uzodimma.

Also, Chiji Collins (Isiala Mbano), Okechukwu Onyekamma (Mbaitoli), Johnson Duru (Ideato South), Obinna Okwara (Nkwerre), Chigozie Nwaneri (Oru East), among other lawmakers, supported the motion, stressing that it would help to deepen democracy, ensure effective representation and enhance service delivery.

The Imo lawmakers also lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for accenting to full implementation of the state Assembly’s financial autonomy.

After deliberations on the motion, which enjoyed support from members, the House, led by Paul Emeziem, urged the governor to direct the accountant-general of the state to ensure that “funds for the legislature, including that of the commission, are paid promptly into the Assembly account for prompt disbursement as soon as the state receives its monthly allocation.”

It would be recalled that the Parliamentary Association of Nigeria (PASAN) and the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) had last week called off strike which they both embarked on for over two months in protest that financial autonomy for the legislative and judicial arms be implemented by the states as prescribed under Section 121 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Executive Order 10 of 2020.”