By Onyekachi Eze
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has received accolades from Honorable Members of the State House of Assembly for implementing the financial autonomy for the Imo State House of Assembly to 100%.
The Governor bagged commendations by the Lawmakers, during the plenary session of the House, yesterday.
Uzodinma was not only commended for the full implementation of the financial autonomy, but was also lauded for showing an exemplary leadership.
Presenting the motion on the floor of the House, yesterday, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu described the Governor as a hero, who always leads the pace for others to emulate.
According to the Deputy Speaker, who also represents Nwangele State Constituency, he submitted that Governor Uzodinma is not only democratic in nature, but has also shown proper democratic tenets by adhering to the financial autonomy of the State House of Assembly.
“The House commended the Governor for implementing 100% financial autonomy for Imo State House of Assembly, and the House of Assembly Service Commission under the IMHA.
Giving by the overall acceptance of the motion, Iwuanyanwu further explained that key persons involved in the processes of financial autonomy are the Speaker, the Clerk, the Government, the Accountant General, adding that no member, not even himself as the Deputy Speaker is involved in the processes of financial autonomy.
“The procedures are accounting and documentation that comes from the office of the AG”.
Speaking further, Iwuanyanwu relayed the contribution of the former Speaker, Chiji Collins who affirmed that during his tenure, it was 80% compliance, and opined that now under Paul Emeziem’s House leadership, it is 100% compliance for financial autonomy.
Replying the opposition for giving a dissenting voice to the debate, Deputy Speaker maintained that for the fact they won’t be shut down, the issue of financial autonomy is going to benefit everybody, irrespective of party differences.
“Financial autonomy is 100% implemented. Party politics is not involved in this issue. It has nothing to do with Party. It is something that will outlive our tenure. This financial autonomy will outlive both the APC, PDP, and everybody. It is an Executive Order that came from President Muhammadu Buhari. It’s not time to play politics with every policy of the Government”, Hon. Iwuanyanwu said.
“This is not an APC and PDP affair. Most Governors will not support this, but our dear Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma has shown capacity, that is why we in the Imo State House of Assembly are congratulating him for the love and leadership acumen”.
The new norm okayed by Governor Uzodinma however empowers the State Legislature to be getting all allocations directly into the Assembly account and be taking charge of all respective financial responsibilities, including welfare of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, Imo State chapter.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari in-line with section 121 (3) of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria, as amended and Executive Order 10 mandated all the 36 State Governors to implement fully the financial autonomy for State Legislators since 2018.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem while putting the debate on voice vote stated that the House was well constituted, with the required quorum, hence, the ‘Ais’ had it and moved the resolution commending the Governor on full approval of autonomy for the State House of Assembly.
