Ndume tasks MDAs on transparent implementation of poverty relief programmes

FORMER Senate Majority Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has charged the two chambers of the National Assembly to intensify their oversight functions on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure transparent implementation of policies initiated by the Federal Government to alleviate sufferings of ordinary Nigerians.

He said such programmes as listed by President Buhari during his broadcast on Thursday evening could have taken care of some of the grievances of the #EndSARS protesters with regard to good governance if they were religiously implemented by the MDAs.

According to him, lawmakers in the National Assembly have a very serious role to play in their oversight functions to ensure timely and transparent implementation of those programmes.

He also said the youth should organise themselves in a way that would ensure that government implements all their five-point demands and other programmes announced for them by the President.

Reacting to President Buhari’s nationwide broadcast in Abuja yesterday, Ndume also called on prominent persons in the #EndSARS protest to represent the youth and negotiate with the Federal Government as a way of resolving the ongoing imbroglio.

He appealed to the president to also raise a panel to dialogue with the leaders of the youth who would present their demands so that government could implement them.

Ndume called on the National Assembly to expedite action on making sure that adequate compensation for victims of police brutality is included in the 2021 budget.

He commended the president for meeting with former leaders of the country, urging the statemen to dialogue with youths in their various geopolitical zones.