Ebonyi governor advocates total independence of legislative arm of govt

Francis Nwifuru, governor of Ebonyi State, has advocated for the separation of powers by calling for legislative autonomy.

Nwifuru made the plea while speaking to the Ad-hoc Committee on National Housing Fund from the House of Representatives, who had paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Abakaliki.

According to Infostride News, Dachung Bagos is in charge of the committee looking into the alleged failure to transfer funds to the National Housing Funds (NHF) between 2011 and the present.

Nwifuru, a two-term Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, has said that he believes the country will be better served by ensuring the separation of powers among its three branches of government, with particular emphasis on the legislature.

I am quite pleased with what the Speaker is doing presently in terms of revitalising old ideas.

Now, it’s up to the National Assembly’s leadership to stop sugarcoating things and get down to business.

He emphasised the importance of investing in one’s leadership, saying, “Equip your leadership, give them strength, give them immunity, and they will protect you.”

The governor also lamented the fact that many of the state’s promised housing estates have been left unfinished for years, while the completed ones have been given to people who aren’t public employees.

He said this goes against the spirit of the National Housing Trust Fund.

The governor has asked for a full and impartial inquiry to be conducted, and for those responsible to be brought to justice.

In a same line, Nwifuru has stated that his government will not use commercial bank loans.

He stated, “I am not ready to borrow one naira from the bank, the one I get from the Federal Government and internally generated revenue is enough for me to develop my people.”

Dachung Bagos, chairman of the ad hoc committee on the National Housing Fund in the House of Representatives, had earlier stated that the lawmakers were in the state to inspect ongoing housing projects and to raise awareness about the importance of proper remittance to the Housing Fund by government employees.