No Rift Between Legislature, Executive In Anambra — Lawmaker

Raymond Ozoji, Awka

Chief Boniface Okonkwo the lawmaker representing Awka-North state constituency in the sixth Anambra legislature has said that it is a thing of joy and worthy of celebration that in the last three years, the legislature and the executive have not been at loggerheads due to what he described as the harmonious working relationship between both arms of government.

Okonkwo who stated this in Awka while speaking with select journalists on the three years anniversary of the sixth legislature, noted that there were incidents where the legislature and the executive were enmeshed in crisis in other states of the federation but the atmosphere was calm in Anambra state.

He said the sixth assembly had been very peaceful and stable under the leadership of Barr. Rita Maduagwu and there was no acrimony whatsoever among members stressing that the sixth assembly had met the expectations of the people.

Okonkwo who doubles as Chairman Committee on House Services recounted some of the milestone achievements of the sixth assembly, saying that the sixth assembly passed over 40 bills alongside motions in the last three years which, according to him, contributed in no small measure to governance and public administration in Anambra state.

He maintained that the legislature was instrumental to the feat recorded in security, agriculture, road infrastructure and a host of others while commending President Muhammadu Buhari for the bold initiative in granting financial autonomy to State Houses of Assembly to enable them to perform financial obligations without undue interference by the executive arm of government.

According to the lawmaker, the financial autonomy will foster total independence of the legislature in all ramifications especially as it concerns recruitment of adhoc workers to maintain the sanitary conditions of the legislative complex and other sundry activities.

Okonkwo however extolled Governor Willie Obiano’s leadership quality as evident in the cordial relations among the three arms of government in the state saying that the governor had been very proactive as well as responsive to all issues of urgent public importance as raised by the members of the sixth Anambra State House of Assembly.