Nigerian Lawmakers Summon Commissioner On Doctors’ Salary

Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA), on Monday summoned the State Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions, Mrs Florence Oguntuase, for her refusal to honour its resolution.

The House directed Oguntuase to appear before it at its plenary on February 12, to explain why she failed to treat the resolution with the urgency it required.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the House had passed a resolution in September 2012 directing the commissioner to pay the seven-year arrears of the state Veterinary Doctors and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) vet officers from 2003 to 2010.

Mrs Omowumi Edet (ACN-Oshodi-Isolo I), who spoke under Matters of Urgent Public Importance, noted that the ministry had failed to honour the resolution after being passed in September 2012.

Edet, Chairman, House committee on Establishment and Training, said that although the commissioner had replied the House in December 2012 about the step being taken to address the issue, nothing concrete has come out of it.

“Based on the investigation conducted by the committee, the document is begging for attention on the commissioner’s desk without actually forwarding it to the governor to expedite action on it,” she said.

Mr Taiwo Kolawole, the Deputy Speaker, said that such an act should be condemned in its entirety.

“We need to invite her and that would help us to know why she had failed to honour the resolution,” he said.

In her contribution, Mrs Funmilayo Tejuosho (ACN-Mushin I), said that the House should not be in haste to summon the commissioner.

Tejuosho said the committee chairman should find out from the commissioner why the resolution has not been obeyed.

“I want to know if the chairman had contacted the commissioner to be able to ascertain why the resolution was not honoured.

. “In this way we will be able to know the truth of the matter,” she said.

The Speaker, Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said that the issue at hand has to do with the slow pace the ministries adopted in carrying out the resolutions of the House.

“If our ministries are working at a pace that is not helpful, the head of the ministry should be invited.

“It is not expected of any ministry to work at snail-speed, “ he said.