Speakers of State Assemblies meet in Akure to deepen transparency

Speakers of State Houses of Assembly began a three-day conference in Akure to strengthen legislative accountability, transparency and fiscal discipline.

Accountability, transparency and fiscal discipline are among key issues expected to dominate deliberations as speakers of State Houses of Assembly begin a three-day conference in Akure, Ondo State capital, on Friday.

The conference, themed “Strengthening Legislative Accountability, Transparency and Fiscal Discipline in Subnational Legislatures,” is hosted by the Ondo State House of Assembly.

While the conference is largely administrative, it takes place at a politically charged moment. The Osun State governorship election is scheduled for August 15, and the political undercurrents in the South-West are impossible to ignore. The agenda of accountability and transparency is always welcome, but the timing suggests a recognition that subnational legislatures must play a more active role in checking executive power.

This echoes the 2019 conference of speakers, which also focused on strengthening legislative oversight. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a focus on improving governance at the subnational level.

The winners: the speakers, who gain from the exchange of ideas; and the Nigerian public, who may benefit from stronger legislatures. The losers: the Nigerian public, who must hope that the conference leads to tangible improvements.

Bottom Line: State speakers are meeting in Akure to discuss accountability. The agenda is transparency. The question is whether the conference will produce results or just communiqués.