Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara has called for closer collaboration between the National Assembly and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to ensure proper oversight and accountability
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has called for closer collaboration between the National Assembly and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), saying stronger partnerships are essential to ensuring that government policies, budget allocations and public projects deliver meaningful benefits to Nigerians.
Dogara made the appeal while speaking at the National Assembly Open Week in Abuja, where lawmakers, civil society groups, development partners and the media deliberated on ways to promote transparency, accountability and citizen participation in governance.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance, the former speaker said many Nigerians were yet to feel the true dividends of democracy despite the huge sums appropriated by the legislature over the years.
He noted that one of the country’s biggest governance challenges is the disconnect between funds approved by the National Assembly and the actual delivery of projects and services to citizens.
According to Dogara, legislative oversight is more than routine committee visits or the submission of reports, describing it as a constitutional tool for uncovering corruption, inefficiency, waste and poor governance.
“The essence of oversight is to ensure that every kobo appropriated by the National Assembly is spent for the purpose for which it was approved and that Nigerians receive value for public funds,” he said.
Dogara commended the leadership of the House of Representatives under Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu for initiating the National Assembly Open Week, describing it as a significant step towards promoting openness and public engagement in the legislative process.
He said the initiative provides a platform for citizens, civil society organisations and the media to interact directly with lawmakers, ask critical questions and make meaningful contributions to lawmaking.
According to him, democratic institutions become stronger when they embrace public scrutiny rather than shield themselves from accountability.
The former speaker, however, warned that oversight loses its relevance when it is treated as a ceremonial exercise instead of a mechanism for ensuring that government programmes are faithfully implemented.
Dogara argued that CSOs should be regarded as strategic partners in governance rather than adversaries, noting that many possess technical expertise, community-based information and field evidence that can strengthen legislative oversight.
He described civil society groups as the “eyes and ears” of the legislature, saying they play a vital role in tracking constituency projects, monitoring public spending and identifying failures in service delivery.
Drawing from his experience as speaker, Dogara recalled that he encouraged civil society participation during budget defence sessions despite resistance from some lawmakers who opposed greater public scrutiny.
He maintained that institutions that resist transparency risk eroding public trust and weakening democratic governance.
Dogara identified poor monitoring of budget implementation as one of Nigeria’s greatest accountability challenges, stressing that the issue lies less in the availability of resources than in weak enforcement and oversight.
He urged the National Assembly to devote as much attention to monitoring the implementation of appropriated funds as it does to passing the annual budget, insisting that the legislature’s responsibility does not end with budget approval.
The former speaker also called on the executive arm of government to cooperate fully with oversight institutions by providing timely access to information required for effective legislative scrutiny.
He encouraged civil society organisations to support lawmakers with verified data, credible evidence and well-documented reports capable of informing policy decisions and prompting corrective action.
Dogara further advocated institutionalising collaboration between the National Assembly and CSOs beyond the annual Open Week, saying sustained engagement would strengthen oversight, improve accountability and rebuild public confidence in democratic institutions.
He concluded that democracy thrives where transparency, accountability and constructive criticism are embraced, urging lawmakers, parliamentary staff, civil society organisations and citizens to work together to ensure government policies, budgets and development projects translate into real improvements in the lives of Nigerians.
