The Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly (RTNLA), in a bid to fully exercise its constitutional mandate, has developed a new strategic plan to hold the executive accountable.
The 2021/23 strategic plan is meant to strengthen the constitutional functions and capacity of the national assembly and outlines the goals and objectives that will guide the lawmakers in executing their duties as provided for in the constitution as amended.
The chairperson of the committee for legislation and legal affairs, Dengtiel Kur, told Radio Tamazuj Monday that the strategy stipulates how parliament will work in holding the government accountable.
“Parliament drew out their plan of how to hold the government accountable, how to follow up on the policies set out by the government, how to follow up on how each institutional agency of the executive is spending the appropriated money that is given to it,” Kur said.
He added that the work of parliament is to make sure that the executive is reporting to the legislature.
“The executive should be bringing programs and those programs must be conducted according to plans. That plan must be first given to parliament so that parliament looks at it and approves it and then follows the activities of each institution according to what is laid down and what has been passed by parliament,” he added. “The Parliament has specialized standing committees responsible for each line institution in the executive. For instance, there is a committee responsible for the ministry of finance, one for health, for housing, etc. and they have to follow up on what the executive is doing.”
Kur said the work of parliament is clearly spelled by the constitution which gives it powers but qualified that the strategy cannot be more important than the constitution.
“We cannot put too much importance to the strategic plan although I can say it is a pathway for the parliament to remind itself about its responsibilities,” Kur said. “We will make sure that the budget is passed every May, auditing is carried out, and that the Auditor General audits government institutions. So, the plan reminds us why we are in parliament.”
Meanwhile, while launching the plan, Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba applauded it as a great initiative and indication of seriousness.
“This initiative is an indication of our seriousness as the leadership of parliament and the members that we have a responsibility at this critical time of our transition from war to peace to build the nation and restore peace and stability in our country,” Speaker Kumba remarked.