Three years ago, precisely 6th June, 2011, the 7th legislative Assembly in the State of Harmony, Kwara, was inaugurated while Razak Atunwa, a Barrister-at-law was unanimously elected as its Speaker. This followed a motion moved by a member representing Odo-ogun constituency, Hon. Kamaldeen Oyekunle Fagbemi.

In his acceptance speech, Atunwa made it abundantly clear that the legislative arm of government under his leadership would be a platform for good governance, stressing that it will also make democratic governance in the State more meaningful to all the inhabitants of the State, irrespective of ethno-religious and political affiliations.

This, according to the Assembly helmsman, could be achieved through quality legislations and total commitment of all stakeholders in an atmosphere devoid of rancour and acrimony.

Atunwa believed that to attain an enduring and quality legislations, legislators and legislative staff must be exposed to rudiments of law making processes through training and retraining.

The 7th legislative Assembly which derives powers and activities from section 4, sub-section 6 and 7 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), is conscious of the fact that it is the arm of government in any democracy charged with the responsibility of providing platform and act as catalyst for States and nation to make laws for creating enabling environment for sustainable human development and accelerated growth in all facets of human endeavour, was determined and resolute to make a difference.

It is equally mindful of its limitation, although it has power to make laws, amend, or repeal laws for peaceful co-existence, it does not have the power to legislate on matters contained on the exclusive legislative list of the 1999 constitution.

Thus, since the official inauguration of the House three years ago, the State House of Assembly under the present leadership has no doubt made the people of State flow along in the business of all round development.

For instance, the 7th legislature has passed no few than 40 bills, which today had impacted positively on the lives of the people of the State.  Most of the bills passed, went through robust debates on the floor of the House and public hearings to enabling stakeholders have inputs before their final passage into law, thereby paving way for enactment of people oriented laws.

Some of these bills, which went through public hearing and robust debates at the plenary sessions, include Kwara State Security Trust Fund Bill, Kwara State Content Development Agency Bill, Kwara State Community Health Insurance Bill, Kwara State Children Sight Protection Bill, Kwara State Urban and Regional Planning Bill, Kwara State Motor Cycle Operations (control safety, etc) (Amendment) Bill, Secret Cult and Secret Societies in Kwara State (Prohibition ) Bill 2013, Kwara State University (change of Name) Bill 2013, Kwara State Structure for Signage and Advertisement Agency (Amendment ) Bill 2013 among others.

Besides, it also within 36 months of the current legislature raised 42 resolutions arising from motions, and 120 resolutions arising from reports which focused on problems and inadequacies confronting the people who elected them to office, which prompted urgent redress by executive arm of government in the State.

These motions and reports include Environmental Sanitation in the State, Indiscriminate sales and consumption of illicit drugs in the State. The need to ensure proper planning of urban centres in the State, Deplorable conditions of primary schools in rural areas of the State, change of name of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to the State Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development.

Others are encroachment to public schools in the State, a brand new logo in the State, deplorable condition of slaughter slams and sales of unwholesome meat in the State, greater Ilorin master plan, repositioning Kwara State Television Service for efficient and quality service, monitoring and placing of Bill Boards in unauthorized places, uniform standard measures for measurable agricultural produce sellers in the State, Situation of private primary schools, medium term fiscal frame work, Indiscriminate construction of bumps and speed breakers on the roads across the State, Proliferations of Motor Parks in Ilorin metropolis, Eradication of Sales of alcohol and other intoxicants in motor parks, Review of electoral register, and roadside markets and attendant implication on the people.

The lawmakers also within the period under review intervened with resolutions arising from either petitions from members of the public, corporate organizations or matters of general public importance or matters of public importance.

Undoubtedly, these had in no small measure safeguarded the existing harmonious co-existence in the State coupled with providing direction for the State government in areas where the yearnings of the electorates were promptly addressed.

These include personal explanations on alleged double taxation paid by market women in Ipata market Ilorin, blockade of the road leading to Fufu from Agbabiaka, abandoned Ilorin/Eruku boundary road project, industrial action embarked upon by staffers of the State owned Colleges of Education and College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies (CAILS).

Personal explanation on the deadly Ohan and Moro bridges along Igbeti-Kishi-Kaiama road, damaged powerline along New Yidi road, deplorable condition of Opo-Malu road, resolutions on incessant flood disaster at Oke Afon in Omu-Aran, congestion within Ilorin metropolis, deplorable condition of primary and secondary schools in the State, collapsed bridge and flood at Ejiu-Ile in Ekiti local government area of the State, alleged scarcity and hike in the price of kerosene in the State, devastating effects of rainfall on some bridges and culverts in Baruten council area, and lack of portable water in Offa and Oyun local government areas.

Perhaps the most challenging period of the legislature in the last three years, was allegation of mismanagement of House of Assembly fund levied against the Speaker by a member representing Ipaiye/Malete Oloru constituency, Hon. Illiasu Ibrahim.

Ibrahim was, however, suspended for three months following a recommendation from the House Committee on Rights, Privileges and Justice headed by Hon. Fagbemi after investigations of the allegations.

Aside, the parliament which has 22 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the inception of its legislative business, has 22 of them in the All Progressive Party (APC) while, two of the 24-member Assembly remain in PDP.

The legislative arm of government equally successfully intervened in the controversies surrounding the new urbanization policy of the State government and land disputes among some communities in the State.

Interestingly too, the legislature which is empowered by the 1999 constitution to carry our oversight functions on public institutions and government, carried out oversight visits either by all members or at committee level to put government and public institutions on their toes.

The House had judiciously utilized this weapon to monitor and evaluate the implementation of budget in accordance with appropriation law of each year by the executive arm of government and at the same time ensure value for money on project execution and accountability in governance.

Some of the oversight functions were carried out before the ministerial Budget Defence of the previous year’s budget to assess the actual performance and, even after the passage, to monitor implementation of the appropriation law for the given year, thereby putting the executive arm on its toes to ensure compliance with expected budget performance.

The 24-member parliament may have devised feedback mechanism to make members feel the pulse of the electorate. Such activities of the lawmakers while performing their constitutionally mandated functions have attracted commendations and appreciations as feedbacks from the beneficiaries.

The Kwara State Childhood Sight Protection law received a compliment from the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) forwarded a letter of commendation signed by its President, Prof. Sebastian Nwosu to the House in acknowledgement of the dynamic roles of the parliament.

Similarly the Committee of Heads of the State owned Tertiary Institutions (COHESTI) also sent in letter of appreciation on resolutions of the legislature banning the production and sale of handouts in the higher institutions in the State, as well as instituting conference-marking in the State’s tertiary educational institutions.

The Assembly apart from providing enabling environment for sports to thrive in the State, by enacting necessary laws that would enhance accelerated sports development, it has equally directly involved in exposing and harnessing hidden talents at the grassroots by sponsoring annually Speaker’s cup in football for youths in all the 16 council areas of the State. It financed, sponsored and assisted sporting associations to pave way for all round sports development in the State.

One of the beneficiaries of the legislature’s benevolence was an indigene of the State and member of the Golden Eaglets who won the last edition of the U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirate (UAE) for Nigeria, Master Taiwo Awoniyi who received cash award of N250, 000.00 to serve as motivation for the worthy ambassador of the State and indeed Nigeria.

Despite these modest achievements recorded by the 7th legislature in the State, some critics still maintained that the Assembly was a rubber stamp of the executive arm of government.

A public analyst, who does not want his name in print, carpeted the 7th legislative Assembly, saying it is just a mere rubber stamp of the executive arm of government.

His words: “Like its predecessor, the 7th legislature as it is presently constituted, is just a mere rubber stamp of the executive. This is the more reason why there is hardly any bill initiated by the executive that would not be giving accelerated passage.

“By my assessment, it is not functioning as a check on the excesses of the executive arm of government under the rulership of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. Therefore, more need to be done as the legislature is in the last lap of its tenure”.