Nigeria’s Senate has warned that federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that fail to implement parliamentary resolutions could face budgetary and other sanctions, in a move aimed at strengthening accountability across government institutions.
The warning followed the presentation and adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, which reviewed the implementation of Senate resolutions passed between July 2023 and December 2025.
Presenting the report, Chairman of the committee, Senator Musa Maidoki Garba, said many government agencies have repeatedly ignored Senate resolutions or failed to provide updates despite several requests from lawmakers. He described the situation as a major challenge to legislative oversight and democratic accountability.
According to Garba, delays in implementing Senate resolutions often occur because the executive branch retains the authority to direct their execution. He added that several agencies have also failed to cooperate with the committee by ignoring requests for compliance reports.
The committee noted that resolutions involving road rehabilitation, disaster management and other public projects have remained unimplemented in many cases because funds were not included in the national budget.
To improve compliance, the committee recommended that the Senate consider imposing budgetary and administrative sanctions on agencies that fail to implement or respond to resolutions passed by the National Assembly.
The report also highlighted several unresolved cases. Among them is the Senate’s directive for the Federal Government to compensate the family of a two-year-old child injured by a stray bullet during a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operation in Asaba, Delta State, in July 2023.
Lawmakers had previously recommended a ₦200 million compensation package and directed the NDLEA to fund the child’s medical treatment abroad. However, the committee said the treatment has not yet been arranged, with the agency citing funding constraints.
The committee further criticised the Nigerian Railway Corporation for failing to comply with an earlier Senate resolution ordering the reinstatement of a former employee, Engineer Paddy Ukpe.
Garba also observed that some implementation problems originate from the legislative process itself. He said some motions are introduced without sufficient investigation, while certain agencies are directed to carry out actions that fall outside their legal powers.
The report identified several ministries and agencies with pending compliance issues, including those responsible for works, health, power, petroleum resources, humanitarian affairs, information, environment and solid minerals development. Other agencies mentioned include the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), the Ecological Fund Office, the Nigerian Railway Corporation, the NDLEA, the Federal Civil Service Commission and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the committee for its detailed findings and urged lawmakers to carefully study its recommendations. The report was subsequently adopted by the Senate through a voice vote.
The development underscores growing concerns about the implementation of parliamentary decisions in Nigeria and highlights ongoing efforts by lawmakers to reinforce oversight, transparency and accountability within public institutions.
