Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, says the legislative and executive arms of government must work together to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

Governor Amaechi, who is also the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), said this today in a lecture titled: “Legislative Relationship- A Practical Experience” he delivered at the Anniversary of the Fifth Session of the Fifth Assembly of the Delta State House of Assembly, Asaba, Delta State.

Represented by his deputy, Engr. Tele Ikuru, Governor Amaechi opined that both arms of government “are in the same boat and need to coalesce in order to achieve the mutual goal of the “imperatives of mandate delivery, good governance, improvement of livelihood of our citizens, sustainable development, economic growth and the growth of our democracy” strengthen the need for them to strategically and effectively interface.

The State Chief Executive emphasised that “a harmonious relationship between the legislature and executive serves good uses as it impacts on the polity positively and enhances the capacity of the government in power to deliver on democratic dividends,” commending the Delta State evidenced in the speedy transformation of the state in the areas of infrastructure, security, health, transportation and human capacity development.”

In his speech, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, charged members of the legislative and executive arms of government to contribute meaningfully towards the growth of democracy, noting that there can be real development where there is rancour between both arms, stressing that the complementary roles of both arms would go along way in ensuring the delivery of democratic dividends to the people.

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, said his administration is focused on a three point agenda of security, infrastructure and human capital development, pointing out that the executive has been able to achieve these due to the support from the legislature, urging a greater collaboration between both arms of government in order to serve the electorate better.

Earlier, the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, had expressed delight on the fact that the anniversary lecture as part of the celebration would consolidate the existing cordial relationship between the legislative and executive arms of government in the state, urging all to do more for democracy to grow in the country, thanking the participants for coming.