Business
NECA Accuses NASS Of Businesses’ Harassment

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) says the persistent invitations of heads of businesses to Abuja by the National Assembly amount to harassment and distractions to them.
NECA has noted that the actions of the lawmakers had the potential to demotivate genuine investors and frustrate the ease of doing business initiative of the Federal Government.
It also noted that it was setting a dangerous precedence of deviance to the time-tested principle of separation of powers in Nigeria.
The group in a statement by its Director General, Wale Oyerinde, in Lagos , stated that the recent activities of various committees of the National Assembly, such as inviting and requesting managing directors of businesses to appear and also submit documents for the purpose of an investigation was worrisome.
He said the group had accordingly informed the National Assembly that such actions amount to a usurpation of the powers of the executive arm of government.
“Recent activities of various committees of the National Assembly such as inviting and requesting managing directors of businesses to appear and also submit documents for the purpose of an investigation are worrisome.
“We had written severally to the Committees informing them that the action is not only a distraction to organised businesses, but also a usurpation of the powers and responsibilities of the Executive arm of Government.
“Our understanding of the powers conferred on lawmakers by Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution is for the exercise of oversight functions on public sector agencies.
“We, honestly, cannot find any support in the aforementioned sections for investigations of private companies”, he stated.