Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Babatunde Fashola
The latest in the series of the executive - legislative meetings in the Action Congress of Nigeria-controlled Lagos State has not only united the party members, but also explained the need for check and balance in democracies, writes MUDIAGA AFFE

In the past few weeks, there have been critical assessment of policy implementation by the executive arm of the Lagos State Government. The state House of Assembly has, in recent times, taken some steps on the executive in line with its constitutional role of acting as a check and balance mechanism for the smooth and effective running of the machinery of the state government.

One of the applications of the principle of check and balance is the rigorous scrutiny of the appropriation bills presented to the assembly by the executive arm.

For instance, apart from the 2008 and 2009 budgets which were passed expressly, certain areas in the 2010 Appropriation Bill and the supplementary budget, recently passed by the assembly, came under scrutiny. The state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, had in November 2009, presented a budget proposal of N429.59bn to the House, but at the end of deliberations, the lawmakers approved N389.57bn.

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