The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, has said many laws fail in Nigeria not because they are badly made, but because they are poorly enforced.
Guwor stated this on Thursday in Asaba during a press briefing marking the Third Anniversary of the Eighth Assembly.
He said lawmaking alone is not enough if the agencies responsible for implementation fail to do their job effectively.
According to him, the gap between legislation and enforcement remains one of the biggest challenges affecting governance in the country.
The Speaker said the Delta State House of Assembly has introduced reforms to address this challenge, including the creation of a Post-Legislative Scrutiny Department.
He explained that the department was established in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy to monitor how laws passed by the House are implemented.
Guwor said the aim is to ensure that laws do not just exist on paper but have real impact on citizens.
“Where we see gaps in implementation, we step in through amendments or new legislative actions,” he said.
He cited the Private and Public Property Protection Law as an example, saying the law is in place but enforcement remains a major challenge.
The Speaker said in some cases, the problem is not the law itself but the absence of strong enforcement mechanisms.
He noted that the Assembly is currently engaging the executive arm of government to strengthen enforcement structures, including the possible creation of a dedicated task force.
Guwor stressed that while the legislature makes laws, the responsibility of implementation lies with the executive and relevant agencies.
He said effective governance requires both arms of government to work together, but with clear roles and responsibilities.
The Speaker assured that the Assembly would continue to strengthen oversight and ensure that existing laws deliver meaningful results for the people of Delta State.
He added that improving law enforcement systems would help build public trust and make governance more effective.
