By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, have challenged the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) to develop programmes that would bridge the capacity deficiency between new members of the National Assembly and their legislative aides.
The duo said this has become imperative due to the high turnover of lawmakers recorded in the 10th National Assembly, which has nearly 70 per cent new membership.
They spoke yesterday at the 10th matriculation ceremony of the University of Benin, UNIBEN-NILDS postgraduate programmes.
Abbas, represented by his Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, said NILDS’ quick intervention with targeted programmes will enhance the efficiency and productivity of members and staff of the National Assembly.
He said, “The study of legislative processes is essential for any democratic society. It provides a framework for understanding how laws are made, policies are formulated, and decisions are taken in a representative government.
“The leadership of NILDS must prioritise the purpose of the establishment of the institute which is primarily to provide targeted research input to Legislative practice and procedure and bridge capacity gaps for Members and staff of the National Assembly.”
Senate President Akpabio stressed the need to deepen legislative knowledge and provide training for legislators, staff, and other members of the public with an interest in legislative governance.
He advised the students to take advantage of the programme to develop their skills in the legislature to enable them to enhance their capacity in the different layers of legislative and democratic governance.
Akpabio said he was very much aware of the current state of education in the country and assured that the 10th National Assembly under his leadership would pass legislation, that implementation will raise the standard of education.
“This administration is committed to addressing the nagging issues that bother education instability and restiveness in our tertiary institutions.
“I wish to equally assure Nigerians that the 10th Assembly shall have as her fulcrum part of its legislative agenda boost for educational development, as we believe that our growth and development as a nation is proportional to the quality of our educational system,” said Akpabio, who was represented by his deputy, Jibrin Barau.
The Director General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) Prof Abubakar Sulaiman, urged the students to exhibit a high sense of discipline while running the programme.
“The Post Graduate Programme will not award its degree to students who are found wanting in character and learning,” he said.
About 107 students are enrolled in the NILDS-UNIBEN Post Graduate Programmes including Masters in Legislative Studies (MLS), Master in Elections and Party Politics (MEPP), Master in Law Legislative Drafting (LLM), Master in Parliamentary Administration (MPD), and the Post Graduate Diploma in Elections and Party Management (PGD).
