Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), has tasked the 10th Assembly with restoring public confidence in the legislature.
Sulaiman gave the charge on Monday at a one-day workshop for the House of Representatives Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementation of Legislative Agenda and the Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation of Standing and Ad-hoc Committees in Abuja.
He said that the broad objective of the legislative agenda of the 10th House of Representatives is to make the 10th House “the people’s house” and improve on lawmaking, oversight, and representative functions.
Sulaiman explained that the agenda has eight priority areas, including strengthening good governance, improving national security, law reform, economic growth, and development.
Others are social sector reform and development, inclusion, and an open parliament; influencing/directing Nigeria’s foreign policy; climate change; and environmental sustainability.
The professor said that Nigeria is faced with numerous challenges, and the assembly must rise to the occasion and unlock the economic potential of the country.
“There is no doubt that the priority areas of the legislative agenda will help guide decision-making, shape the parliament’s identity, and ensure that the House serves the best interests of Nigerians.
“The 10th Assembly must be cautious of the fact that it is operating within the context of serious economic, political, and social challenges being experienced in the country.
“Citizens’ confidence in government is currently low, and a crisis of legitimacy and lack of public trust is affecting the effectiveness of government institutions, including the legislature.
“In view of the foregoing, the House of Representatives must be committed to implementing its agenda with a view to rebuilding citizens’ confidence in the legislature and delivering good governance for improved democracy in Nigeria.
“More specifically, the house needs to commit itself to legislative reforms to unlock Nigeria’s economic growth and development of our vast human and natural resources,” he said.
In his remarks, Rep. Obinna Aguocha, Chairman, House Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation of Standing and Ad-hoc Committees, said that the members stood on the threshold of history.
According to him, this is the first time since the return of democratic governance in 1999 that a Standing Committee would be established as an internal assessment system and quality control mechanism to enhance the effectiveness, accountability, and efficiency of legislative processes through the Committees.
He said that they recognise that legislative committees are the engine room of the legislature and play vital roles in the overall functioning of the National Assembly.
Aguocha said that the mandate of the committee is in line with Order 20; Rule 85; and Order 7, Rule 1(13b), which is, among other things, to monitor and evaluate the output of all standing and ad hoc committees of the House.
He said that they are to submit a quarterly report to the House on all standing and ad hoc committees of the House and to set up a template for the effective assessment of the activities of all committees.
The lawmaker said that Order 7/1(13b) further mandates the committee to make recommendations to the Speaker on the removal of the leadership of the committees based on performance review reports, as the case may be.
“Armed with this demonstrable political will by the leadership of the house, the committee swung into action immediately.
“I am excited to report that since we assumed responsibilities, we have held at least three strategic meetings where we approved the work plan that has systematic alignment with the Committee’s mandate.
“We have also drafted the 10th House of Representatives Committees Evaluation Metrics with uniquely assigned key performance indicators that align with different committees’ mandates and major activities, as well as rating mechanisms for each activity line.
“We have written to over 50 committees of the House to submit their quarterly reports from the inception of the 10th House of Representatives to March 31, 2024,” he said. (NAN)
