Lagos State House of Assembly has passed a Bill for the establishment of Institute of Legislative Studies and Research.
The Bill is in consideration of the state’s version of the Institute of Legislative Studies as established at the national level.
The passage followed a third reading by the Acting Clerk of the House, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, at a sitting which was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni.
The bill is in consideration of the state’s version of the Institute of Legislative Studies as being established at the national level.
With the passage the proposed Institute of Legislative Studies will be the first in Nigeria to be backed by law.
During the public hearing on the Bill on May 2021, the Director of the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abuja, Dr. Shuaib Danwaka said that the institute is predicated on the need to provide training for lawmakers and legislative staff.
Danwaka, who was the guest speaker at the event, commended the Assembly for following the footsteps of the federal government, while arguing that democracy is sustained through capacity development.
“The bill is to establish the institute that would provide capacity so that the Assembly would be able to discharged its duties of law making and oversight.
“The duties of the legislature cannot be discharged without capacity. With the institute the capacity of the legislature and staff is guaranteed and it will go beyond Lagos and Nigeria,” he said while noting some parts of the bill that should be considered.”
Like Danwaka, Prof. Sylvester Odion Akhaine, a Nigerian activist and academic, supported the bill, but noted areas that could be reviewed.
Sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the bill shows that the proposed institute is to be charged with the responsibility of conducting quality academic and professional research, training and advocacy on democratic governance, legislative practices, procedures and for connected purposes.
According to it, the institute would act as a centre of excellence for research and publication on democratic governance as well as be a centre for continuing education on democracy and legislation.
Among other functions, the institute is to “conduct courses for all categories of legislative officers and the support staff with a view to expanding their overall knowledge and performance in different sections of service;
“Provide continuing education for all categories of legislative officers by undertaking, organising, conducting and facilitating studies, courses, lectures, seminars, workshops, conference and other programmes related to Legislative education;
“Promote and disseminate among legislative Assemblies and Local Governments in the State the practice of science-based methodologies of lawmaking.”
Meanwhile, the House also screened two nominees of Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu Messrs Sikiru Salami for the Permanent Secretary/State Auditor-General and Ogunlana Musa for the Permanent Secretary/Auditor-General Unified Local Government Services
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