Legislative business anywhere in the world undoubtedly is considered a serious one and very challenging. This is due to the fact that as the second arm of government apart from serving as checks and balances to the executive, equally sets the tune in order to ensure good governance for the citizens.
Therefore, the legislators who are the peoples’ mouths and eyes are therefore, expected to always be alive to their responsibilities by coming up with various motions and bills that could assist the executives in the discharge of their respective duties to provide the needful and make lives comfortable for the citizens.
In achieving the task though, it is imperative that the legislators must from time-to-time embrace the need to update their knowledge in all ramifications, especially relating to discharge of their duties as lawmakers and peoples representatives.
It is against this back drop the 8th Assembly under the leadership of the Speaker, Rt Hon Dr. Ali Ahmad, saw the need to organise workshop for the members of the state House of Assembly. This is to enable the members to be more equipped and further sharpen their skills in law making business. The 3-day workshop which took place at Ede in Osun State between Monday 26th and Wednesday 28th respectively saw the legislators lectured on how to ensure proper budget planning, conduct oversight functions, drafting of motions, sponsoring of bills and how to maintain the standing Orders.
The selected resource persons from the Nigeria Institute of Legislative who took turns to deliver lectures at the workshop were versed in their respective areas. This is due to how articulate they were in the course of their presentations.
However, without taking anything away from the lawmakers, having just spent over four months as legislators in the Assembly, one could rightly observe they have been catching up greatly with the trend in the House and displaying high prospect even before the workshop was organised.
The feat, it could be said was down to their commitment and dedication to begin from where the 7th Assembly have stopped and further raise the bar for their predecessors in future. Similarly, it could be noted that the returning and experienced members in the 8th Assembly have never failed to make corrections as the need might arises at the plenary.
Declaring the workshop open, the Speaker, Rt Hon Dr Ali Ahmad said the importance of the retreat could not be over-emphasised as it would greatly assist the lawmakers in the discharge of their duties.
He stated that the training became imperative because majority of the House members were new in the system, noting that such exposure would greatly assist them to be able to cope with challenges of their work.
Ahmad added that having such training would further expose them to how they could work closely with the executive in making policies and programmes that would have positive impact on the citizens.
He further added that the programme would also assist in budget planning as it was their constitutional responsibility to scrutinise the appropriation bills before passing it into law to ensure transparency and accountability from the government.
The speaker encouraged the legislators to take advantage of the training in order to be more equipped in the legislative work.
Stressing the importance of the programme, he said measures would be put in place to ensure that members benefitted more from such workshop as it would further enhance their participation and enable them contribute positively to the success of the House.
As curtains drawn on the 3-day programme, the lawmakers expressed their satisfaction for the workshop, which they confirmed has further informed and enlightened them on how to go about their various duties.
Also speaking, the House Leader, Hon Hassan Oyeleke representing Essa/Shawo/Igodun Constituency commended the initiative, which he said would in no small way enhance their performances.
Oyeleke said as legislators, their jobs include making researches on various things that would aid their legislative assignments.
The workshop which could be described as a worthwhile programme for the legislators, it is hoped would be one out of several for the lawmakers in a bid to make the 8th Assembly very efficient and effective.
Shuaib Abdulkadir is the Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker Kwara State House of Assembly.
