The performance of any legislative arm of government in the provision of quality legislation hinges largely on a basic understanding of legislative processes by the legislators. In fact, society benefits more from legislators with relevant and necessary knowledge and skills for legislative business.
It was in line with the foregoing that a Lagos State based Non -Governmental Organisation(NGO), International Republican Institute (IRI) in conjunction with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organised a 2 Day Training Programme for the returning and newly elected members of the 7th Adamawa State House of Assembly.
The event which was held at a Grand Pela Hotel in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) attracted all the members of the assembly led by the speaker, Rt. Hon. Aminu Iya Abbas, and other principal officers of the house.
The legislators had on Tuesday last week adjourned their plenary session to tomorrow Monday and flew to Abuja, for the training programme. The members are expected in the state today for tomorrow’s sitting.
The event was the first training programme organised for our new members apart from the induction course organised for them by the management of the hallowed chamber. No doubt, such a programme is very important for our members as it will equip them for perform better.
According to the organisers, the event was designed to strengthen and equip our honourable members with a requisite knowledge and skills on how to float people oriented bills, deliver on their mandate, organise town hall meetings and reach out to their constituents.But the borne of contention is not about holding the event, but whether our legislators who participated actively would actually translate the technical knowledge acquired for the benefit of the state and their respective constituencies.
The concern of many is that, let not be a tea party as it used to be in the previous assemblies. We vividly recalled that the former members on several occasions attended such events within and outside the country, yet our people could not benefit from it as expected.
More so, despite such programmes for our members in the past, most of the honourable guys ended their tenure for complete 4 years without initiating a single bill or sponsoring a matter of public interest that directly or indirectly affect their electorates.
To state the fact, if our members will make use of the knowledge and skills they have been gaining at such events, the state will have a robust and effective assembly that will be beneficial to all citizens.
Though, it is too early to assess the performance of the present assembly or any individual member in this aspect, it should be known to them that their constituents are more enlightened and knowledgeable enough and can hold them accountable for their stewardship.
And that is why every member needs to be up and doing so as to deliver on his or her mandate before next elections.
Filibus Jonathan
Adamawa based Journalist
