The National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies has expressed its commitment to enhancing the capabilities of lawmakers at the local level.
Director general of NILDS Prof. Abubakar O. Sulaiman, represented by Rekiya Ibrahim Atta, Head of the Department of Training and International Cooperation, stated this during a two-day workshop aimed at enhancing the legislative knowledge and skills of Nigerian local council members.
The NILDS DG during the event organized in collaboration with The Foundation for Rural Proletariat and Community Advancement (RuralPro) and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Nigeria, encouraged the participants to recognize their crucial role as the first line of defense for democracy.
He also emphasized the immense power held by citizens when given the opportunity to shape policies, influence decision-making, and participate in legislative processes.
Mr. Ojooluwa Ibiloye, the Founder of RuralPro said The workshop aims to train local government legislators and empower them with requisite background to establish an inclusive legislative agenda and foster deliberative democratic processes that genuinely serve the people they represent.
Dr. John Olanrewaju, former Director-General of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labor Studies (MINILS) shed light on the structures, functions, challenges, and prospects of local government. He emphasized the significance of local government autonomy in managing its resources and called for collaborative efforts among local government councils, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) to secure recognition of local government as an independent tier of government.
One of the participants, Hon. Gado Shuaibu, who is the Minority Leader of the Gwagwalada Area Council, expressed his gratitude for the training, recognizing its potential to enhance legislative work at the local level. Speaking on behalf of the other participants, he highlighted the newfound knowledge and skills acquired during the workshop, equipping them to become more effective legislators in their respective constituencies.
The collaboration between RuralPro, FES Nigeria, and is expected to equip local government legislators with enhanced skills and knowledge, and lay a solid foundation for a more inclusive legislative agenda and citizen-driven decision-making processes.
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