The Clerk to the House of Representatives, Yahaya Danzaria, has expressed the determination to build institutions and capacities of the National Assembly staff to compete with parliaments in developed democracies.
He said this in Abuja while speaking at a 3-day training workshop for staff of the House of Representatives.
He said the essence of the training was to bring about forthrightness in the conduct of the National Assembly staff and to ensure optimum service output as well as to serve as a means of enlightenment and constant reminder of staff as civil servants.
“Indeed, the purpose of training and retraining of staff of public institutions is the recognition of the need to build capacity and strengthen the institutions that will represent the yearnings of the public served by those in government.
“In our instant case, It is to build institutions that will compete among developed parliaments in the democratic community around the world. As noted by many scholars of capacity building, the best leader teaches by action and fewer words.
“We understand the situation of things in our country today and even the low morale of staff on many issues, yet, we are determined and hopeful that what is constant is change.
“And no difficult situation will remain forever. It is on this note that we arranged this workshop to give you the opportunity to interact and refresh yourselves in your different areas of legislative duties”, he said.
Also speaking, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Ojo Olatunde Amos, described the Legislature as the first among the three arms of government, saying it must be protected by all lovers of democracy.
He said: “It would not be out of place for me to use this occasion to remind us that the Legislature is the symbol of democracy all over the world.
“It is therefore pertinent and incumbent on all lovers of democracy to ensure that this institution is protected”.
