Lagos Assembly mulls Institute of Legislative Studies

By Nimot Adetola Sulaimon

Lagos State House of Assembly is considering passing a bill that proposes the establishment of an Institute of Legislative Studies.

When passed into law, the proposed Institute of Legislative Studies will be the first in Nigeria to be backed by law.

This was made known by the Director of the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abuja, Dr Shuaib Danwaka, at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos on Friday in consideration of the bill for the state’s version of the Institute of Legislative Studies.

Danwaka, who was the guest speaker at the event, said that the institute is predicated on the need to provide training for lawmakers and legislative staff.

He 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 discharge its duties of lawmaking 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.

The bill sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa 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 the bill, 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;