NILS Moves To Improve Efficiency Of Legislature

The National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS) in
partnership with the Parliament of the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) has begun moves to improve the
effectiveness of the legislature.

The institute yesterday commenced a training for clerks of
committees in the legislature both at the federal and state
levels.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the training , NILS DG,
Prof. Ladi Hamalai stressed that committees were the engine room of
any parliament.

The training which is a four-day training, is tagged: “Training
of Trainers Workshop on Legislative Effectiveness: The Role of the
Committee Clerk”

Prof. Hamalai emphasised that at the committee level, the role
of the Clerk was very important in positioning the committee to
function effectively and thereby bettering the legislature.

Hamalai noted that it was in recognition of the importance of
the Clerks that the National Institute for Legislative Studies
chose to partner on the training which is part of a series of other
trainings for legislative staff in Nigeria.

She said “In today’s democracies and globalizing economy, the
role of legislative committees in the daily affairs of parliament
cannot be overemphasised.

“Over the years, Legislative Committees have emerged as a
creative way for parliaments to perform their basic functions.

“To this extent, the Committee system has become the power house
of the legislature as most of the work of Legislature are now
referred to committees for detailed review to among others, inform
debate on the floor of the House.

“However, in carrying out the committee work effectively, the
committee clerk or staff is critical as S/he is expected to take
charge of the overall organisation of the committee’s operations
including the administrative work of the committee, scheduling
meetings and taking minutes, organising committee oversight visits
and hearings, keeping and archiving committee records including in
some instances providing research support and preparing briefs,”
she stated .

In his remarks, Secretary General of ECOWAS Parliament, Dr.
Nelson Magbagbeola stated that ‎central to the work of the
committee is the Committee Clerk who organises its activities.

According to him“Given the important role of the committee clerk
to the operations of the committees, it is, therefore, important to
train and retrain committee clerks on legislative practices and
tools needed to enhance their work.

“A good and highly trained committee clerk will make the work of
his/her committee easy and enhance the dignity of the parliament,”
he stated.

The National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS) in
partnership with the Parliament of the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) has begun moves to improve the
effectiveness of the legislature.

The institute yesterday commenced a training for clerks of
committees in the legislature both at the federal and state
levels.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the training , NILS DG,
Prof. Ladi Hamalai stressed that committees were the engine room of
any parliament.

The training which is a four-day training, is tagged: “Training
of Trainers Workshop on Legislative Effectiveness: The Role of the
Committee Clerk”

Prof. Hamalai emphasised that at the committee level, the role
of the Clerk was very important in positioning the committee to
function effectively and thereby bettering the legislature.

Hamalai noted that it was in recognition of the importance of
the Clerks that the National Institute for Legislative Studies
chose to partner on the training which is part of a series of other
trainings for legislative staff in Nigeria.

She said “In today’s democracies and globalizing economy, the
role of legislative committees in the daily affairs of parliament
cannot be overemphasised.

“Over the years, Legislative Committees have emerged as a
creative way for parliaments to perform their basic functions.

“To this extent, the Committee system has become the power house
of the legislature as most of the work of Legislature are now
referred to committees for detailed review to among others, inform
debate on the floor of the House.

“However, in carrying out the committee work effectively, the
committee clerk or staff is critical as S/he is expected to take
charge of the overall organisation of the committee’s operations
including the administrative work of the committee, scheduling
meetings and taking minutes, organising committee oversight visits
and hearings, keeping and archiving committee records including in
some instances providing research support and preparing briefs,”
she stated .

In his remarks, Secretary General of ECOWAS Parliament, Dr.
Nelson Magbagbeola stated that ‎central to the work of the
committee is the Committee Clerk who organises its activities.

According to him“Given the important role of the committee clerk
to the operations of the committees, it is, therefore, important to
train and retrain committee clerks on legislative practices and
tools needed to enhance their work.

“A good and highly trained committee clerk will make the work of
his/her committee easy and enhance the dignity of the parliament,”
he stated.