Institute Urges NASS to Pass Laws That Will Impact on Lives of Nigerians

The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) has urged the National Assembly to pass laws that will impact on the socio-economic and political lives of Nigerians.

Director-General of the Institute, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, made the call in Abuja on Thursday at a seminar on ” Strengthening the impact of laws in Nigeria through Post Legislative Scrutiny (PLS).”

The event was organised by the NILDS in collaboration with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).

”Post Legislative Scrutiny is a proactive way of looking at the law that was passed for a certain purpose and finding out whether the law was serving the purpose for which it was passed or there were unintended consequences,” he said

Abubakar was represented by Director Democracy and Governance NILDS, Dr Adewale Aderemi.

He said institutionasiling PLS will create the environment for the Nigerian legislature in particular, and the government as a whole.

“This is particularly critical in line of numerous instances where laws passed, lack effective implementation and impact, and government activities are poorly monitored thereby having no real effect on improving the wellbeing and living condition of Nigerians.”

He called on government at all levels to strive further toward entrenching the values of democratic governance.

Sulaiman, said that he would continue to provide the relevant support that would see PLS become part of the statutory obligations within the Nigerian Legislative structures.

Also speaking, Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Mr Ojo Amos, said the importance of PLS could not be overemphasised as it was the required mechanism of measuring the impactfulness of laws passed.

Amos was represented by Acting Secretary legal Services, at the National Assembly, Mr Kamoru Ogunlana.

He said that: “Legislative compliance committees set up by both chambers of the National Assembly should be replicated at the state level.

“Mechanisms for law reforms or review as being focused upon through post legislative scrutiny will no doubt help to deepen democracy in the land,” he said.

In his remarks, Chairman Conference of Speakers of Nigeria Hon. Abubakar Suleiman, said that the seminar was apt and timely .

Suleiman who was represented by the Speaker Niger State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Wuse said most of the laws in Nigeria were lying fallow, requiring reforms to be impactful and to facilitate good governance.