Abuja: The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, has called for continuous learning, innovation, and excellence to strengthen the effectiveness of legislative institutions in West Africa. Sulaiman made the call at the opening ceremony of a two-week capacity building workshop, organized for ECOWAS Parliament personnel on ‘Parliamentary Oversight Functions, Votes and Proceedings’ in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Sulaiman emphasized that nurturing skills continuously is essential for parliaments to fulfill their mandates in a rapidly developing and complex society in the 21st century. He highlighted the importance of making informed, timely, and impactful decisions in an increasingly complex, interconnected, and data-driven world. This challenge, he noted, requires not only political will but also the expertise of a capable, innovative, and highly skilled corps of parliamentary staffers proficient in parliamentary procedure and diplomatic engagement.
Sulaiman further noted that the workshop would provide participants with advanced knowledge, practical tools, and tested strategies to enhance their mandates while inspiring a culture of adaptability and continuous professional growth. He commended the ECOWAS Parliament for its sustained investment in staff development and emphasized the importance of knowledge-sharing and capacity-building to ensure strong legislative support systems in the 21st century.
In his remarks, Dr. Muhammed Garba, Director of Parliamentary Affairs and Research, noted the longstanding relationship between ECOWAS and NILDS since 2004. He mentioned that ECOWAS parliamentarians have benefited from local and foreign trainings under NILDS to enhance their capacity in representing the sub-region effectively. Garba highlighted the need for additional funding for NILDS, acknowledging that some richer countries are withdrawing funds. He stressed that adequate capacity development is crucial for the evolving ECOWAS Parliament to enable its members and staffers to discharge their mandates in accordance with the Act establishing the ECOWAS Parliament.