The National Assembly has called for regular training of committee clerks to boost their capacity.
Speaking in Abuja while declaring open a training for Clerks of Committees in the legislature both at the Federal and State levels, Director General, National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS), Ladi Hamalai, stressed that committees were the engine room of any parliament.
This she said, informed the need for the training, adding that this is the first set of intervention to enhance the skills of clerks.
The event is organised by the National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS) – a research and training organ of the National Assembly – in partnership with the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Hamalai stressed that at the committee level, the role of the Clerk was very important in positioning the committee to function effectively and thereby improving the legislature.
Hamalai added 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.
“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.
“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, Nelson Magbagbeola expressed pleasure that the commission was associated with the training.
He stated that most parliamentary operations were at the committee levels, adding that the effectiveness of the parliament depends on the quality of its committees.
“Central to the work of the committee is the Committee Clerk who organises its activities. 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.
“With this Training of Trainers workshop, participants are expected to transfer the knowledge and skills acquired to their colleagues when they return to their sub-national, national or regional parliaments.
“Thus, a lot depends on the participants who are expected to be trainers to their colleagues,” he said.
Magbagbeola urged participants to ensure that they learn the much they can so that they would have enough to give back to their colleagues when they return.
