From Mba Nnenna- Abakaliki
A three day workshop on Ebonyi State Legislative Oversight Orientation for Members of Ebonyi State House of Assembly and House Committee Clerks has started today at Nike Lake Resort Enugu.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the PRO, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Egede Sylvester.
Declaring the workshop open, the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly Rt Hon Moses Ije Odunwa said the workshop would equip and strengthen the competence and Knowledge of the lawmakers in handling legislative matters especially in their oversight functions.
Rt Hon Odunwa maintained that the training organized by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) State 2 State is necessary as a framework for legislative business which would enhance optimal performance.
The State Chief lawmaker who was delighted with the Agency for Identifying with the Ebonyi State legislators on the issue of improving the quality of lawmaking, urged the Honourable Members to pay attention to the lectures so as to enhance their potentials for legislative excellence .
The Speaker however used the forum to
express concern on educating the electorates on the role of legislature which is lawmaking and not execution of projects.
In his welcome remarks, the Team Leader of USAID State 2 State, Dr Sam Onyia said the purpose and objective of USAID State 2 State was to increase accountability, transparency and effectiveness in targeted States and Local Government Areas in Nigeria for a period of five years, and Ebonyi was the only State selected in the South East region.
Dr Onyia harped on Key reform gaps requiring legislative intervention which include Internally Generated Revenue Expansion Strategy, Automation of Budget and Financial Reporting, Procurement Law, Audit Law and Basic Education.
Presenting a paper titled Overview of legislative functions, Mr Ahmed Mohammed said the oversight duties of the legislature is a critical governance function aimed at checkmating excesses, incompetence and activities of Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as other government bodies to ensure positive results.
Also, in a paper titled “Overview of subnational Public Financial Management Framework and the role of the legislature in ensuring good governance”, Dr Olugbenga Oyewole stressed the importance of resources, mobilization of funds and expenditure managements in governance.
