Posted by From OLUWOLE AKINBOYEWA, Abuja on
The National Assembly has pledged its support to its sister African nations toward the accelerated development of their legislatures and democracies.
The National Assembly has pledged its support to its sister African nations toward the accelerated development of their legislatures and democracies. Senate Chairman on Appropriation, Senator Iyiola Omisore, who made the pledge in Abuja yesterday, said the National Assembly shall bring to bear on such countries, Nigeria's experience of proactive contributions and developments made in the last few years to encourage and sustain their nascent democracies.
Welcoming a four-man Ethiopian House of Federation to his office, Omisore stated that Nigeria's big brother posture shall be appreciated better when it enter into an enduring partnership with her sister nations in the area of legislative development.
He explained that the country's legislature had in the last eight years of unabridged democracy, commenced a development culture of a people-oriented democracy which shall serve as an enduring value for generations unborn.
Omisore disclosed that the Senate, as part of its legislative oversight functions introducing a new budgeting initiative and project implementation, shall embark on a sensitisation visit to the Houses of Assembly in the six geopolitical zones in the country, with a view to appreciating the implementation level of projects captured in the 2008 federal budget.
He stated that the country operated a bi-cameral legislature of the upper and lower houses, a three-tier government of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, a federally-controlled Armed Forces, revenue collection and allocation and a constitution among others.
Responding to the address, a member of the Ethiopian House of Federation and team leader, Dr. Molderufael Alemayehu said the delegation was part of his country's month-long African tour aimed at fostering legislative relationship and experience with other sister nations.
Alemayehu disclosed that Ethiopia with a eight million population had nine regions and was in the country to gain a lot of political experience especially on wealth creation, distribution and development project monitoring and implementation.
In an interview with The Sun, the delegation leader called for political, economic and social cooperation among African countries