Legislative

  By Adeleke Maria   Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin has emphasized the need for continuous legislative reforms to achieve and sustain effective governance in Nigeria. The Chairman spoke on Tuesday at the Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL) programme closeout and dissemination event in Abuja. Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin highlighted the successes of the PERL program, which has fostered a culture of collaboration, accountability, and transparency in governance over its 8-year journey [1). “The PERL program has achieved remarkable milestones, including strengthening the capacity of State Houses of Assembly, supporting landmark legislation, enhancing public participation, and promoting transparency and accountability.” He noted that building on PERL’s successes, Nigeria is poised to make significant strides in governance reforms, focusing on sustaining and scaling up the program’s achievements. Speaking on some of the key reforms, Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin stressed that autonomy was vital for promoting federalism and ensuring representative democracy. According to him, when State Houses of Assembly are autonomous, they will perform oversight functions effectively, represent their constituents rightly, and ensure power devolution to grassroots levels. He emphasized that further legislative reforms are crucial for strengthening democratic institutions, addressing emerging challenges, promoting transparency, and accountability. While calling for full financial autonomy for all State Assemblies, the Conference Chairman noted that many countries have successfully implemented autonomy for their sub-national legislatures. Rt. Hon.Ogundoyin assured that negotiation and consultation will continue to ensure more states comply with the constitutional provision on financial autonomy for State Legislatures in Nigeria. He expressed gratitude to the PERL team and staff for their dedication and expertise in driving governance reforms in Nigeria.