The Director General National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, on Thursday advocated for the adoption of Afrocentric model as against Afro-Eurocentric approach to developing African Sub-region
He stated this at the closing ceremony of a 5-day workshop for opposition members and members of the Budget Committee of the Parliament of Uganda held at the NILDS Permanent Site Abuja, according to a statement issued by his spokesman, Mohammad Abdulkadri.
The DG noted that efforts must be geared towards building Africa by Africans using the instrumentality of legislative tools to advance intra and inter Democratic cultures, knowledge, ethics and skills for advancements.
He said: “Nigeria is a big democratic nation with 25 years of unbroken democracy with bicameral Legislature compared to a brother Africa nation like Uganda which operates Unicameral parliamentary system, both countries have a lot to share and learn from each other.”
Sulaiman congratulates the trainees for the successful completion of the capacity building training for the 4th consecutive times under topnotch resource persons like six times ranking lawmaker, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe and Senator Aba Moro among others.
He further stressed that the knowledge garnered should be deployed towards interrogation, allocation and implementation of budgets, its impacts on the lives of Ugandans, oversight functions and constructive opposition towards taking the country to a higher pedestals among comity of nations.
Sulaiman who assured on further opportunities for trainings at NILDS intimated the Ugandian Parliamentarians on the need to come back to take advantage of the “Advance Executive Training Programme” to be co-ordinated by the Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega.
In his remarks, the Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the Parliament of Uganda, Hon. Remigio Achia, and the leader of opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, confirmed that they were in Nigeria for the first time adding that they had beneficial engagements and highly rewarding cross- pollination of knowledge and skills that will be useful to their country.
Signed –
Mohammad Abdulkadri, ANIPR
Media Adviser TO DG NILDS.
