Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Thursday, signed a landmark agreement for the implementation of the Parliamentary Development Programme agreed on earlier by the Speaker’s Office and the UNDP.
Resident Representative of UNDP in Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, who led a delegation from the UN body, signed on behalf of her organization.
Both the Speaker’s Office and the UNDP had earlier this year signed the Parliamentary Development Programme, which articulates the capacity needs assessment of the 10th House.
Speaker Abbas, at the signing ceremony held in Abuja, noted that “This is a moment of history for the UNDP and Nigeria.”
At the ceremony were the Majority Leader of the House, Hon Julius Ihonvbere; Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon Akin Rotimi; Chief of Staff to the Deputy Speaker, Hon Toby Okechukwu; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Speaker, Hon. Chamberlain Dunkwu; and Head of the Programmes Coordinating Unit, Dr. Jerry Ohuo, among others.
The Speaker said: “Today is another milestone for the legislature, for the National Assembly, and particularly for the House. It is a day we have signed a significant document which, legislatively speaking, I will say is probably the most important document of collaboration between the House and the UNDP since the inception of our parliamentary democracy in Nigeria.
“I’m sure many people may not understand the extent and depth of the agreement we have signed. It involves the training of not only members of the legislature but also the staff and clerks (of the chambers and committees) of the House of Representatives over the next three years.
“Because of this significant agreement, the UNDP has graciously accepted to even rent an office dedicated to the project, and employ staff to drive this process from the beginning to the end. So, this is a moment of history for the UNDP and for Nigeria.
“I believe at the end of the day, the Nigerian legislature will move from strength to strength. Our capacity to deliver on the promises to our people, on all key areas of concern, would be strengthened in due course.”
Earlier in her remarks, UNDP Resident Representative, Attafuah, commended the Speaker and the House for the partnership with her organisation.
“We truly are blessed that you (the Speaker) have signalled; that you believe in us, that you believe that we will be able to deliver. We will not disappoint you on this,” Attafuah said.
She also reiterated “UNDP’s commitment to the development cause of Nigeria; UNDP’s commitment to your (Speaker’s) visionary leadership here at the 10th House of Representatives…”
She commended the Speaker for his inclusive drive, especially the issue of women’s inclusion and participation in politics and governance, which she said was one of the focus areas of her organization.
She noted that the partnership with the Speaker’s Office, and by extension the House of Representatives, would go a long way in achieving set goals.
The UNDP delegation comprised the Resident Representative Attafuah; the Deputy Resident Representative Programmes, Varsha Redkar – Palepu; the Team Lead Governance, Peace and Security Unit, Matthew Alao; the Technical Specialist, Legal Sector Reform, Paul Turay, and the Public Engagement Outreach and Partnership Lead, Christabel Chanda-Ginsberg.
Others were the Partnership Analyst, Eno- Mfon Akinde; the Project Analyst Governance, Peace and Security Unit, Oluwatosin Richard Ologunla, and the Project Officer Governance, Peace & Security Unit, Moyosoluwa Oladayo.