*IMHA : CONSOLIDATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE 10TH HOUSE, 3RD ASSEMBLY THROUGH A PROCESS OF RETREAT AND TRAINING FOR LAWMAKERS*

 *IMHA : CONSOLIDATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE 10TH HOUSE, 3RD ASSEMBLY THROUGH A PROCESS OF RETREAT AND TRAINING FOR LAWMAKERS*

Impressed by the quality of Legislation in the last one year by the 10th House, 3rd Assembly of the Imo State House Of Assembly, the 3R Shared Prosperity Administration of His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma has facilitated  A 3-Day Retreat/Training Programme for the 27 lawmakers, to further build and boost their capacity as they continue in their Legislative  Responsibilities to the people of Imo state.

Recall that the lawmakers, before their inauguration on the 16th of June 2023, had embarked on a similar 3-Day Retreat and Induction Programme in Uyo, Akwaibom State, as a preparatory ground  kicked off on the 25th of May 2023. Facilitated by the Governor Hope Uzodimma led administration, it was planned to equip them with the necessary tools and knowledge to drive enhanced and robust legislative activities.

Therefore, leveraging on the effect of the Achievements of the 10th House in the last one year, the People's Governor approved funds for another 3-Day Retreat/Training Programme to further enhance and equip the Capacity of the Legislative Responsibilities of Imo lawmakers to the State. This time around, it was done in Abuja, Nigeria, which kicked off on the 26th of June 2024 and ended on the 28th of June 2024.

The training programme was anchored by the National  Institute For Legislative And Democratic Studies (NILDS,) in collaboration with African Parliamentary And Resource Centre (APRC). 

NILDS is a capacity building agency of the National Assembly and a provider of technical services to the Legislature and other Institutions Of Democracy in Nigeria. Furthermore, the Institute supports and strengthens the legislature and other democratic Institutions to make informed decisions and effectively discharge its statutory responsibilities through focussed research, training, sharing of best practices and provisions of professional services. 

While the Acting Director and Head of NILDS, Mrs Joke Akinsanni gave the welcome address, Mr John Mutu, a well known Resource Authority from African Parliamentary And Resource Centre, APRC and one of the facilitators, gave the welcome remark. The Director General of  NILDS, Prof Abubakar  O. Suleiman, made  the opening declaration.

The First Technical Session was handled by two Eminent Authorities. While Professor Shola Omotola of NILDS lectured on *CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL, NATIONAL, REGIONAL CHALLENGES, WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR IMO STATE*,   Dr Samuel Oguche, a Senior Research Fellow of DLSS and NILDS  lectured on *THE LAWMAKING PROCESS, INCLUDING BILL ANALYSIS AND SCRUTINY* . He majored on the following :

* Stakeholders In The Law-making Process.

* Factors Responsible For Poor Quality Bills And Policy Development.

* Challenges Of Law-making In Nigeria.

The Second Technical Session  was handled by Three Eminent Authorities. While Dr Ugo Amakom, an Intellectual from World Bank lectured on  *UNDERSTANDING THE BUDGET, PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS*  , Dr Asimiyu  G. Abiola, Director, Studies, NILDS handled *THE APPROPRIATION PROCESS*.

Prof Ali Ahmed, from Baze University, Abuja, lectured on  *EXECUTIVE - LEGISLATIVE - JUDICIAL RELATIONS* , vis-a-vis :

* Doctrine Of Separation Of Powers.

* Overview Of Executive-Legislative-Judicial Relations Since 1990.

* Suggestions For Harmonious Relations.

The Third Technical Session was  handled by a renowned Authority in Legislative Matters, Mr John Mutu, from African Parliamentary And Resource Centre, APRC and one of the facilitators.

He first handled : *FUNDAMENTALS OF EFFECTIVE LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT.*  Thereafter, he lectured on *CONSTITUENCY RESPONSIBILITIES OF A LAWMAKER.* The Two were encapsulated in the topic : *LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT AND REPRESENTATION.* 

For the Three Sessions which ran for three days, there were comments and questions from our Distinguished Honourable Members, for which responses were provided by the resource persons who took them through the lecture processes.

  Therefore, the training/retreat programme is aimed at building an effective legislative relationship, through a system of independent, yet interrelated and therefore interdependent subsystem in a symbiotic relationship with the other Arms of Government, especially the Executive, but not compromising the bounds of its interdependence, for very easy service delivery to the good people of Imo State. 

However, despite the trifurcation or separation  of powers, we must emphasize that there is only one Government at a time. This is because just like one wing cannot make a bird fly, a Democratic Government cannot function effectively on one arm. lt is therefore in the interest of the Executive Arm that the other Two Arms of Government (Legislature and Judiciary)  should be  strong enough to ensure the  *GOVERNMENT* stands, to discharge its functions, creditably. This is exactly what the People's Governor, His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma has done, by ensuring Honourable Members of the 10th House periodically embark on capacity building.

So for the smooth running of the Imo State Government, the Three Arms Of Government must be very effective, and must work hand in hand, for optimal result. This is because if one system is unstable, defective or malfunctioning, then the whole system would be affected, thereby, remaining in unstable equilibrium. Therefore, if the Legislature makes laws, the Executive should execute the laws, while the Judiciary has the task  of interpreting the laws.  Therefore, this interdependency is what makes Government strong, stable and runs smoothly, thereby facilitating good governance.

The Retreat/Training Programme  at  National Institute For Legislative And Democratic Studies (NILDS) was indeed Action Packed and has given the Honourable Members Heads Up and what is expected of them in the 10th House which has already commenced.

The Highlight of the Training was the Award And Presentation Of Certificates to Honourable Members by the Director General of the National Institute Of Legislative And Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof Abubakar O. Suleiman, who also said the closing remark.

It is also worthy to note here that apart from the Honourable Members who participated in the training, the  very efficient and dynamic Clerk and Head Of Legislative Services, Chinelo Adaora Emeghara, Esq, led some  Management Staff of Imo State House of Assembly  to be part of the exercise.

I Rest My Pen 🖊️🖊️🖊️🖋️🖋️🖋️

 *Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha*

28/06/2024