The Speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly, Joseph Albasu Kunini on Saturday said that following the COVID-19 global pandemic and the lessons drawn, members of the state assembly were considering move to transformed the house into an e-Paliarment where members can participate in the proceedings of the house even from remote locations.
Kunini disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Jalingo, saying that one of the key lessons drawn from the COVID-19 global pandemic experience was the possibility of people not always willing to physically participate in the house deliberations for the fear of being contacted with the virus.
He explained that, the transformation of the assembly into an e-parliament would complement the global best practice of social distancing and adherence to COVID-19 protocols.
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According to the speaker, the last one year of his leadership as the Speaker of the house, he has been able to ensure stability and unite in the house as one indivisible body that works in close collaboration with the executive arm of government to provide the dividends of democracy to the people, and promised he will work hard to leave enduring legacies and innovations in the house for optimum development of Taraba State.
“Let me first of all congratulate my colleagues as we mark one year in office as principal officers of the house. When I assumed office, I decided that I was not going to preside over a broken house. My immediate priority was to bring all of us together and that has by God’s grace been achieved.
“Today, we have a house that is more stable and united than at any other time in the history of our dear state, and today I can confidently tell you that we are truly united house of justice.
“We are considering move base on lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic to transform the assembly into an e-paliarment where members can equally participate in the presiding even from away.
“This we believe would compliment the global best practice of social distancing and adherence to COVID-19 protocol, ” Kunini added.