NASS set to establish Legislative Museum, Archives

To mark 20 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, the National Assembly is to establish a Legislative Museum and Archives.

Rep. Sam Onuigbo (Abia-PDP), member of the Special Joint Ad–Hoc Committee on the establishment of National Assembly Legislative Museum and Archives, disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

The lawmaker said the Legislative Museum and Archives is aimed at preserving the nation’s legislative records.

He added it would also help to provide an invaluable repository of knowledge that will be beneficial to scholars, historians and citizens of the country.

According to Onuigbo, the museum and archives will keep mementoes of Nigeria’s progress in democracy and memories of leaders and their contributions to democratic rule in the country.

“It will immortalise past and present Nigerian parliamentarians.”

The lawmaker also spoke on the action lines.

He maintained that a groundbreaking ceremony of the project will be held at the proposed site within the National Assembly Complex on May 18, 2019, as part of the celebration of the World Museums Day.

He further disclosed that a temporary exhibition will be put in place on the lobby of the National Assembly before the groundbreaking ceremony, to create awareness for the legislative Museum.

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NAN reports that Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on May 2, 2018, inaugurated the Special Joint Ad -Hoc Committee on the Establishment of National Assembly Legislative Museum and Archives.

At the inauguration, the Senate President was optimistic that “the repository resource of the museum and archives would be used to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic culture.

“It would be through immortalisation of personality’s knowledge of parliamentary proceedings and thematic exhibitions and publications.”

Meanwhile, the report of the joint ad-hoc committee on the Establishment of legislative Museum and Archives was adopted in the green chamber on May 2, 2019,

Following the report, a directorate will be created in the National Assembly to cater for the new project which, therefore, calls for an amendment of the National Assembly Service Act.

The Lagos Parliamentary building at the Tafawa Belewa Square will also be renovated to serve as an annexe to the National Assembly Legislative Museum and Archives.