THE African Governance Institute for Development (AGID) has completed a transformative two-day training retreat for the Oyo State House of Assembly, held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.
The retreat, organised to elevate legislative effectiveness, equipped lawmakers with practical skills and strategies was also to address the real challenges they face in governance.
In his opening address, Honourable Seyi Adisa, a founding member of AGID and former Oyo State legislator, while setting the tone for the training said through initiatives like this, AGID will continue to champion responsible governance and capacity-building across Africa, empowering leaders to meet the demands of public service.
“Over these two days, we won’t just be talking theory.
“We’ve designed highly interactive sessions where you’ll be rolling up your sleeves and diving into real legislative scenarios,’’ he stated, emphasising the retreat’s hands-on approach.
Adisa highlighted the retreat’s aim to move beyond jargon and engage with the practical needs of Oyo State lawmakers.
“Your constituents don’t just see you as their representatives – they see you as their hope for a better future. Our job over these two days is to equip you with tools to turn those hopes into reality.”
In a keynote address, former Minister of Science and Technology as well as former speaker of the Lagos State House of assembly, Senator Adeleke Mamora, underscored the crucial role of legislators in championing accountability and integrity.
Senator Mamora said legislators must champion transparency and accountability in their legislative activities so as to ensure that constituents enjoy the dividend of democracy.
Other speakers, including Honourable Onofiok Luke, former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and Dr Sam Ibrahim who spoke on Enhancing Legislative Committee Impact, presenting strategies for legislative oversight and committee effectiveness and Bill formulation, time management and conflict resolution charged the lawmakers to be proactive, committed and thorough.
Speaking shortly after the training, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Honoirable Adebo Ogundoyin expressed gratitude to AGID for its commitment to advancing good governance in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Tribune also gathered that an interactive syndicate session on report writing enabled lawmakers to refine their documentation skills, equipping them to deliver impactful and well-structured reports while participants were presented with certificates of attendance.
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