NAN-H-91
Security
Abuja, July 3, 2017 (NAN) The Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on Monday said that the lower chamber was committed to legislative initiatives to respond to security challenges confronting the country.
Dogara said this at a Capacity-Building and Needs Assessment Workshop of Security Sector-related Committees of the House of Representatives in Abuja.
He was represented at the event by the Chief Whip, House of Representatives, Mr Alhassan Ado-Doguwa.
According to him, effort has been made to meet the budgetary needs of the security sector and ensure that the sector receives major allocation in the country’s budget.
Dogara said that this was borne out of the need to respond to the insurgency in the north eastern part of the country as well as various security challenges, such as kidnapping and armed robbery around the country.
He said that related to the constitutional powers of the National Assembly to appropriate funds and allocate funds for security was power to ensure that such monies were used in transparent and accountable manner.
He said, “Section 217 of the constitution spells out the duties and responsibilities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria which includes defending Nigeria from external aggression.
“It also involves maintaining Nigeria’s territorial integrity and securing our borders from violation from land, sea, and air surpassing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order when called upon to do so.’’
According to Dogara, it is worrisome that Nigeria is permanently in a state of emergency as the Armed Forces are deployed in more than 28 states to ensure peace.
He said that a fundamental practice in advanced democracies was that security sector institutions submitted to democratic governance to ensure that the institutions were held accountable.
He said it would also ensure that security was strengthened to enhance a stable Nigerian environment that was favourable for investment and sustainable economic development.
The speaker disclosed that reasonable effort had been made toward this process, through related standing committees, in the form of Bills and Resolutions to investigate pressing needs of the security sector.
He recommended that steps should be taken to involve the public in security reforms by creating public awareness and engagement as it represented key to giving ownership and legitimacy to outcome of such actions.
Dogara said the meeting was organised to see how the lawmakers, charged with a lot of responsibility, especially oversight functions, to interact and seek how to synergise to address some of the security challenges.
“So, this program is coming at an apt time and I believe this interaction will continue to strengthen our capacity as members to see how to make policies to salvage the security sector.
“Some of these challenges can be addressed through law-making but unless you have this kind of interaction with experts and civil society groups, some of these things will continue to go underground.’’
Mr Clement Nwankwo, the Executive Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), said that the event was organised by the civil society organisation to interact with security sector-related committees in house of representatives.
Nwankwo said that the workshop was to also expatiate on what roles the legislators would play in democratically over-sighting the security sector for effective performance.
“We are trying to see how national assembly can play a greater role to encourage greater respect for the Constitution to guarantee the lives of citizens by security service.
“It is also to distinguish how the security services can play a more increased national security role in line with internationally defined standard but also in line with constitutionally guaranteed respect for human lives.’’
He said it was to also deliberate on how the legislature could oversight the security services to deliver on their duties and responsibilities under the Constitution while respecting human rights and democratic norms. (NAN)
ATAB/OPI/OPI
Edited by Olisa Ifeajika