National Assembly promises Legislative support for Health emergencies

The National Assembly has reiterated its commitment to providing long-term legislative support that would prepare Nigeria to deal with any future health emergencies.

The Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan made the disclosure at a public presentation of a report tagged “Legislative Responses to Covid-19 in Nigeria” sponsored by the Young Parliamentarian Forum.

Dr Lawan who expressed concern over the condition of the health care system in the country emphasised the need for more collaboration between the two arms of government, to reduce the impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic in the country.

“The legislature is supporting the Executive Arm in formulating policies to cushion the effects of the contagion particularly because of the lockdown and the attendants’ adverse effects on personal and public incomes.

“Talking of public incomes, we know what the National Assembly did particularly to support the Executive Arm of government in passing the Economic Stimulus Bill which we graciously did and I am sure the Legislature at the State Level did the same in their respective States.” Dr Lawan said.

Innovative technologies
The Chairman Young Parliamentarian Forum, Kabir Tukura, House of Representatives Member from Kebbi State explained that the Covid-19 Pandemic has forced the lawmakers to adopt innovative technologies to discharge their constitutional duties.

“The Covid-19 Pandemic has created unprecedented challenges to legislative duties across the world thereby forcing emerging requirements in parliamentary proceedings. However, innovative techniques have been deployed to connect the public with legislative actions and urgent palliatives provided for communities in need.” Tukura added.

The Country Representative, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, WFD, Mr Adebowale Olorunmola commended the National Assembly Directorate of Inter-Parliamentary Relations saying the work, would contribute to existing Legislative response in dealing with emergencies.

Mr Olorunmola who presented the work, commended the leadership of the 9th National Assembly for their efforts, through legislative instruments, to curtail the spread of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

The WFD and YPF sponsored research work is expected to contribute to the existing and emerging body of knowledge in Legislative response in dealing with emergencies and serve as a guide to Nigeria’s Legislatures on steps to take in a time of similar situations in the future.

The research project also recommends that to roll back the diseases, Parliaments can create a crisis management Team composed of high-level members of the parliamentary administration.

The team shall be responsible for closely monitoring the rapidly evolving Covid-19 pandemic to protect the health and safety of employees and mitigate its impact.

The research project is a product of the Young Parliamentarians Forum of Nigeria’s National Assembly with support from Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), Nigeria, in line with the signed memorandum of understanding between the two, to collaborate on issues that advance democracy and entrench politics with values.

VON