The Oyo State House of Assembly has commenced a two-day workshop aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of its legislative committees’ duties.
The workshop, organized in collaboration with the African Governance Institute for Development (AGID), kicked off on October 27, 2024, at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan.
It is to focus on strengthening governance through enhanced committee impact, recognizing the committees’ responsibilities in scrutinizing proposed legislation, exercising oversight of government agencies, conducting public hearings, and reviewing budget proposals
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin emphasized the crucial role committees play in the legislative process.
“Our committees are the backbone of our legislative process, and their effectiveness is crucial to our ability to serve the people of Oyo State. As we gather here today, our focus is clear: strengthening governance through enhanced committee impact. This theme resonates deeply with our collective vision for a more effective and responsive legislature. Our committees are the backbone of our legislative process, and their effectiveness is crucial to our ability to serve the people of Oyo State.
“Let’s be reminded that legislative committees are responsible for scrutinizing proposed legislation through review of bills and analysis, ensuring that laws align with state priorities and are fiscally responsible. They also exercise oversight of government agencies, monitoring their performances, ensuring service delivery, and accountability,” Oyo Speaker said.
The Speaker expressed gratitude to the state government’s unwavering support, particularly in capacity building, which has enabled the Assembly to enhance its legislative expertise and uphold constitutional responsibilities.
In his keynote address, a former Minister, Sen. Adeleke Mamora, charged the lawmakers to see their elections as service to their constituencies and must be ready to sacrifice all the time.
Sen. Mamora, who identified representation, oversight and lawmaking as three most important roles of a legislator, urged the lawmakers to be diligent, committed and dedicated to their legislative responsibilities.
“The most important role of a lawmaker is representation. You are the eyes, ears and the mouthpiece of your people hence you must represent them diligently. Legislature remains pivotal to the survival of democracy and entrenchment of good governance in any society. Democracy can’t thrive except the legislature live up to expectation,” Sen. Mamora.
Earlier in his Welcome address, one of the founding members of African Governance Institute for Development, AGID, and a former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Seyi Adisa, said the workshop was put together to further enhance the activities of Oyo State lawmakers and their various House Committees.
“Let’s talk about why we’re really here. As lawmakers, you have the power to impact millions of lives through your decisions. That’s both exciting and terrifying, isn’t it? It’s like being given a superpower, but instead of a cape, you get committee assignments and parliamentary procedures.
“Over these two days, we won’t just be talking about theory. We’ve designed highly interactive sessions where you’ll be rolling up your sleeves and diving into real legislative scenarios. Expect dynamic group work, case studies from successful legislatures, and practical exercises. We’ll dive deep into committee effectiveness and parliamentary conduct and skills. Don’t worry – we won’t just be throwing fancy terms around like ‘legislative oversight’ and ‘procedural motion.’ We’ll be working with real solutions to real challenges that you face every day in serving your constituents.
“More seriously- You see, your constituents don’t just see you as their representatives – they see you as their hope for a better future. They’ve entrusted you with their dreams, their challenges, and yes, sometimes their frustrations. Our job over these two days is to equip you with tools to turn those hopes into reality,” Hon. Seyi Adisa said.
Packaged by Adekunle Adegboyega
