ABUJA - Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu is seeking the support and assistance of the Belgian parliament in the proposed review of the 1999 constitution being undertaken by the National Assembly.
He told visiting Secretary General of the Belgian Parliament, Mr. Robert Myttaenane who visited him in his office in Abuja that Belgium’s experience in Federalism and constitutional review would be a useful guide to the Joint Review Committee soon to be inaugurated by the Senate President, Senator David Mark.
Mr. Myttaenane is in Nigeria on the invitation of the Policy Analysis and Research Project (PARP) for a training workshop for its staff. He was accompanied on the courtesy visit by the Project Cordinator of PARP, Dr. Ladi Hamalai
According to the Deputy Senate President, the National Assembly embarked on the exercise in response to the yearnings of Nigerians who seek to deepen the practice of democracy through review of aspects of the constitution that tend to hold back its growth in Nigeria.
He also said the current members of the legislature will be interested in the proposal for e- legislation in the spirit of accountability and transparency and wider access to legislative debate by both members and non members of the legislature.
The DSP also used the opportunity to trace the History of the Nigerian National Assembly saying it dates back to pre-colonial era, adding however, that the current experience since 1999 is an irreversible journey which the country has embarked on with total commitment for its sustenance and growth.
Earlier, the visiting Secretary General of the Belgian parliament had outlined the functions of parliaments all over the world to include essentially, legislations and acting as a check upon the other arms of government especially the executive through oversights.
He said legislations must retain essential good for the society and should be able to resist the vagaries of legal considerations and lobby activities.
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