President Goodluck Jonathan has called for a stronger and better collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government in order to build a more inclusive administration.
At the 1st Africa Legislative Summit in Abuja, President Jonathan said that despite the progress made in some African countries, there still exist threats to democracy and good governance.
“These challenges must be addressed jointly and comprehensively through legislative and executive action in the interest of the people,” President Jonathan said.
In the 3-day summit, Nigerian lawmakers and their counterparts from different African countries will exchange ideas on how to strengthen emerging democracies and the crucial role parliaments play in this task.
Issues Of Concern
However, Nigeria’s Senate President, David Mark, is worried that because of the long military rule in the country, Nigerians are still to come to terms with the role of the legislature.
Senator Mark also mentioned the entrenched tradition of executive dominance as one of the challenges confronting emerging African legislatures.
Many African countries are still struggling with armed conflicts, terrorism, under development and poor social economic conditions.
These are issues that should also be of serious concern to the law makers, as Nigerians have called for legislation and oversight functions that would not only stimulate economic growth but also foster political cohesion and stability.