From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Managing Director of Prime Consult, Godson Isiakpere, has advised the Federal Government to invest in digital libraries across the country to encourage learning.
He explained that the National Assembly Library Trust Fund would help the National Assembly Library to become a world-class center for accumulation and dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the Nigerian legislature and national development.
Isiakpere stated this at the National Assembly Library Committee Retreat 2024, yesterday, with the theme: ‘International Best Practices For Library Management, Research And Documentation,’ in Abuja.
According to him, the Library would provide equal access to information by everybody irrespective of their peculiarities or abilities.
He said the programme would explore how technology can be used to overcome the challenges of accessibility and convenience for library users in the National Assembly community.
Also, a resource person, Vivian Niemanze, who spoke on the role of budget research officers and legislative committees’ clerks to fast track the approval of MTEF/FSP document, the appropriation bill and finance bill with emphasis on policy and programmes analysis and monitoring and evaluation, highlighted the need of Legislators to have access to government sources of Information for effective oversight and decision making.
She also pointed out the importance of Legislative Research in (Planning, Budget Analysis, Policy Analysis, Monitoring & Evaluation) in providing independent sources of information to Legislators and Committee Clerks.
According to her, the role of Legislative Committees’ Clerks and Budget Officers is to ensure efficiency and drive effectiveness towards achieving the objectives of the Budget process.
She said expectations at the retreat include: “To identify practical measures to guide Committees’ Clerks and Budget Officers in the Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluating of FGN budget-MTEF /FSP Document, the Appropriation Bill and the Finance Bill, the inherent specific challenges and how to reverse the challenges.
“At the end of this presentation, Participants should be able to Understand some basic steps in Budget Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation and the role of Committees’ Clerks and Budget Officers in Legislative Research.
“Consider the specific obstacles facing effective analysis and monitoring of the FGN budget as well as how to better support the Legislators for effective engagement of MDAs.”
Njemanze further said effective budgeting and the budgetary process are critical to Nigeria’s socio-economic and political development.
According to her, Sections 80 (1-4) and 81 (1-2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as altered) empowers the National Assembly to receive, scrutinize and approve the annual budget estimates laid before it by the President.
She said the budget serves as the mechanism for achieving government priorities and programmes.
She said critical review of the budget was essential to ensure that government resources are allocated in such a way that they produce maximum benefits.