Deputy Chief Whip and member representing Uvwie Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Solomon Ighrakpata, has called for budgetary provisions for training and retraining of Councillors by the Local Government Councils.
Ighrakpata, who made the call in his closing remarks at the capacity building workshop he organized for Councilors of the Uvwie Local Government Legislative House, said informed and well trained Legislators were needed to make local government administration better.
“As a Legislator at the state level, I am a beneficiary of a good number of training programs put together by local and international partners. I understand clearly the value of capacity building as I have become more knowledgeable and productive in my role as a lawmaker at the Delta State House of Assembly”, Ighrakpata explained.
The Deputy Chief Whip, who doubles as the Chairman, House Committee on Special Duties and Deputy Chairman, Committee on Public Accounts, stated that Councillors at the local government level must be equipped with modern techniques in lawmaking.
He explained that his sponsorship of the workshop was part of efforts to sustain grassroots development in Uvwie Constituency, saying that the Councillors had pivotal roles to play in that direction.
Ighrakpata commended the resource persons, who were drawn from the Delta State House of Assembly, for the thoughtful topics and sound presentations, stressing that the lectures were very impactful.
Leading the team of resource persons was the Director Legislative at the State Assembly, Mr Silvester Olorogun, who in his lectures explained that there were lots of contemporary issues world over demanding legislative decisions even at the local level.
He named such issues to include gender inequality, child right protection, violence against persons, child trafficking, drug abuse, climate change and modern security challenges.
Olorogun stated that ever – evolving practical application of law making was required to tackle the emerging plethora of contending forces, saying that the Councillors should therefore be well equipped for the task ahead.
A Deputy Director (Legislative), Dr Steven Okolo, his counterpart in Legal Drafting, Barr Ebiton Ogboka and an Assistant Director, (Legislative Matters) Mr Alex Joe, in their presentations, reminded the Councillors of their responsibilities as elected representatives of the people at ward level and urged them to come up with bylaws that would promote good governance in the Council Areas and development at the grassroots.
They stated that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other relevant laws regulating activities of the local government administration, clearly spelt out the functions of each arm of government, maintaining that there must be Checks and Balances for sustainable growth in the Councils.
The Leader of the Uvwie Legislative House, Hon Gabriel Obodo and some of the Councillors who spoke after the practical session of the workshop, commended Hon Solomon Ighrakpata for exposing them to modern techniques in the lawmaking process.
The Councillors promised to make good use of the knowledge acquired during the workshop in their day to day assignments to the benefits of their constituents.
The Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori had, while declaring the capacity building workshop open, described Hon Ighrakpata as a tested and trusted lawmaker, whose strong commitment to excellence must have informed the sponsorship of the training programme for Councillors in his Uvwie Constituency.
“Between the month of June and today, I have had the privilege of declaring open two training programmes. The first was for Councillors of Ika South and the second training workshop was for Councillors of Ika North East Legislative Arm. Today, I am here by the special grace of God to flag off this 2-day capacity building workshop courtesy of Hon Solomon Ighrakpata, a tested and trusted lawmaker, who is the Deputy Chief Whip of the House.
“I am not particularly surprised by the sudden interest in exposing our lawmakers at the third tier of government to trainings such as this. The reason being that our democratic experience is growing in leaps and bounds and the Councillors need the requisite knowledge to function maximally in the discharge of their duties of representation, lawmaking and oversight functions”, the Speaker stated.
Certificates of participation were presented to the Uvwie Councilors by the sponsor of the programme, Hon Solomon Ighrakpata, assisted by his wife, Dr (Mrs) Fidelia Dumebi Ighrakpata.
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