The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon Julius Ihonbvere has underscored the urgent need for Parliaments in Africa to ensure good governance across the continent as a way of sustaining democracy and keeping the Military in their barracks.
Ihonbvere who spoke when a delegation from the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of African Parliament visited him said the parliament must also ensure that there is social justice in democratic nations throughout the continent.
He also emphasised that parliaments must emphasise not just Liberal democracy but democratisation and the promotion of a culture of constitutionalism.
Ihonbvere said even though the military in Africa has been politicised, the only way of keeping them out of politics is by ensuring good governance, which he said the parliament must work with the executive arm to give to the people.
He said members of parliament in the country are not able to use 90 per cent of the Constitutional powers they have duly largely to pressure arising from the rigorous electoral process such as the nomination process, the rigours of elections and litigation.
He said: “by the time you are through with all these, you will only have about one or two years to settle down to your mandate and then you begin to face another elections.”
According to him, members of parliament hardly have more than one year to convince their constituents to actually know why they were elected in the first place before facing another round of elections.
He said organisations such as the conference of speakers was needed to share ideas and experiences among countries on the continent and commended former Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila for initiating the conveyor speakers and presiding officers of Africa parliament.
He said the Nigerian parliament will continue to support the conference to ensure its success, adding that he will encourage the Speaker of the House of Representatives to set up a small group that will constantly brainstorm and come up with ideas to support the group.
The Leader of the delegation and former Deputy Speaker of the Ghanaian Parliament, Hon Joe Ghartey recalled that one of the ideas brought to be we by the Conference of Speakers was the issue of debt cancellation for African countries.
Ghartey who said that Ghana and Nigeria has always has a cordial relationship however urged that while seeking debt cancellation, African countries must be able to look inward and ensure judicious management of their resources.
He spoke of the need to ensure that speakers and presiding officers on the continent work closely with leaders of the executive in the development of the continent.
He said speakers and presiding officers should not work alone on the issue of debt cancellation for African countries but must get the buy-in of Presidents and their foreign ministers.
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