The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Monday, expressed displeasure over the non-domestication of the Child Rights Act by some states, saying that it remained a major hurdle against the welfare of women and children in Nigeria.
He observed that this trend was also affecting the realisation of the welfare package designed for women and children in the country.
The Senate President stated this at the Inaugural Meeting of the Governing Council of the National Institute For Legislative and Democratic Studies in (NILDS) in Abuja.
Akpabio explained, “While our country has made progress in enhancing the welfare of women and children, some hurdles remain.
“For instance, some states were yet to domesticate the Child’s Rights Act.”
The Senate President also said the public financial management architecture of many states and perhaps that of the federal government needed to do more to make their budgets more responsive to the needs of children.
He added, “This can be done by giving more attention to projects and programmes in the budget that are more specific to addressing the needs of children.”
Akpabio pledged his commitment to support NILDS in every aspect, especially in playing its role as the only statutory agency of government empowered by an act of the National Assembly to provide training for legislators and legislative institutions, amongst others.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, who is the co-Chairman of NILDS, noted that the institute, being deeply integrated into the workings of the National Assembly, could provide timely and relevant support.
Abbas said NILDS could ensure that “our legislative efforts are informed by the highest standards of research and analysis.”
The speaker said, “This close collaboration will enable also the institute to anticipate the needs of the legislature and proactively contribute to the development and implementation of legislative initiatives.
“I reaffirm the commitment of the House of Representatives to support the Institute in actualizing its mandate. We recognize the invaluable contributions of the Institute and are dedicated to providing the necessary resources and legislative backing to ensure its continued success.”
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