The African Parliamentary Advocacy and Research Group (APARG) and other stakeholders have urged the National Assembly to adopt electronic parliament to enhance citizens’ participation in parliamentary proceedings.
The director of APARG, Amb. Chibuzo Okereke, made the call yesterday in Abuja at a news conference to mark the 2023 International Day of Parliamentarians, organised in collaboration with the Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA).
Okereke said the day which was set aside to underscore the importance of parliament in democracy had the theme, “Parliament for the Planet” for the 2022 edition.
He said the focus of this year’s event in Nigeria was on embracing digital parliament in the era of technology to help citizens participate in key decision-making process like budget passage, confirmation for key appointments, investigations on key issues of public concern.
“We believe that this is an opportunity we have to encourage the leadership of the 10th National Assembly and indeed the Nigerian people that our parliament must go digital.
“This is the only way constituent can be effectively and adequately represented because they can key into activities of the parliament from wherever they may be and they can also see how parliamentarians cast vote on policies of government,” Okereke said.
In her remarks, the secretary of Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) Fatima Saleh, asked the Nigerian parliament to emulate the giant strides made by the parliament of Sierra Leone in digitisation of the lawmaking institution.
Saleh said when the e-parliament is adopted, more Nigerians especially women will participate in politics and follow the activities of the legislature.
The executive director of DEAN Initaitive, Mr Michael Semiye, emphasised the need to build the capacity of Nigerian legislators for effective adoption of e-parliamentary system.
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