Former minority whip of the House of Representatives, Dr. Samson Osagie, has urged members of the 10th National Assembly to utilise their oversight functions to ensure treaties that are of immense benefits to Nigeria are immediately domesticated.
He said treaties like the African Continental Free Trade Agreement; Double Taxation Agreements with several countries among others should be immediately domesticated by the 10th National Assembly so that Nigeria can begin to derive their benefits for economic development.
The former Edo lawmaker who was one of the resource persons at an induction programme organised by the National Assembly in collaboration with the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies for new members of the 10th Assembly, said though issues of foreign policy formulation are within the domain of executive arm of government, Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the National Assembly to enact laws to incorporate treaties already entered into by Nigeria before such can become enforceable.
The five-day induction programme was themed: ‘Foreign Policy and Domestication of Treaties: The Role of the National Assembly.’
Dr Osagie who is also the chairman of the African Bar Association and an adjunct lecturer at the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abuja, argued that it is of no use for Nigeria to sign an agreement it does not intend to honour.
He said: “For several years, particularly since independence, Nigeria has participated in the signing of international treaties and agreements but with less attention given to the domestication of such treaties and the performance of its obligations under those treaties.
He said; “Nigeria needs the support of other nations to maintain a robust economy and enhance its development. It is therefore submitted that Nigeria must take very seriously the domestication of several beneficial treaties it has entered into with so many countries and on different issues of development by submitting them to the tenth National Assembly for immediate legislative actions.
“The Federal Ministry of Justice in consultation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can also begin the process of denunciation or making reservations about certain treaties which Nigeria has entered into that have either become otiose or irrelevant to the contemporary Nigeria development agenda.
“Thus, it suffices to say that it is of no use for a country to sign an agreement it does not intend to honour as such is capable of portraying the country in bad light.”
