By Anastasia Agunwa
The Anambra State House of Assembly has said that some of the number of laws in the State inherited from military decrees that have not been properly domesticated into democratic statute, and other obsolete laws were overdue for review by the lawmakers.
The Speaker of the House, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze said this at a four-day retreat for the leadership and members of the 8th Assembly holding at Asaba, Delta State capital.
According to the Speaker, some of the laws are incompatible with obligations under international treaties that Nigeria has ratified.
He noted that some are simply obsolete in a digital age which include the laws on data protection, community development, environmental regulation, rights of persons with disabilities plus many others needing review and that is part of the essence of setting up a committee to look into it.
Rt. Hon. Udeze said the retreat aimed at producing specific legislative targets and empower the lawmakers with a roadmap on which laws they intend to review before the end of the legislative year, new bills they intend to originate from within the House, and what capacity support needed to accomplish things at the highest standard.
During the retreat, two former Clerks of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr Pius Udo spoke on Budget Driven Oversight , Executive Perspective; Prof. M. Umenweke presented a paper on Deepening Democratic Governance and Constitutional Reform while the Deputy Clerk of the Delta State House of Assembly presented Budget Driven Oversight: a Legislative Perspective.
It could be noted that the theme of the retreat is “Strengthening Democratic Governance through Constitutional Reviews and Budgetary Oversight: the Role of State Legislatures”.
Anastasia is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
