Worried by the analogue ways of carrying out legislative functions before now , the new Clerk to the National Assembly,Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana has directed the migration of all processes to digital platforms.
This was occasioned by the current trend both nationally and internationally that had turned the entire activities to digital platforms, which the National Assembly as the hub of legislation of the country cannot be left in isolation.
Piqued by the level of backwardness in the area of on the spot assessment and activities of the National Assembly due to refusal to move from the old order , the new Clerk to the National Assembly, at every fora has reiterated the commitment of the current management of the National Assembly to change the trend .
He had severally restated the commitment of the current NASS, taken into cognizance both national and international implications to avoid any glitches in the area of interaction and engagement.
Therefore, the movement and idea to turn all activities of the National Assembly to a one stop shop, cannot be compromised under any guise.
According to Ogunlana, the stimulation of e- parliament must kick start with digitization of the process for a seamless activities locally and internationally.
With the current trend , the digitization of Nigeria’s legislative system is sancrosanct and no longer optional, a necessity for modernisation, advancement and innovation.
Aside his instructions and advocacies, the coincidence of the three day program to promote the joint program organized by NASS and PLAC along with foreign partners underscored the urgency in the commencement of e -Parliament as the core of activities of NASS staffers .
The program themed “Building an Accountable, Transparent and Resilient Parliament: The Role of the National Assembly Top Management,” brought together senior legislative officials and stakeholders to strategize on digital transformation.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana stated that digitization and digital revolution has become the other of the day , so it has become part of the activities of NASS staffers going forward, not minding the legal restrictions and framework which banned computer generated evidence, pending, and now that the legal barrier has been removed.
While frowning at the negative implications of persistent analogue operations in the National Assembly, making reference to period of COVID-19, a global pandemic that brought the activities to a halt through lockdowns, and the need to forestall future recurrence, hence the need for inculcation of e- Parliament.
While embracing digitization, activities like voting in the parliament, lawmaking, paper work and create an enabling environment to access parliamentary records, and tracking of legislative processes.
“Ogunlana highlighted that the shift towards digital operations had been delayed for years due to outdated legal restrictions, specifically the now-defunct Evidence Act of 1945, which banned computer-generated evidence in court. He noted that with the 2004 version of the Act now in effect, the legal barriers to digitization have been removed.”
“Reflecting on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced a complete halt of parliamentary operations during lockdowns, he stressed that digital integration is vital to preventing similar disruptions in the future. “We must deliberately and urgently adopt e-Parliament solutions,” he said.
“He listed several benefits of this shift, including remote lawmaking and voting, reduced paperwork, improved public access to parliamentary records, and better tracking of legislative processes. Ogunlana called for a cost-effective roadmap to implement these changes.”
With the new trend introduced by the new Clerk to the National Assembly , no doubt the era of digital technology and transformation has commenced under the leadership of Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana in NASS.
“The retreat expected to shape a strategic vision for the digital transformation of Nigeria’s National Assembly in alignment with international standards.”
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
