The member representing Uvwie Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly and Deputy Chief Whip of the House, Hon Solomon Ighrakpata has stressed the need for budgetary provisions for training and retraining of councillors at the local government councils.
Hon Ighrakpata who stated this in his closing remarks at the Capacity Building Workshop he organized for councilors from Uvwie Local Government Legislative House, also noted that well trained Legislators were needed at the local government level.
“As a Legislator at the state level, I am a beneficiary of a good number of training programs put together by local and international partners. I understand clearly the value of capacity building as I have become more knowledgeable and productive about my role as a lawmaker at the Delta State House of Assembly”, Ighrakpata explained.
The Deputy Chief Whip who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Special Duties and Deputy Chairman, Committee on Public Accounts, stated that Councillors at the local government level must be equipped with modern techniques in lawmaking.
He explained that his sponsorship of the Capacity Building Workshop was part of efforts for sustained grassroots development in Uvwie constituency, adding that councillors have pivotal roles to play in that regards.
Hon Ighrakpata commended the resource personnel who were drawn from Delta State House of Assembly, for the thoughtful topics and sound presentations, stressing that the lectures were very impactful.
Leading the team of resource personnel is the Director Legislative Arm at the State Assembly, Mr Silvester Olorogun who in his lectures explained that there are lots of contemporary issues world over that demand legislative decisions even at the local level.
He named such issues to include gender inequality, child right protection, violence against persons, the girl-child trafficking, drug abuse, climate change and modern security challenges.
Mr Olorogun stated that practical application of law- making which is dynamic, is required in tackling the emerging plethora of contending forces, noting that the councillors should therefore be well equipped for the task ahead.
A Deputy Director, Legislative, Dr Steven Okolo, his counterpart in Legal Drafting, Barr Ebiton Ogboka and an Assistant Director, Legislative Matters, Mr Alex Joe, in their lectures, reminded the councillors of their responsibilities as elected representatives of the people at wards level and urged them to come up with bylaws that will promote good governance in the council and development at the grassroots.
They stated that the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria and other relevant laws regulating activities of the local government administration, clearly spelt out the functions of each arms of government, maintaining that there must be checks and balances for sustainable growth in the councils.
The Leader of Uvwie Legislative House, Hon Gabriel Obodo and some of the councillors who spoke after the practical session of the Capacity Building Workshop, commended Hon Solomon Ighrakpata for exposing them to modern techniques in lawmaking process.
The councillors promised to make good use of knowledge acquired during the workshop in their day-to- day assignments to the benefits of their constituents.
The Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori had, while declaring the Capacity Building Workshop open, described Hon Ighrakpata as a tested and trusted lawmaker, whose strong commitment for excellence must have informed the sponsorship of the training program for Councillors in Uvwie Constituency.
“Between the month of June and today, I have had the privilege of declaring open two training programs like this. The first was for councillors of Ika South and the second training workshop was for councillors of Ika North East Legislative Arm. Today, I am here by the special grace of God to flag off this 2-Day Capacity Building Workshop; courtesy of Hon Solomon Ighrakpata, a tested and trusted lawmaker, who is the Deputy Chief Whip of the House”.
“I am not particularly surprised by the sudden interest in exposing our lawmakers at the third-tier of government to trainings such as this. The reasons being that our democratic experience is growing in leaps and bounds and the councillors need the required knowledge to function maximally in discharge of their duties of representation, lawmaking and oversight functions”, the Speaker stated.
Certificates of participation were presented to the Uvwie councilors by the sponsor of the program, Hon Solomon Ighrakpata, assisted by his wife, Dr Fidelia Dumebi Ighrakpata.