The President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has canvassed for sustained investment in human capital development as a panacea to the nation’s economic down turn.
Speaking at a two-day capacity building workshop on legislative advocacy for grass root civil society organizations (CSOs) in Abuja yesterday, Senator Mark stressed “Sustained investment in human capital development is a very strategic economic
growth driver”
Senator Mark was pleased to note that despite the security and other challenges, “Nigeria is gradually gaining more respect in the comity of nations on account of return to constitutional democracy and strengthening of democratic institutions”.
Underscoring the importance of capacity building towards achieving sustainable development, Senator Mark noted that “the main indicator of the success achieved so far is the number of international development partners operating in Nigeria today, and willing to partner with our development purposes”.
He also called for effective advocacy between the legislature especially the Senate and the CSOs to fill all the gaps and correct misconceptions by the citizenry on government intentions.
According to him, “Effective advocacy especially among the grass roots is key to sustainable legislative process, as our actions and inactions in the course of the discharge of our legitimate duty of law making have far reaching effects on the overall well being of the grass roots especially”.
Earlier, the Chief of Staff to the President of the Senate, Senator Anthony Manzo commended the partners in the workshop, the Directorate for international Development (DFID) and Policy for Legislative Advocacy Committee (PLAC) for fostering understanding between and among the people alongside the government.
He also called for synergy among the Civil Society Organizations and the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) on one hand and the government to widen the benefits to the people.
In their separate remarks, the DFID representatives, Mr. Julius Scott and Mr. Clement Nwakwo assured the National Assembly of un-relented support adding that Nigerian democracy is progressing in the right direction.
