The Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of Lokoja Catholic Diocese has charged members of the Kogi State House of Assembly to promote good governance and the rule of law through effective representation.
The commission also urged the assembly to uphold accountability, transparency and efficiency at all levels through their oversight activities.
These are contained in a communiqué signed by Rev. Fr Augustine Okafor, the JDPC Lokoja Coordinator, issued on Friday in Lokoja, at the end of a one-day round table dialogue session.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the session was organised by the JDPC for elected legislators of the state, committee clerks, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the media.
The JDPC described good governance as the bedrock of development,saying legislators were critical to its enthronement.
It , therefore, urged the state legislature to continue to engage the executive arm on enthroning good governance.
The JDPC equally urged that follow-up processes for attainment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) be as inclusive and people-centered as possible, to enhance people’s understanding of the goals, especially the critical importance of “honest and responsive governance”.
It also reiterated the need for bills passed by the assembly to be returned to the House with reasons, if not assented to by the executive within a specified period.
On public hearings, the commission implored the state legislature to always encourage participation of the public on executive bills and all other bills, for effective and people-centred legislation.
It also urged all elected members of the assembly to establish constituency offices, engage their constituents on a regular basis and be awake to their oversight responsibilities.
The JDPC, in the communiqué, described itself as the service and development arm of the Catholic Church, committed to promotion of the well-being of the society through various interventions.
The interventions, according to the communiqué, include humanitarian services, justice, human rights and good governance.
The current project is on promoting the effectiveness of the legislative arm of government, it said.
NAN reports that the workshop also included a paper presentation on, “Legislative accountability: A tool for sustainable development.” (NAN)