President of the senate, Senator David Mark has charged parliaments across the globe to champion the course for transparency, good governance, justice and fairness in the governments as the needed ingredients to propagate and sustain democracy.
Addressing the 126th Assembly of the inter parliamentary union (IPU) holding in Kampala, Uganda today, senator Mark said the adherence of such principles would guarantee sustainable development and halt the tendency for dictatorship.
Mark is leading a 12-man Nigerian delegation which includes Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha to attend the weeklong global Assembly tagged “Parliaments and people- bridging the gap.” Nigeria is among the 160 nations making the IPU.
He noted that the citizenry are increasingly getting interested in participating democracy as opposed to representative democracy.
Senator Mark therefore tasked his colleagues to rise up to the challenge of responding to the wishes and aspirations of the people in order to avoid the pressure on them.
According to Mark, “We can reduce the pressure from our constituents if we as legislators uphold the sanctity of accountability and transparency in our day to day activities.”
“We are closer to the people, we must identify their needs and respond appropriately. You must have observed the paradigm shift from our people yearning for a participatory democracy from representative democracy. Our people are demanding more from us and we cannot shy away.”
He however maintained that the Nigerian National Assembly has improved its over sight functions on the executive arm of governments needed to provide the required check and balance but pointed out that the funding was posing limitation to their assignment.
Senator Mark added Nigerians especially civil society organizations are being encouraged to get involved in public hearing organized by the National Assembly, a development he said has improved the quality of legislations.
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda declared the 126th IPU open in Kampala. He urged parliaments to co-operate with the executive arm of the government so that people could profit from democracy.
President of the IPU and speaker of Morrocan House of representatives, Abdewahab Radi called for actions against Syria and Mali just as he praised the conduct of elections in Senegal.
