The House of Representatives and other stakeholders have
thrown their weights behind a proposed law to upgrade the Nigerian Institute of
International Affairs, NIA, to a degree-awarding institution.
They came to
this agreement, at a public hearing in Abuja on a bill for an Act to repeal and
re-enact the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).
The public
hearing was organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign
Affairs, led by Rep. Yakub Buba, (APC-Adamawa).
The
stakeholders in their submissions, add their voices to the need for drastic
reforms at the institute.
The Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, commended the committee for its
intervention.
Represented
by Amb. Mobolaji Ogundero, Director, Office of the Permanent Secretary in the
ministry, Onyeama said that the NIIA is an agency under the ministry which
offered great opportunities for the country.
The minister
pledged the support of the ministry to the institute and the process to
reposition the agency to better fulfil its mandate.
Prof. Eghosa
Osaghae, NIIA’s Director-General, said that the world had moved from where it
used to be in the 1960s and was now being ruled by the internet, leaving the
institute behind.
Osaghae said
that the 2021 budgetary capital allocation to the institute was only N46
million, explaining the reason for the drop in its standards.
He said that
the NIIA was supposed to provide capacity for Nigeria and other African
countries, to be able to effectively engage with other parts of the country.
According to
him, the institute only had 78 members of staff, out of which only nine,
including the director-general, were researchers.
The NIIA boss
said that the institute needed adequate funding to meet its academic
requirements and advance on its goals.
“We see that
this bill will take the NIIA to the level where the world has not seen, to a
level where our founding fathers will rejoice in heaven.
“This committee
said it is time for dry bones to rise again, not only rise again but surpass
the bones it used to be,’’ he said.
Besides, Amb.
Suleiman Dahiru, Chairman of, Association of retired career Ambassadors, said
that there was a need for restructuring and to ensure good management of the
institute.
Dahiru said that
the NIIA used to be a centre of excellence, but went under, due to poor
management.
”No law is
perfect but the success is largely dependent on the management,” the ambassador
said.
He stressed
that whatever the lawmakers do, the institute should remain an agency of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He also said
that only the ministry had the authority to direct the foreign policy of the
country and according to him, an independent institute, would ruin the purpose
for establishing it.
Earlier, Speaker
of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, canvassed support for the National
Assembly in its bid to reposition the institution.
Gbajabiamila
urged the stakeholders to reach down to the depth of their experiences and
careers and come up with ideas that would help the parliament achieve its aim.
The chairman who
is also the sponsor of the bill said he was inspired to put together the piece
of legislation, to rejuvenate the NIIA.
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