In a bid to enhance legislative processes and e-governance in Nigeria, Gombe State House of Assembly has commenced a retreat on e-legislation in Dutse, the Jigawa state capital.
The retreat is aimed at equipping the lawmakers with the necessary skills to leverage technology for improved lawmaking and governance in Gombe state.
Declaring the retreat open on Thursday, Jigawa state governor, Malam Umar Namadi, emphasised the importance of technology adoption in legislative and governance.
The governor cited Jigawa state as the pioneer which introduced modern technology in Nigeria since the early days of the democracy.
“Galaxy Backbone was established by the first civilian Governor of the state, Senator Saminu Turaki, before the company was leased to the federal government of Nigeria.
“The Informatics Institute Kazaure was also established by the same governor which made the state the first in the country in modern technology”, he stressed.
The governor said the present government of Jigawa state has created a technology institute – the Informatics Institute Kazaure -which has been elevated to Polytechnic
He said Jigawa state would soon start running technology in all the government ministries and agencies including agriculture and finance, among others.
He, therefore, encouraged Gombe State Assembly members to prioritise digital literacy and communication.
He also highlighted the benefits of technology in data protection, e-participation, and cyber security, among others, adding that the retreat would rejig the minds of the lawmakers and equip them to effectively utilise technology for enhanced e-lagislation and governance.
Also the Speaker, Jigawa State House of Assembly, Honourable Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin, said the retreat marked a significant step towards enhancing legislative processes and governance.
He explained that it was time for lawmakers to demonstrate their commitment to embracing technology for improved service delivery for their constituents.
He said by leveraging technology, State Houses of Assembly will promote and enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in legislation.
