NIGERIA—JUNE 6-7, 2001: NDI Workshop on the "Role of the Legislature in Providing Civilian Oversight of Defense Policy and the Armed Forces"
Summary
From June 6-7, 2001, NDI held a workshop on the "Role of the Legislature in Providing Civilian Oversight of Defense Policy and the Armed Forces" for legislators from the Nigerian Assembly's four defense committees. The two day program consisted of five plenary sessions covering topics such as the opportunities and challenges that legislators face in overseeing defense issues, mechanisms of legislative oversight, the defense budget, and the role of defense committees.
NDI brought three international trainers: Dr. Eva Busza, Former NDI Senior Advisor on Global Civil-Military Programs, Mr. Robert Carr, former Member of the United States Congress from the State of Michigan, and Dr. Juan Rial, an international consultant on civil-military relations. In addition, NDI invited the participation of a panel of Nigerian experts: Dr. Elaigwu, Director of the Institute of Governance and Social Research ; Dr. Ochoche, Director of the the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution; Dr. Zabadi, Senior Researcher at the National War College's Center for Peace Research and Conflict Resolution; and Col (ret) Maina, Special Advisor on Defense and National Security to the Speaker of the House.
The workshop was very successful. Discussion centered around five themes: the need to clarify legislative-executive relations with regard to issues of defense, the need to strengthen de facto legislative powers of oversight of the military and defense issues granted by the Nigerian Constitution, the need for civilian policy-makers to gain a better, hands-on understanding of the condition of the army and the needs of the armed forces, the need for civilian outreach to the military so that they do not see civilian policy-makers as their enemy, and the need for legislators to draw on the expertise of a large existing corps of retired officers and defense academics to help them in their defense-related work.
During the final plenary session which was closed to outside participants, Senators and Honorable Members drew up the following set of resolutions. These have now been publicized in the Nigerian press:
The National Assembly shall evoke Section 218 4 (a) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to make law (s)
a) the regulation of the powers exercisable by the president as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation.
b) For the appointment, promotion and disciplinary control of members of the Armed Forces of the Federation
We have resolved to know the military in depth in order to improve the relationship with the Armed Services by employing people more knowledgeable about the military so as to be properly briefed.
We have resolved to relate more with the military particularly our troops in the unit formations to know their conditions of living with a view of assisting them in alleviating some of those problems through provision of adequate funds in the appropriation act
We have resolved that the military need motivation by providing adequate funds through the budget that can cater for their welfare, training and retraining and purchase of needed equipment.
We have resolved of the need for capacity building for members of the committee and their legislative aides to enable them to understand more about the military and their codes.
NDI hopes to conduct a follow-up workshop on defense budgeting for the members of the defense committees in the near future.
Contact Information
For more information on NDI's programs in West Africa, please contact
Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, Regional Director chrisf@ndi.org"
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