By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has harped on the need to ensure that legislation aligns with contemporary needs as it pertains to skills acquisition and management.
Chairman House Committee on Industry, Rep. Enitan Dolapo Badru, stated this at a public hearing organised by the Committee to consider the Bill for Act to amend the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Act 2011 to clarify ambiguities in the interpretation of key words in the Principal Act, define important terms, provide clarity and precision and enhance the Fund’s sources of revenue and for related matters (HB 1519) of 2024.
He said: :For the records, the existing legal framework for Industrial Training Funds was enacted in 2011, this piece of Legislation has been in operation in the last thirteen years, and you will certainly agree with me that skill acquisition and management have evolved overtime that the existing Legislation can only stand the test of time when it’s in alignment with the contemporary legal order”.
According to the chairman, the 10th House is committed to legislation that would ensure the enhancement of better life for the citizenry.
He explained the Public Hearing which marks one of the major steps by the House of Representatives in the passage of any Legislation was grass-root oriented and developmental focused.
“In particular, let me on behalf of the Rt. Hon. Speaker who is the Chief Host of today’s event most respectively welcome the Honorable Ministers present and Chief Executives of Agencies of Government who have found time to be part of this history making event whereof, the existing Legislation regulating skills acquisition and Development will be discussed in line with the contemporary best practices and Renewed Hope Agenda of the current Administration.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this Public Hearing is organized by the House Committee on Industry pursuant to the House mandate to the Committee after a Second Reading of the Bill.
“This referral was forwarded to the Committee on the 11th July, 2024 for further Legislative action. The Committee considered the importance of the Proposed Bill and took the bull by the horn, which has necessitated this Public Hearing involving the relevant Stakeholders.
“It’s the Committee’s resolve to synthetize the various views from the Stakeholders and arrive at a just and reasonable position that will be presented to the House for adoption.
“I therefore implore everyone to diligently itemize areas of intervention as we promise to do justice to the memoranda and justice would have been seen to be done at the end”, Rep. Badru stated.