- Photo: Hon. Buba *
The Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba, has enumerated the reasons he sponsored the bill to repeal and reenact the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).
This followed the debates and inputs from members of the lower house at plenary in Abuja.
The Legislative Aide to the lawmaker, Barr. Abdulkadir Iliyasu, made the statement available on Friday.
Buba, who represents Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency of Adamawa State, stated that the intention of the bill was to, among others, broaden the institute’s functions and operations and upgrade it to a master’s degree and post graduate diploma-awarding institution, especially, for those who have the intention to specialise in the area of International Relations and Diplomacy.
The lawmaker added that it would help to reposition the country’s foreign service by providing a platform for scientific research on strategic national foreign policy goals and initiatives for global engagements.
“Since this Institute was established in 1961, its laws have not been amended and the place has become obsolete.
“Its infrastructure can no longer be said to function and year after year what is allocated to the place in the budget is, at best, laughable.
“This Institute was supposed to promote the scientific study of Nigeria’s international policy, which is key to our engagements with the outside world, but today, it is no longer what it used to be,” he said.
According to him, if the bill is passed into law,, it will mark a radical departure from the colourlessness that has characterised the activities of the Institute in many past years.
“The Institute will also be the first of its kind in training experts in International Relations and Diplomacy at such a high level outside some conventional higher institutions in Nigeria,” he added.
It would be recalled that the bill has got past the consideration stage of the House of Representatives.
With the overwhelming support of members, the bill has been slated for another legislative session for third reading, after which it will be sent to the Senate for concurrence and subsequent presidential assent before it becomes an act of parliament.
