Dutch Embassy Trains Rivers Lawmakers On Natural Resources Legislation

A two-day training sponsored by the Dutch Embassy in Nigeria for lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly has ended in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The training, which was facilitated by two international non-governmental organizations - the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), and the Amnesty International - was designed to equip and deepen the lawmakers’ understanding in natural resources legislation and management.
According to the Coordinator of CEHRD, Dr Menibarini Thabbey, the training would deepen the  understanding of the lawmakers in corporate accountability and best practice mechanism in managing natural resources.
It would also remind them of their role in ensuring that the citizens’ rights are remedied once violated.
"We are here to ensure that the lawmakers understand the United Nations framework in business and human rights. We are here to ensure that they understand how to maintain human rights in their legislative processes. We are also here to understand how the legislators can assist in resolving conflicts in the Niger Delta region", he noted.
He lamented that several companies operating in the region, in the process of extracting the natural resources, end up violating human rights, and sought the intervention of the lawmakers in remedying the challenge in such a way that sustainable peace and development are achieved.
Thabbey encouraged the lawmakers to make maximum use of the training opportunity to enhance their skills, especially in the promotion of human rights, noting that human rights cannot be isolated from environmental rights.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Dabotorudima Adams, thanked the organizers of the workshop, and described the training as apt.
Adams explained that the training would be impactful since most of the lawmakers were first timers in the business of lawmaking.
"Judging from the calibre of resource persons, we have no doubt that the workshop would  leave us with a lot of experiences, and position us for the promotion of good governance in Rivers State and beyond", he said.
On his part, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information and Training, Hon Sam Ogeh, disclosed that the training was the first of its kind since the lawmakers assumed duties last year.
He thanked the organizers for the initiative, but noted that even though they have limited powers to legislate on natural resources, they would make good use of the knowledge gained to better their performance and help government manage the state’s natural resources for sustainable development and livelihoods.