Mrs Gloria Akobundu, the National Coordinator, Africa’s Development Agency (AUDA) and New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD), has urged the National Assembly to pass the requisite law to reposition the agency.
Akobundu made the call at the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee Legislative Round Table on the 2nd Peer Review Process of NEPAD on Wednesday in Abuja
She said that the reform of NEPAD to AUDA was currently being waited to be passed for the agency to be able to carry out its mandate in a more professional and effective way.
Akobundu said when the bill was passed into law, it would increase the agency’s capacity development, adding that it would also advance knowledge programmes in skill acquisition.
According to her, in Nigeria, Africa peer review mechanism is domiciled in AUDA-NEPAD with the primary objectives to foster the adoption of policies, standards.
Others are practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated regional and continental economic integration.
She said that since its transformation from NEPAD to AUDA, the agency had been mandated to coordinate and implement priority continental and regional projects toward the promotion of regional integration.
She said that this would accelerate realisation of agenda 2063, adding that it had also undertook full range of resource mobilisation.
The coordinator said that the agency had been mandated to eradicate poverty through economic growth, adding that it had been collaborating with public sector to ensure the growth of country’s economy.
Sen. Chimaroke Nnamani, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Corporation and Integration in Africa/NEPAD, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for promoting good governance by endorsing the second review.
He said that AUDA-NEPAD would ensure the necessary framework to entrench growth in the country, adding that Africa peer review mechanism was established to ensure compliance to good governance.
He urged AUDA-NEPAD to ensure that it monitored states to achieve mutually agreed development in political and economic space, adding that the second peer review had become imperative since it was done 12 years ago.
Nnamani reiterated the support of President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan toward successful implementation, saying it would perform its legislative role to strengthen the agency by passing the bill and increase funding.
Rep. Mohammed Bago, the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Corporation and Integration in Africa /NEPAD, commended the coordinator for transforming the agency.
He said that it was the first time the two committees would be coming together to ensure that the agency functioned as required by the law.
