bill to repeal and reenact the Act of establishment of NIIA passes first reading
The bill to repeal and reenact the Act to establish the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs ( NIIA), Wednesday, passed first reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill, which was sponsored by the Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Yusuf Buba Yakub, seeks to add more value to Nigeria’s foreign missions and service and to also provide for the power to conduct courses of instruction and learning by creating an academic board to award higher degrees and diplomas in both international relations and diplomatic practices.
When fully passed into law, the new Act, Rt. Hon.Buba, will broaden the functions and objectives of establishing the Institute, which among other objectives is charged with the training, retraining and standardisation of Nigeria’s Foreign Service and offering qualitative education to scholars of other sister African countries in International Affairs, including those from other parts of the world.
“In spite of other functions,the Institute will be charged with the general functions of promoting the scientific study of International Politics, International Economic Relations and even International Law”, Buba insisted.
“It is my conviction that the structure of the NIIA is grossly underutilized. We cannot waste the inherent capacity in a great place of academic resource like that. I believe that despite its present state we can turn it around and make it function optimally”, he said.
The lawmaker who represents Gombi/ Hong Federal Constituency of Adamawa State at the National Assembly expressed optimism that the bill will receive the support of all his colleagues.
