Legislature Urged to Consult Experts Before Making Laws

By James Sowole in Akure

The Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) has asked  the National Assembly to always engage and consult its members in order to render expert  services on public sponsored bills or amendment that border on specialised area.

The association said “this is important to save time, resources and healthy relations amongst the professions.”

The APBN National President, Dr. Omede Idris, stated this at a press conference at the end of a 2-day Presidential Retreat in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

At the event with the theme: “Repositioning the APBN: Strategies for Collaboration of Professional Bodies,” the association lauded the Federal Government for the recent constitution of boards, councils and commissions.

The president added that professionalism and collaboration are key and indeed fundamental to success in business, governance, convergence of knowledge and broad-based professional development built on partnership, competence and skills in various areas.

Omede, who however lamented non-constitution of professional regulatory bodies particularly in health sector, called on President Buhari to reconstitute councils and Boards of all professional bodies especially in the health sector including Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, (MDCN), Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, (PCN) and Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria, (MLCN) amongst others.

He urged government at various levels to avail professionals across all disciplines the opportunity for policy direction and implementation, adding that the APBN membership of 30 professional associations, presently cuts across virtually all sectors of the economy such as finance, health, infrastructure, administration, management, science, technology and law.

”Nigeria economic diversification should focus on domestic production, export and mineral resources, Agriculture and other sources of revenue generation.

“The government attention and achievement in agriculture should be sustained, while there should be a renewed, progressive and proactive interest by the Federal Government in the Ajaokuta Steel Company, in Kogi State”, Omede said.