(NAN) National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) and Jigawa State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen institutional development, capacity building, research and good governance.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that that the Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman and the Executive Chairman of Jigawa anti-corruption commission, Mr Salisu Abdu, signed the MoU at the headquarters of NILDS on Tuesday in Abuja.
Sulaiman, in his remarks, commended Jigawa government for establishing the commission to promote transparency, accountability and democratic governance.
He described the establishment of the commission as a reflection of Gov. Umar Namadi’s commitment to transparent governance, institutional reforms and accountability, fostering public confidence through openness and democratic governance principles across the state.
“Our challenge is not inadequate laws or resources, but implementing existing laws through competent, committed professionals dedicated to transparency, accountability and prudent public resource management,” he said.
The director-general said the MoU would strengthen institutional capacity through specialised training, knowledge exchange and exposure to global best practices in governance, legislative studies and public administration.
“Education knows no boundaries or age limits. Professionals must embrace continuous learning and innovation to improve institutional effectiveness, service delivery and sustainable democratic governance,” he stated.
Sulaiman described NILDS as Nigeria’s foremost institution for legislative and democratic studies, offering specialised training, research, consultancy and capacity development for public institutions across West Africa.
“We work the talk. This partnership demonstrates our commitment to translating agreements into practical outcomes that strengthen institutions, accountability and democratic governance across Nigeria.
“We have competent resource persons, including former legislators, professors, former heads of institutions and in-house research fellows across diverse disciplines.
“Where necessary, we also engage reputable local and international consultants to support our programmes,” Sulaiman added.
Abdu, on his part, said the partnership was a milestone that would deepen institutional cooperation and strengthen governance.
He said that Jigawa anti-corruption commission was inaugurated in February 2024 and had since remained committed to integrity and public service.
“Our mandate is to address public complaints, prevent corruption, strengthen integrity and deliver responsive public service through professionalism, transparency, accountability and continuous institutional improvement,” he said.
The chairman said the agreement would facilitate specialised training, research, policy development, technical assistance and knowledge exchange to improve governance and anti-corruption efforts across Jigawa.
“The partnership will produce practical programmes, measurable outcomes and stronger institutions through joint training, research, policy dialogues and knowledge exchange for improved public sector performance,” he said.
Abdu reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to implementing the MoU faithfully and expressed optimism that the collaboration would advance accountability, democratic governance and sustainable development.(NAN)
