To gain practical insights into legislative proceedings, the Lagos State House of Assembly recently hosted members of the 7th Children’s Parliament for a Plenary session at the Assembly Complex.
The event, which was organised in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, was themed “Understanding the Proceedings of Parliament”, provided the young parliamentarians with an opportunity to conduct their first legislative business, while deepening their understanding of the roles and responsibilities of lawmakers in representing their constituents.
Welcoming the parliamentarians on behalf of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, the Chairman, Committee on Youth and Social Development, Hon. Orekoya Abiodun, encouraged the young parliamentarians to maintain strong connections with their communities and become familiar with their constituency representatives.
He explained that constituency representatives play an important role in identifying and addressing the needs of the people, urging the children to develop a keen understanding of the issues affecting their various communities.
Delivering a goodwill message to the 7th Children’s Parliament, the Clerk of the House, Mrs Adenike Oshinowo, gave a brief introduction to the legislative process and also described their visit as an opportunity to understand the responsibilities that come with leadership and representation.
She, however, urged the children to appreciate the expectations placed on leaders by their communities and to see their positions as opportunities to serve and make positive contributions to society.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Pharm. Mrs Toyin Oke-Osayintolu, who represented the Commissioner, Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, described the occasion as a significant milestone for the 7th Parliament of the Children’s Assembly.
She noted that the Plenary observation marked the first Plenary session of the 7th Children’s Parliament and described the children’s participation as both an achievement and a demonstration of their commitment to contributing meaningfully to society.
According to her, the Children’s Parliament provides a platform for young people to articulate issues affecting children across Lagos State and ensures that their voices are heard in matters concerning their welfare, safety, education and development. However, she reminded the young parliamentarians that their positions should not be viewed merely as titles or personal achievements, but as a “call to service”, stressing that they had been entrusted with the responsibility of representing children across the State.
The Speaker of the 7th Children’s Parliament, RT. Hon. Abdulsalam Anjola, presided over the sitting in attendance with the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Raji Aminat Temilola; Majority Leader, Hon. Ojeniyi Daniella; Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Olanrewaju Oladunni; Chief Whip, Hon. Salaudeen Hassanat; Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Babalola Esther; and Minority Leader, Hon. Kareem Toheebat.
The proceedings featured the presentation of proposed Bills, including the Out-of-School Children and Child Protection Bill; Child Safety, Drug Abuse and Domestic Violence Prevention Bill; and the Class Size and Instructional Materials Improvement Bill, all of which were read for the first time.
While a motion titled “The Need to Reduce the Number of Out-of-School Children and Protect Children from Street Life and Child Labour” moved by the Majority Leader, Hon. Ojeniyi Daniella, was also passed as a resolution of the children’s parliament.
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