HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LEGISLATIVE STRIDES OF HIS EXCELLENCY, HON. BETHEL AMADI

·       CHAIRMAN - LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE FOR EDUCATION (LIFE)

-        Restructuring of the Universal Basic Education Proposal

As Founder and Co-coordinator of Legislative Initiative for Education (LIFE) consisting of Legislators championing the reform of Nigeria's education system, Hon Bethel Amadi worked with his team of legislators to restructure, redefine, strengthen and expand the substantive provisions of the Universal Basic Education Act.

The Universal Basic Education (UBE) Programme was launched by the Federal Republic of Nigeria to eradicate illiteracy, ignorance and poverty as well as stimulate and accelerate national development, political consciousness and national integration. However the implementation process of the programme was hampered by lack of an enabling law to execute certain aspects of the programme.

It was this team of legislators (LIFE) chaired by Hon Amadi that motivated a restructuring of the legislation to incorporate critical components such as the provision for free and compulsory element of the bill and stipulation for penalties for parents who fail to comply. Their position was predicated on the fact that the educational programme should be universal, free and compulsory and efforts are to be made to counter the factors which have been impediments to global realization of previous education programmes.

As a result of this intervention, the National Assembly passed the UBE Act of 2004 which was signed into law on 26th May 2004. By this legislation the Federal Government intervened in the provision of basic education with 2% of its Consolidated Revenue Fund to the states and local government through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) of each state and the Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs).

The legislation further expanded the vision of UBE to include the universalizing of access and promotion of equity with systematic focus on learning, enhancement of the environment of learning and strengthening partnerships.

Its objective was to ensure the provision of free, Universal Basic Education for every Nigerian child of school­ going age, ensure unfettered access to nine (9) years of formal basic education and serve as a catalyst to the actualisation of the nation's Universal Basic Education (UBE) vision by "mobilising the Nation's creative energies, working in concert with all stakeholders, to ensure that Education For All becomes the Responsibility of all”.

·       CHAIRMAN - IMO STATE CAUCUS: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE

-        Transformation of the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education

In the first 4 year term, Hon Amadi was elected Chairman of the Imo Caucus and in this capacity, he coordinated and orchestrated the implementation and effective execution of Imo projects and more particularly inspired the takeover of the Alvan Ikoku College of Education by the Federal Government at the end of his term in 2007.

The Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri was established in April, 1963 as the Advanced Teachers Training College by the defunct Eastern Nigeria Government. It is the foremost College of education in the South East and has been at the forefront of teacher education in Nigeria with a global recognition and prominence that elevated Imo as the center of academic excellence and achievement.

Recognizing the importance of this institution to the long term strategic positioning of Imo in the country, Hon Amadi as Chair of the Imo Caucus convincingly rallied his colleagues and engineered the provision of nearly one billion naira in takeoff fund that facilitated the transformation of this academic institution into Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri.

The Federal Government take-over inspired by Hon. Amadi and his team of Imo legislators brought improved financial aid that led to a robust and unprecedented structural redevelopment of the institutions infrastructure that brought vitality and strength to the fabric of this prestigious institution.

As a direct result of the funds made possible by the Imo Caucus led by Hon. Bethel Amadi, the College was able to renovate dilapidated structures, build large classrooms, laboratories and hostels and expanded the staff strength with a resultant enhancement in curriculum development.

·       CHAIRMAN - IMO STATE CAUCUS: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE

-        Rehabilitation of the Onitsha – Owerri Expressway

Hon Bethel Amadi understands the intrinsic human capital and economic value in engendering a revitalization of our nation’s transportation infrastructure and sustaining critical transportation modalities that facilitate efficient distribution of goods in the stream of commerce especially as it pertains to the South East.

As Chairman of the Imo Caucus, Hon Bethel Amadi spearheaded efforts by the Imo Caucus that facilitated the transfer of the Onitsha – Owerri expressway rehabilitation and construction to Julius Berger – a move that has been credited for the rapid completion of the project especially as it relates to the axis that connects to Owerri.

Prior to this time, the component of the Onitsha – Owerri expressway that initiates from Owerri and terminates at Onitsha had remained a motorist nightmare. This road represents a major network for businesses and movement of goods and services and connects the people of Imo to major enterprises across the nation. Its condition at the time was not only embarrassing but posed a serious and destabilizing impediment to most commercial and economic activities in our state.

It was Hon Amadi’s leadership at the Imo Caucus, capitalizing on their strategic political nexus to the center of the PDP led administration that highlighted the share urgency of the project, its impact to the greater Imo community and thereby secured necessary institutional intervention that prompted an expedited commencement and completion of the project.

·       HOUSE RESOLUTION ON THE URGENT NEED FOR REHABILITATION  OF EKEMELE JUNCTION OF OWERRI OKIGWE FEDERAL HIGHWAY

Hon. Bethel Amadi moved the House in November 2012 to mandate that FERMA and the Federal Ministry of Works as a matter of urgency repair the damaged portion of the Owerri-Okigwe Federal Highway; especially this approaching 2012 yuletide period.

As a consequence, the House of Representatives in its plenary session on Thursday November 8, 2012 adopted a motion calling on the Federal Emergency Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to as a matter of urgency commence immediate rehabilitation of the damaged portions of the Owerri – Okigwe Highway. In moving the motion on the floor of the House, Hon. Bethel N. Amadi observed that Owerri Okigwe Federal Highway is an ever busy highway which connects the capital city of Imo State, Owerri, to other parts of Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Abia State.

Hon. Bethel Amadi noted that the Akabo Community portion of the Highway, especially, Ekemele Market junction of the Federal Highway has been badly damaged by erosion and heavy rainfall thereby creating big gullies on the road. Hon. Amadi further noted that despite several letters of complaint and visits to Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), they have neglected and ignored the repair of the damaged portion of the Federal Highway.

He expressed concern that the deplorable state of this very important highway has been causing frequent road accidents, which has resulted in the loss of lives and properties.

Worried that the road is now impassable causing untold and unprecedented hardship to road users and commuters and now threatens to cut off the state capital from most South East states and further worried that the commercial, social and economic activities in the area is being negatively affected due to the deplorable state of the road, Hon Amadi passionately appealed to the House to adopt the motion. The motion passed without objection and a few days after the road construction was commissioned and today has been fully rehabilitated and made motorable.

·       MEMBER – HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

-        Development of the Public Procurement Act 2007

Hon Bethel Amadi was among the legislators that championed the development of the Public Procurement Act 2007 that established the Bureau of Public Procurement as the regulatory authority responsible for the monitoring and oversight of public procurement, harmonizing the existing government policies and practices by regulating, setting standards and developing the legal framework and professional capacity for public procurement in Nigeria.

Prior to the passage of this act, contracts were awarded without recourse to due process, company experience, financial criteria, personnel capacity and equipment capacity. As a result of the efforts of Hon Amadi and his colleagues at the National Assembly, a process was put in place under this act that ensured that entities participating in government contracts demonstrate that they possess the resources and experience sufficient to meet the aggregate of the qualifying criteria for the particular project with regards to nature, complexity and construction technology similar to the proposed works for the relevant years.

The act further stipulates that the required minimum level of financial capacity to qualify for the performance of the project are ascertained and the company are adequately staffed with experts possessing satisfactory level of personnel capacity to qualify for the performance of the works under the project.

This has engendered relative transparency and accountability in the system and ensured that public projects are executed by competent entities, through a process that is fair, inclusive and promoted equitable access by the widercommunity and not a privileged and highly connected few.

·       MEMBER – HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL CONTENT

-        Development of the Local Content Development Bill 2010

Hon Bethel Amadi was very instrumental in the development and passage of the Local Content Development Bill that was signed into law on April 22, 2010 by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathanto increase indigenous participation in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry. The Local Content Development Act has contributed to enormous technology transfer in the country and provided huge employment opportunities. It has also created significant and impressive economic growth as manifested in rise in Nigeria’s GDP that currently surpassed that of South Africa in recent reports.

Far more significant is the immense impact of this legislation in the enhancement of the government's socio-economic development agenda.It has led to more employment of locals, value creation in the country, local participation/investment, induced expenditure in the local economy and enhanced human capacity through the implementation of programmes on capacity building.

Additionally, Hon Bethel Amadi has consistently advocated the promotion of awareness of this act because he believes that a better understanding of the act will increase participation, which will also improve the average performance in the implementation of the Local Content Development Act.

As a consequence, Nigerian companies are taking advantage of the law in trying to earn a larger percentage participation in the country's bustling oil and gas business as well as other aspects of Nigeria’s economic framework.

  

  

·       CHAIRMAN – HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AVIATION

Hon Bethel Amadi as Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation provided legislative leadership that prioritized safety and security as the key areas of reform in the aviation sector through oversight and insistence on zero tolerance for air incidents. As the Chairman of the Aviation Committee between 2008 and 2011, Hon Bethel Amadi  led the Committee to achieve the following:

                                                                                                             

i.                Provided the legislative support and budgetary appropriation that led to the enthronement and promotion of Consumer Protection in the Aviation industry by the establishment of a Directorate of Consumer Protection in NCAA;

ii.              Provided legislative support for major  infrastructural development programmes for the Aviation industry especially  with the completion of the Total Radar Coverage project, the Doppler Weather Radar Project and the Total Radio Coverage project;

iii.            Ensuring maximum legislative support for runway rehabilitation projects, purchase of 30 Fire Tenders (Fire Fighting Vehicles) as well as construction of Perimeter Fencing at 12 major airports in the country to improve safety and security including more particularly the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport, Imo.

iv.            Led the House Parliamentary delegation to the United States of America House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and their Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in June 2009, and provided the parliamentary backing that led to Nigeria attaining the FAA Category 1 Certification.

v.              Provided budgetary appropriation and legislative support for the establishment of Helicopter Training facilities at NCAT especially to support activities of the Oil and Gas sector of the economy.

vi.            Initiated strategic changes in the application of aviation resources that brought about a transformation of contracts modes and processes with a resultant unprecedented saving of billions of naira.

vii.          Provided legislative support for the ongoing construction of new airport terminals to enhance passenger comfort especially as it relates to the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport and Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu.

·       CHAIRMAN – HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Hon. Bethel N. Amadi currently chairs the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development. In this capacity he shoulders the solemn responsibility of providing strategic legislative leadership in the implementation of President Goodluck Jonathan's seminal Transformation Agenda and Vision 20:2020.

As Chairman, it is Hon Amadi’s responsibility to ensure that all relevant entities with jurisdiction on economic planning such as the National Planning Commission headed by the Vice President Federal Republic of Nigeria, Arch. Namadi Mohammed Sambo, GCON, becomes the most efficient planning institution that guides the growth and development of Nigerian economy to be among the leading economies in the world.

Also in the exercise of this constitutional, legislative and oversight functions, Hon Amadi determines and efficiently advises on matters relating to national development and overall management of the economy for positive growth, ensures that there is budgetary legislation and institutional consensus in support of Government policies and programmes and that plans and policies are properly implemented by all relevant stakeholders.

The foremost legislative priority of Hon Amadi beyond overseeing the implementation of President Gooodluck Jonathan's Transformation Agenda  are to reassess the National Development Planning Continuity Bill, monitor and evaluate Assessment Report aimed at monitoring MDAs, regulation of Donor Agencies to ensure more accountability in their activities and the professionalizing of the National Planning Commission to enhance productivity.

He is also championing the development of the National Planning Development Act that will provide an evidenced based planning across the nation and require all tiers of government to create coherent and measurable targets consistent with any National Development plan adopted through legislation by the National Assembly. This legislative proposal will also ban abandoned projects by successive governments in the nation.

·       RATIFICATION & DOMESTICATION OF THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON DEMOCRACY ELECTIONS AND GOVERNANCE

As President of the Pan African Parliament, H.E. Hon Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi championed the ratification and domestication of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance as part of his passion to consolidate democratic institutions, democratic culture, good governance, transparency and the rule of law in Africa. This landmark document embodies our shared philosophy of entrenching in the continent a political culture that is premised on constitutional democracy. It further laid the basic framework for democracy in Africa and promotes a system of governance that is representative and emerges through regular, transparent, free and fair elections.

This charter was inspired by the objectives and principles enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the African Union which emphasizes the significance of good governance, popular participation, the rule of law and human rights and it’s a reaffirmation of our collective will to work relentlessly to deepen and consolidate the rule of law, peace, security and development in our countries.

The objective of this charter is to encourage effective coordination and harmonization of governance policies, promote sustainable development and human security, promote the establishment of the necessary conditions to foster citizen participation, transparency, access to information, freedom of the press and accountability in the management of public affairs and promote gender balance and equality in the governance and development processes.

Hon Amadi’s commitment to the principles enshrined in this charter led him to initiate a campaign at the Pan African Parliament dubbed ‘11 before 2011’ to raise awareness on the need for ratification of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance by end of 2011. This campaign was carried out in conjunction with the AUC Political Affairs through several regional consultative meetings and as a result of Hon Amadi’s leadership, within one year the required additional 11 ratifications had been obtained, resulting in the ACDEG coming into force in 2012.

·       RATIFICATION AND DOMESTICATION OF THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION

 

H.E. Hon Bethel Amadi believes that the Civil Service are equal and essential partners to good governance. To promote the values and principles of democracy, good governance, human rights and the right to development, Hon Amadi believes that there must be a concomitant political commitment to strengthen professionalism and ethics in public service and promote the values and principles governing the organisation of Public Service and Administration.

Inspired by the need to maintain legitimacy of the public service and adapt African public services to evolving needs on the continent, Hon Bethel Amadi in 2013 hosted the West African Parliamentarians at a consultative conference in Nigeria designed to raise awareness on the need to ratify and domesticate the African Charter on Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration.This important legal instrumentlays an important foundation and regional standards for public administration in Africa. The intended focus is to establish a broad framework to guide Member States to develop their public service, promote modernization, entrenchnew values of governance in public service, professionalize the systems of public management and consolidate public service with a view at transforming it to become truly democratic and competent.

In advocating for the speedy ratification of this charter, Hon Amadi is guided by the objective of the charter in promoting the moral values inherent in the activities of Public Service Agents with a view to ensuring transparent service delivery, need to institutionalize a culture of accountability and integrity and transparency in Public Service and Administration and ensuring that State Parties institute national accountability and integrity systems to promote value-based societal behaviour and attitude as a means of preventing corruption.

Today and as a result of Hon Amadi’s numerous advocacy missions that span across more than 15 African Nations and Heads of State, this Charter that seeks to promote a Public Service and Administration that uses the optimum conditions of equity and efficiency has been ratified by 7 African Nations and signed by 32 Heads of State.

·       ESTABLISHMENT OF A LEGISLATIVE & INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AFRICAN UNION CHARTER ON YOUTH

The African Charter on Youth was predicated on recognition that Africa’s greatest resource is its youthful population and that through their active and full participation, Africans can surmount the difficulties that lie ahead. This Charter promotes the view that every young person shall have the right to social, economic, political and cultural development with due regard to their freedom and identity and in equal enjoyment of the common heritage of mankind. Despite the inherent sound principles embodied in this Charter, Hon Amadi remained concernedabout the situation of African youth where many of whom aremarginalized from mainstream society through inequalities in income, wealth and  power, unemployment and underemployment, infected and affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, living in situations of poverty and hunger, experiencing illiteracy and poor quality educational systems, restricted access to health services and to information, exposure to violence including gender violence, engaging in armed conflicts, experiencing various forms of discrimination and above all disconnected from the political process.

Driven by this firm belief that the continuous development of Africa rests with its youth and therefore requires their active and enlightened participation, Hon Amadi as President of the Pan African Parliament, set up the first ever Pan African Parliament Caucus on youths to provide a platform to consolidate youth ideas and position on the overarching strategic framework and vision for Africa.He spearheaded the establishment of the Pan African Youth Council to provide a platform on the continent for youths to take ownership of their issues as key partners in the governance process and engage in the development process.

As a consequence of Hon Amadi’s leadership, African Parliamentarians have now embraced the urgency of establishing legislative framework to strengthen platforms for youth participation in governance, give priority to policies and programmes to curb youth marginalization, provide strategic support to build the institutional capacity for youth organizations to effectively engage in issue and policy development and develop macroeconomic policies that emphasize job creation and skills acquisition for youths. 

·       DEVELOPMENT OF A MODEL LAW ON MEDICAL PRODUCTS REGULATION AND HARMONIZATION IN AFRICA

Hon. Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi was very instrumental in the development of a recent African Model Law on Medical Products Regulation and Harmonization in partnership with NEPAD.

Hon Bethel Amadi has consistently advocated for National registration of medicines as one way of assuring the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines being provided to the population. He believes that one of the important components of the regional economic integration efforts for ensuring improvement of the registration effort is through the regulation of drugs, harmonization of technical standards and adoption of legislative measures.

With harmonization of medicines registration, countries were expected to enjoy economies of scale which would lead to reduced cost of registration further translating to lower prices of quality, safe and efficacious medicines circulating on the market.

This model law as developed and adopted at the continental platform specifically targets the Drugs and Pharmaceutical sector in Africa and is titled ‘Model Law on Medical Products Regulation and Harmonization in Africa’.

The purpose of this Model Law is to protect public health through the establishment of an effective and efficient system of medical products regulation and control at all levels to ensure that medical products circulating in Africa meet the required standards of safety, efficacy and quality.

Through this model law, Hon Bethel Amadi and the African Parliamentarians sought to improve public health by encouraging and facilitating research, developments and regulation of medical products to ensure a secure pharmaceutical supply system while facilitating fair trading practices in the pharmaceutical sector and promoting the harmonization of regulation of medical products through regional economic communities recognized by the African Union.

·        ESTABLISHMENT OF A FRAMEWORK OF LEGISLATIVE INTERVENTION AND MUTUAL COOPERATION BETWEEN UNAIDS AND PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT ON HIV/AIDS

Angered by statistics and reports by World Health Organization that the most dramatic increases over the past 10 years in the number of people on antiretroviral therapy are found in Africa—with more than 5 million people now on treatment, Hon Bethel Amadi began a robust campaign to mobilize global resources to attack this epidemic. On the sidelines of the 19th Summit of Heads of State of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Hon. Bethel Amadi as President of PAP signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) calling for strategic partnership to advance sustainable responses to HIV as well as address key human rights challenges in Africa.

Through this partnership, UNAIDS and the Pan African Parliament began a collaboration engagement with legislators from across Africa by empowering them with up-to-date knowledge and information on the HIV epidemic. As a result of Hon Amadi’s leadership, Parliaments have taken up legislation through the budgetary process to enhance approval of national budgets on this subject, augment the substantiality of current funding architecture in countries and regions and advocate for regional economic development.This was also designed as a direct response to a waning of international commitment and sharp declines in international funding framework such as PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS that threatened to reverse Africa’s gains in this area.

Parliaments across Africa also began a monitoring process for government’s implementation of Continental international and regional commitments on HIV/AIDS such as the Maputo Plan Of action, the Abuja Call and the recent Global June 2011 UN Political declaration on the Elimination of HIV/AIDS.

This partnership and the renewed attention it brought on the subject has seen Africa experiencing about some of the world’s starkest declines in new HIV infections with 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa achieving a drop of more than 25% in new infections. The continent is now leading the global campaign to end new HIV infections among children and keep their mothers alive - A real legacy for today’s African leaders. 

·       ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF JOINT AFRICA-EU STRATEGY (JAES) – A PARLIAMENTARY PARTNERSHIP ON SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & INCLUSIVE GROWTH

Under the leadership of H.E. Hon Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi, the European Parliament and the Pan African Parliament adopted a new Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES) with a renewed commitment for partnership on sustainable growth and development in Africa. This solemn document as engineered by African Parliamentarians led by H.E Hon Bethel Amadi provided strategic focus that not only reset the relationship of Europe and Africa with a renewed focus on the rising tide of Youth Unemployment but also redefined the substance and framework of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES) as adopted by Heads of State and Government from Africa and Europe at the Summit in April 2014.

With sterling leadership and resilience, Hon Amadi ensured that the new JAES as adopted revolved around common challenges faced by both continents, such as peace and security, youth unemployment and the pursuit of inclusive and sustainable growth. In drafting the new Joint Africa-EU strategy, H.E Hon Bethel Amadi instigated a paradigm shift from the traditional donor-recipient relationship that characterized past Europe and Africa relations, to one of mutual cooperation as equal partners. The Africa-EU partnership has delivered results in different areas of cooperation, including peace and security, democratic governance, infrastructure, and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Since the adoption of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, the EU has mainstreamed the new priorities such as youth employment in its various cooperation instruments while developing frameworks for enhancing EU support for African capacities to manage peace and security on the continent as a precursor for development and growth. They have also provided support for over 80 infrastructural projects for a total value of over €6.5 billion.

Through this strategic partnership, European and African Parliamentarians have embraced the need to articulate institutional mechanisms that will foster human capital development, economic growth and poverty reduction especially as it relates to women and youth.

·       ESTABLISHMENT OF LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROMOTION AND ADOPTION OF THE AFRICAN UNION DECISION ON CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (CFTA)

H.E. Hon Bethel Amadi has been instrumental in promoting the full adoption and implementation of the principles of the African Union Executive Council decision on Continental Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) and boosting Intra-Africa trade. His advocacy is informed by the view that increased intra Africa trade has enormous potentials to foster economic growth on the continent and promote regional integration.

The African Union Heads of State at the 18^th African Union Assembly held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on January 2012, embraced critical declarations aimed at boosting Intra-African Trade, strengthening African Integration and fast tracking the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA). The summit which embodied the theme: “Boosting Intra-Africa Trade”, articulated an Action Plan that called on Member States and Regional Economic Communities to adopt strategic measures that will ensure an efficient implementation of the principles reflected in the Intra-African Trade Action Plan.Hon Bethel Amadi has spearheaded numerous efforts aimed at engaging the cooperation of Regional Development/Economic Community in mainstreaming the AU Summit Action Plan on national trade and development strategies.

Africa remains the most fragmented continent in the world with 54 countries with numerous border crossings and according to a report by the world trade organization, Intra Africa trade remains very low and as at last year stood at 10%. Hon Amadi contends that the integration process of Africa can only begin through economic integration and by creating legal and legislative frameworks for the free movement of people, labour, goods and services across Africa.Hon Amadi’s efforts has inspired a process of establishing legislative framework that counters some of the factors that contribute Africa’s marginalization and constraints to Intra-Africa Trade which include poorly-developed financial markets; the absence of cross-border financial instruments; complex and lengthy regulatory processes hampering the private sector; high tariffs; complex customs arrangements; and limited regional harmonization of policies, regulations, and procedures.

·       PROMOTION OF PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN &PEOPLES' RIGHTS ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA

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Hon Bethel Amadi has been very instrumental in promoting gender equality and affirmative action for women across Africa by instituting an annual Women Conference with focus on maternal health, child mortality and numerous other gender issues. The women conference is institutionalized under the leadership of Hon Amadi as a mechanism to implement the Protocol to the African Charter on Human And Peoples' Rights on the rights of Women in Africa.Consequently, Parliamentarians across Africa have established frameworks to enact and effectively implement appropriate legislative or regulatory measures, including those prohibiting and curbing all forms of discrimination particularly those harmful practices which endanger the health and general well-being of women and further integrate a gender perspective in their policy decisions, legislation, development plans, programmes and activities and in all other spheres of life.

Hon Amadi’s position on gender inclusiveness and participation is informed by the recognition of the incredible potential of Africa’s women to lead and be involved in core decision making. Although Africa’s past history is replete with examples of marginalization and exclusion of women, there is now some progress in Africa’s women participation in politics in part due to massive sensitization of African Parliamentarians on the need for gender inclusivity. He established the legislative platform for highlighting the importance of constructive engagement of women in Africa’s development agenda and the need to promote gender equality and redress imbalances. He believes that women, who represent the most vulnerable segment of our continent, represent half of the population of our continent and who gave birth to the remaining half should not be excluded in Africa’s development agenda.

His leadership has reaffirmed the principle of promoting gender equality as enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the African Union as well as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, relevant Declarations, Resolutions and Decisions, which underline the commitment of the African States to ensure the full participation of African women as equal partners in Africa’s development.

·       FORMULATION OF THE AFRICAN POSITION ON THE POST 2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

Hon Bethel Amadi led efforts to formulate the African position on the post 2015 development agenda and in ensuring that the next set of developmental goals are people centered and designed with significant input by Africans.

Hon Amadi’s position is predicated on the fact that the original MDG goals were not informed by input from Parliamentarians who are the true representatives of the people and are more properly positioned to articulate the wishes, needs and aspirations of grass-roots communities and their constituencies. Because most MDG’s were conceived without parliamentary participation, most parliaments lack the requisite knowledge and capacity integral to enacting tangible implementing legislation. This created a huge vacuum that resulted in the failure of most legislative houses to inculcate MDG agenda in their National Planning and Economic Development’s legislative appropriations.

To reverse this deficiency, the Pan African Parliament led by H.E. Hon Bethel Amadi in conjunction with UNDP, hosted several high level Africa wide consultative meeting to chart the path for the post 2015 Millennium Development Agenda. There were several consultative meetings with the academia and intellectuals, finance experts, civil society, women and youth groups. The outcome of these meeting became known as the African position on the post 2015 Millennium Development Agenda and was mainstreamed into the report of the high level consultative group of eminent persons to the United Nations.

As a consequence of Hon Amadi’s leadership, there was a clear resolve by all stakeholders that the post 2015 Millennium Development Agenda must be people centered and proffer home grown solutions for Africa’s problems i.e a bottom-up approach taking into cognizance the needs of the rural communities. Hon Amadi has further instituted plans at the Pan African Parliament to produce an annual index/barometer to track the implementation of the MDGs by member States.