By Clifford Ndujihe

TO imbue future leaders with necessary legislature experience and exposure, which in turn will enhance their contributions to the development of the state, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has started an internship programme for graduates.

Known as the Akwa Ibom Legislative Internship Programme, AKILIP, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Onofiok Luke, said the six-month training is ‘’a capacity and career development initiative that offers opportunities for graduates of the state to supplement their academic training and gain practical legislative experience at a close range.’’

The first batch of the interns made up of 23 youths, who emerged from a list of 280 applicants, were inaugurated on October 20, 2017, during the 25th anniversary of the state House of Assembly.

Speaker Luke said the experience he gained as a personal assistant to a member of the House in 2003 is invaluable now that he is leading the legislature and also informed his initiating the internship programme at a personal level, which has now been institutionalised with the support of other members of the assembly.

AKILIP Coordinator, Mr Ubong Linus,  said:  ‘’AKILIP is a career and capacity development initiative that offers Akwa Ibom graduates of higher institutions opportunities to supplement their academic training by gaining practical legislative experiences, observing the daily workings of the legislature first-hand and providing members of this parliament with additional assistance for their legislative obligations.”