The clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, says Hansard (verbatim) reporters have indispensable roles in legislative proceedings, despite rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and transcription technologies.

Mr Ogunlana made the assertion on Tuesday at the Annual National Delegates Conference of the Association of Hansard/Verbatim Reporters of Nigeria, held at the National Assembly in Abuja.

“Before technology became this advanced, it was Hansard reporters who ensured that every aspect of parliamentary business was accurately captured in the official votes and proceedings,” he said.

He explained that while AI-based transcription tools now exist, they still fall short in many critical areas, especially in multilingual environments like Nigeria.

“Every time there’s a dispute over who said what in the chambers, it’s the Hansard reporters who provide clarity, because they record and transcribe proceedings word for word. Today’s transcription tools often render submissions inaccurately, and their limitations become even more apparent when language barriers arise,” Mr Ogunlana added.

Drawing from international experience, he noted that although the British Parliament employed automated transcription through advanced microphones, human input remained essential.

“Machines can transcribe, yes, but when it comes to local dialects and Nigeria’s linguistic diversity, technology alone cannot deliver. Unless we develop systems that can fully understand Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, and other local languages, the presence of trained Hansard reporters remains irreplaceable,” he said.

He added that the role of Hansard reporters extended beyond routine documentation.

He said, “They are the heartbeats of the parliament. For instance, ECOWAS often requests their expertise to cover sessions highlighting their regional value.”

While acknowledging that some AI systems could process over 120 languages, he stressed that no AI currently offered a comprehensive, nuanced understanding of Nigeria’s complex linguistic and legislative landscape.

In his remarks, the National President of the Association, Gobina Drisu, described Hansard reporters as “the silent architects of Nigeria’s democratic history”.

(NAN)