NASS Should Tackle Poverty, Unemployment, Inequality

A lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Christian Okeke, has urged the National Assembly to prioritize tackling problems of poverty, unemployment and inequality bedevilling the country.

Okeke in an interview with LEADERSHIP Friday said the first thing the lawmakers should legislate on is how to genuinely reform the process of recruiting political leaders in the country.

This, he said the parliamentarians can do by speaking out against ‘horrible’ elections conducted in the country by enacting law that would change the narratives.

According to the political scientist, experts are tired of setting agenda for the lawmakers, asking what agenda can be set in an environment where injustice, nepotism and corruption typify national character and political culture?

“Agenda for Reps (lawmakers) whose leadership the executive heavily assisted to emerge? Can they ever go against their ‘kingmakers’ and take sides with the masses? What agenda where the political elites are not interested in the Nigeria Project and collective good?

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“They pocket billions in the name of accommodation and sitting allowance and do not care about accommodation and well-being of the poor. It is politics of self-preservation across board. They see the sufferings of the masses. They see the impacts of the removal of fuel subsidy without sustainable pre-economic empowerment programmes. They see the new VAT on petrol and electricity. They see high inflation.

“They see the high number of poor people and the high rate of unemployment. Millions go to bed daily on empty stomach. They see it and see the mess in our education and health sector. They see how the right to protest against oppression by the executive is being taken away, even legally.

“They are killing rights of unions to go on strike in protest against obnoxious policies of government. Academics and medical doctors have no value to the government and they see that. Lecturers salaries are withheld yet arrears of work have been covered. In fact, even during the period of the strike, research and community services which form part of the duties of academics went on.

“If they see all these and they need agenda on top, then there is a problem. If you ask me, what should be done about poverty, unemployment and inequality should make them sleepless.

“But the first thing I think they should legislate on is how to genuinely reform the process of recruiting political leaders in this country. In essence, they should speak out against horrible elections conducted in this country and do something about it,” the don said.

The 10th National Assembly which was inaugurated on June 13 is currently on post inauguration break and will resume on July 4 for legislative business.

In the House of Representatives, before embarking on break, the speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas constituted an Ad-Hoc Committee to come up with a legislative agenda for the 10th House.