Gbajabiamila: Parliament should give voice to citizens’ aspirations

TRACKING___The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that beyond its primary roles of lawmaking and representation, the parliament should give voice to the aspirations of the citizens.
Speaking at a two-day stakeholders’ conference organised by the House Committee on Inter-parliamentary relations and House ad-hoc committee on COVID-19 in Abuja on Tuesday, the Speaker said the role of the parliament should not be restricted to considering bills and oversight functions.
Represented by the Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase, the speaker said the lawmakers, both at the national and state levels, should always act to ensure the implementation of government policies and actions that meet the need of the people.
“Times of crises such as we have experienced this year also present opportunities for those who are willing to respond to the challenges of the times with wisdom and innovation,” he said.
The Speaker added that: “I believe that parliament has an important role to play in designing our world beyond COVID-19. I do not subscribe to the belief in some quarters that parliament must restrict itself to passing bills and performing oversight.
“The National Assembly of Nigeria, and the 36 states parliaments in our country, are primarily the representatives of the people, tasked with giving voice to the highest aspirations of all our citizens.
“It is a profound role that demands of us that we ensure that the policy making and implementation at all levels of government caters to the most pressing needs of our people, so that they are freed to achieve the great ambitions of which they are immensely capable.”
He said the conference provides an opportunity for lawmakers to further deliberate on the individual and collective roles they should play regarding nation building in the post COVID-19 world.