Cease ranking legislators by constituency tasks, lawmaker tells Nigerians

The member representing Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency within the Home of Representatives, Mr Bassey Akiba (APC–Cross River), has decried the follow of ranking members of the Nationwide Meeting by the variety of constituency tasks they execute, saying it undermines their main accountability of lawmaking.

Akiba made the remarks on Saturday evening whereas interfacing with chosen journalists in Calabar.

He mentioned Nigerians ought to focus extra on demanding good governance from their representatives relatively than emphasising undertaking execution.

In accordance with him, lawmaking stays the core perform of a legislator.

He famous that whereas there was nothing unsuitable with residents demanding growth tasks, extreme concentrate on constituency tasks distracts lawmakers from their constitutional duties.

“Little doubt, constituency tasks assist deal with neighborhood wants, however many lawmakers now see them as a distraction from lawmaking.

“I’m not saying it’s unsuitable, however most Nigerians have no idea that undertaking execution isn’t the first accountability of a lawmaker.

“We battle arduous to draw these tasks to our constituencies, and this usually impacts our main accountability, which is making legal guidelines,” he mentioned.

The lawmaker, nonetheless, mentioned that regardless of the challenges, he had positively impacted the lives of his constituents by developmental tasks and social intervention programmes.

He defined that he adopted verifiable, constituency-based initiatives spanning training, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and financial empowerment to ship dividends of democracy to his constituents.

In accordance with him, he adopted a grassroots-focused method aimed toward reaching a broader cross-section of the constituency relatively than concentrating advantages on just a few people.

“On agriculture, my constituency outreach operates throughout 4 worth chains — cassava, oil palm, poultry and fisheries — by which farmers obtain inputs corresponding to hybrid cassava stems and poultry feeds to spice up productiveness.

“A cooperative-based empowerment programme was established in every ward throughout Calabar Municipality and Odukpani Native Authorities Space, with hundreds of residents enrolled. The initiative is supported yearly with funding.

“₦25 million was disbursed by the scheme in the latest cycle to allow members entry micro-support for agriculture and small-scale financial actions by the Bank of Agriculture,” he defined.

Akiba added that within the training sector, he inaugurated a ₦50 million instructional assist programme in 2024, adopted by an expanded ₦100 million scheme in 2025, focusing on indigent college students.

“Beneficiaries obtain help masking college charges, books and different studying supplies, together with college baggage.

“Within the space of public security and infrastructure, my interventions have improved night-time visibility and enhanced safety in beforehand darkish areas throughout a number of communities within the constituency,” he mentioned.

NAN