Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa has admonished lawmakers-elect in the state to put the interest of the people above their personal interest.
Obasa, on Friday at a start of a 3-day induction programme for the Lagos lawmakers-elect appealed to them about how critical it is for them to effectively perform oversight functions as part of their responsibilities.
The Speaker in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Eromosele Ebhomele advised the lawmakers-elect not to be greedy, rather they should be selfishness while they represent their constituents.
At the opening of the three day event, Obasa noted the importance of the legislative arm of government in a democracy adding that lawmakers have special roles to play in strengthening the institution.
He submitted that “How do we represent our people? By putting their interests forward beyond personal interest. It is also to have the political will to be able to oversight on other arms of government.
“The day you start thinking about yourself and your personal interest is the day you start betraying the people you represent.
“We must guide against greed and selfishness. Greed will set you against the House and selfishness will set you against those you represent and it will not do you any good.
“For this reason, you must do away with greed and selfishness if you truly want to succeed as a lawmaker. Always know that it is when you serve your people wholeheartedly that you would have enough reasons to judge yourself adequately.
“You must learn to be passionate about your institution and be ambassadors of the House. We must work together irrespective of the party through which you came to the House. Elections are gone and we are one now in the interest of our people.”
Obasa congratulated the members-elect, especially first timers and charged them to be focused.
Also speaking at the event was the Clerk of the House, Barrister Olalekan Onafeko, who appealed to the lawmakers-elect to be open to learning so that they can contribute to making the House a better institution and Lagos a better place.
Addressing the theme of the event, ‘Towards A Responsive and participatory governance – prospects, opportunities and challenges,’ the Lagos Clerk noted that the training was critical to how the 10th Assembly would conduct its business, adding that “This is because the Lagos Assembly is built in a way that other Houses of Assembly learn from it.”
