If we as youths want this country to work, if we want anything left of her to give to our children’s , then we need to say the truth when it matters most. WHAT IS NIGERIA DOING WITH 2 NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES?
Truth is bitter but Nigeria has no business having the Red and the Green Chambers working simultaneously and in full-time capacity. This cost of governance is way too high and at the expense of necessities like healthcare, security, power, etc.
We can’t be do everything as the american or as contained in the American Constitution, its high time we cut our coat according the material available to us .
our GDP is not the same as the Americans and our affinity to corruption is not the same either.
Trump recently mentioned the amount that America invest in security alone annually. That money is more than Nigerian entire budget for 7 years .
In Nigeria, the idea of having a Reps per Federal Constituency may not have been a bad one but it does not fit the true size of our pocket. These dudes consume above 15Million each( that is if am being economical with the estimate) every months and we have more than 400 of them.
A senator consumes more than 25million monthly and we have more than 100 of them. For goodness sake, what is this for in a third world country like Nigeria.
This is why these guys will never expose their true salaries plus incentives and the cost of running both offices to us citizens.
The numbers of Reps alone definitely will bring confusion. You can’t have over 400 people sit and deliberate and you expect any meaningful deliberation in 4years. Everyone with their own confusion.
Please lets scrap off the House of Representative aka the Green Chamber and make do with the senate of 3 persons per state. Laws will still be made. There will still be checks and balance.
Let every senator be on a part-time basis. Before becoming a senator, you must show Nigerians what you do for a living. If you do not have a job, you stand automatically disqualified.
Have a job and be coming to the Red chambers on a part time basis to make laws and see to some over sight functions then go back to your job. Leave Abuja alone.
As time goes on, we reduce to 2 persons per state.
We can’t continue this way. We need to really sit down and analyze the cost incurred by one Rep and one Senator and multiply by their number and see how much this country spends every 30 days.
Our Federal Government Colleges are fast decaying, health care in Nigeria is almost the worst in the world today not to talk of power. People are dying in the Local Governments.
The Federal Government is getting broke hence to raise incomes, they are looking at ways to raise funds like increasing VAT for 7%, putting charges on deposits and withdrawals, and most recently, they want to reintroduce toll gates on the Federal High Ways.
Our FG must understand that these measures are affecting the poor and not the rich. This will even make our senators to increase the amount in their hardship allowances. As a good citizen, I have given them a way to raise money. FLUSH OUT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
We are paying enough toll gate in the form of repairing our cars when we drive through high ways like ; Lekki Ajah That is one commercial highway that this country should not ignore.
On agriculture, the North east (Maiduguri-Borno and Yola-Adamawa) plus the middle belt (Jo’s and Benue) freely exchanges agricultural produce and livestocks with the south South… through that road. Those that have over a million trucks doing businesses on our roads should be an investor in repairing the roads not toll gate pls)
Back to the matter: The question now is, who has the power to dissolve one out of two of the National assemblies? Is it the President( Executive) or the Chief Judge( Judiciary) or the citizens?
May Nigeria not end up a failed Nation.
Nkemdi C. Kenneth for Nkemdi Mordi Development Initiative (NMDI) Bringing Hope, Lightning Lives
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