Emmanuel Adeyemi,Lokoja
Members of Kogi State House of Assembly have been told never to run away from those who elected them into office as it is the habit of some legislators who normally go into hiding when members of their constituency need their help.
A clergyman Rev Fr Augustine Okafor, gave this advice over the weekend in Lokoja during one-day workshop organised by Justice development and peace commission ( JDPC) of the Catholic Diocese Lokoja for the 25 members of the state Assembly , committees’ secretaries and members of the Assembly Commission.
He said it was antitectical to the growth of democracy if a man who was elected into office decides to abandon the electorate due to whatever reason saying there has to be a feed back mechanism that will give confidence to the electorate that they have not made a wrong choice.
The workshop themed “Legislative advocacy project and inclusive governance for improved water, sanitation and hygiene in Kogi State” is organised to bridge the communication gap between the duty bearers and the electorate and to improve access to portable water supply, sanitation and hygiene in the state.
Rev Fr Okafor who is the coordinator of JPDC said instead of the lawmakers running away from the constituents, they should rather set up functional constituency offices and equip them well so as to serve as the major avenue where the needs and grievances of people and communities in the constituency can be met.
He stressed that his organization had been in the forefront of sensitizing the communities in the state on development issues especially as it relates to basic things of life like water and health issues.
Also speaking, the JDPC legislative focal person, Comrade Idris Miliki said the body was currently working in 13 communities in the state to reduce the open defecation syndrome which he said was a serious issue in the state .
He advised the lawmakers to sink more boreholes and provide more toilet facilities in their various constituencies to reduce open defecation and forestall a break out of cholera or other diseases in the state
Miliki also disclosed that JDPC was sponsoring a weekly radio programme on Grace FM Lokoja where the legislators and members of the public could come and exchange ideas on how the state could move forward .
A one-time majority leader in the Assembly, Mr Adams Mohammed delivered a paper on the powers on the importance of the legislature in a democracy while an erudite scholar, Dr Mark Asu Obi delivered another paper on the role of legislature in a democracy.
The workshop was attended by the speaker of the Assembly, Mathew Kolawole, the deputy, Ahmed Mohammed and other legislators in the state.
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