By Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The new clerk of the House of Representatives, Chinedu Akubueze, has said his main focus is to support the speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, to actualise the legislative agenda of the 9th House.
Akubueze, who assumed office on Wednesday, following the retirement of the immediate past Clerk, Patrick Giwa, stated this in an interaction with journalists, in Abuja, at the sidelines of a dinner organised in his honour by the Noble Peace Club.
Consequently, the Clerk stated that he would work towards improving the bureaucratic structure of the House and tailor it towards the aggressive pursuit of the goals of the 9th Assembly.
According to him, ” My job essentially is to assist the Rt. Honourable Speaker and his colleagues to ensure that the House grows from strength to strength. So, for the sake of emphasis, assisting the Speaker to actualize the legislative agenda is my focus. Once we are able to achieve that, I will be fully fulfilled as Clerk.”
He expressed optimism that the House bureaucracy would live up to its responsibilities in meeting the task ahead.
“If you are holding a position and you’re the only one who knows the job of that office, then you have not succeeded, I mean, you should be able to train those under you to do the job even better than yourself. So I am very confident that those coming to occupy the position I’m leaving behind will do the job effectively.
So those offices are in capable hands. They have gone through the mills with me.
“When I occupy a position, I carry out my activities in a collegiate form. So my subordinates understand why a particular course of proceeding is that way. By mere looking at a draft in a particular form, they know and understand whether I’m expressing displeasure or approval.
I’m sure I have capable hands who will take the job beyond where I left it,” Akubueze said.
On his part, Obinna Chidoka, who represents Idemili Federal Constituency, told journalists, that he has not doubt that the new Clerk will perform creditably in his new role. Chidoka said he expects Akubueze to bring some innovations into the National Assembly as an institution.
He said: “About 25 years ago this phone that I’m using wasn’t in existence, you didn’t have an iPhone or iPad. But things have evolved and that’s why I want him to look at the laws of today including the ones we are amending and advise.
“The laws of yesterday that are no longer applicable today, and also within the institution of the National Assembly. So I want him to use the resources and staff available to him judiciously and be a team player and work with the other support staff to ensure that both the legislators, staff, and the entire country benefit from his activities as the Clerk of the House of Representatives”.
