From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Publicity, Benjamin Kalu, has said pressure from constituents is killing members of the National Assembly.
Kalu, who stated this while speaking with journalists in Abuja, yesterday, said constituents are always mounting pressure on lawmakers to provide infrastructure and other things that are outside their scope.
“These guys here are suffering, they are under stress, that’s why most of the sicknesses they are passing through are heart attacks, this and that failures. Whether you want to understand it or not, the pressure from constituents is killing members of the National Assembly, the pressure is too much.
“Those who are not supposed to build roads are asked to build roads. They receive pressure on even issues that are not their duty. And the resources to solve the demands of the public is not there,” he said.
Kalu, however, said the pressure not withstanding, members of the National Assembly will continue to discharge their duties.
Kalu, while responding to a question on the inability of some standing and ad-hoc committees of the House, to complete investigations referred to them within the stipulated time, said the COVID-19 pandemic had slowed down activities of the parliament.
He dismissed allegations that the investigations were unduly delayed because the lawmakers have been compromised as untrue.
“As for being compromised, it’s very painful that the word keeps coming up, if this parliament has been compromised you will see it in them. This is one of the poorest parliaments. You don’t see lawmakers living in luxury. Compromised with what?” he queried.
He said because of constituents pressure members were spending personal income on projects they ought not to.