The lawmaker representing Katsina Ala/Logo/Ukum Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Richard Gbande, tells LEKE BAIYEWU about the proposed national security fund
The major responsibility of the government is to protect lives and property. We are in the hallowed chambers here, not because we are the best brains or the richest people in Nigeria but because our people, Nigerians, have given us their mandate in trust through the instrumentality of the ballot, sealed by the judicial arm of the government.
As members (of the National Assembly) with people’s mandate, we must hold it in public trust. That is why our proceedings are in the public view.
We represent the yearnings and aspirations of our people; their lives and property are sacrosanct. We owe them a duty to know their priorities. We don’t even need a soothsayer to tell us that Nigerians are hungry and poor. As leaders at our level, it is our responsibility to direct, guide and get outcomes that are beneficial to Nigerians.
It is our duty to know what is good for them. It is also our duty to be objective and open, in a transparent and accountable manner to our people so that at the end of the day, the confidence Nigerians have reposed in us will be justified.
Today, we are talking about the minimum wage for workers; it is N30,000 and we are debating it. Let us be frank, can N30,000 take Nigerians home? And how many of them are even working? We have to create an enabling environment for Nigerians to be comfortable and feed themselves and their families, and even train their children. But as it is now, we have a long way to go and all hands must be on deck to solve this problem.
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