As Nigeria prepares for a new administration, elected lawmakers have been urged to prioritise security and agriculture to grow and sustain the economy.
A former lawmaker representing Boki 2 State Constituency and lecturer of Law in the University of Calabar, Cross River State, southern Nigeria, Dr. Jake Otu Enyia made the call during an interview with some journalists in Calabar, the state capital.
Enyia, who served as a legislator for two terms at the Cross River House of Assembly, said that the challenges of insecurity in the State and Nigeria must be the priority of every elected member of the tenth assembly.
He said, “the foremost problem in Cross River and Nigeria at large is insecurity. Cross River has known peace for a relatively long time except for pockets of skirmishes here and there. By our constitution, security is not limited to the Nigerian Government alone.
“Even though the main function of government as stipulated and captured in Section 4 of the constitution is welfare and security of the nation. I think that the first point of call for any legislator is security; to address those issues that constitute security threats,” Enyia stated.
Continuing he said, “another area is agriculture if we have to sustain our economy. Particularly attention must be paid to this area to enable us turn around the fortunes of this State. I would also suggest that education must be prioritized as well. There is need to ensure that the next generation of leaders are truly empowered, which has been the agitations of the youths”.
The former legislator also urged the elected lawmakers in Cross River to ‘critically review the issues surrounding the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula’ and drive home the need for compensation in perpetuity, while also focusing on other sources of improving Internally Generated Revenue, IGR and tourism development.
Inclusiveness
Enyia further stressed the need for unity amongst the 25 members of the Cross River assembly, noting that having members from different political parties suggest that the majority be accommodating.
He noted that unity and cohesiveness would enhance inclusivity, stating “one thing I have observed in every democracy is that the legislature suffers the most. The first of the three arms of government to be affected during any military rule is the legislature. The executive and judiciary would still be in place, but the legislature is gone.
“So, I would advise that as they come in to serve, vengeance is not an option. Whichever political party that is majority, the role is to have cooperation amongst them. This also goes to those that would constitute the minority. The goal should be cooperation for the interest and benefit of the people, who elected them to office,” he stressed.
The former lawmaker, who also served as a former Director General of the Cross River State Rural Electrification Agency, urged the incoming legislators to support the governor-elect, Senator Bassey Otu move the state to the next level.
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