Lawmakers-elect of the Lagos State House of Assembly began a 3-day induction programme on Friday with Speaker Mudashiru Obasa advising them to eschew greed and selfishness while they represent their constituents.
Dr. Obasa further tasked the members-elect to develop the political will to effectively perform oversight functions as part of their responsibilities.
Declaring the programme open in Lagos, Obasa noted the importance of the legislative arm of government in a democracy adding that lawmakers have special roles to play in strengthening the institution.
The Speaker, while congratulating the members-elect, especially those getting into the House for the first time, charged them to remain conscious of the reason they were elected to represent the millions of Lagos residents.
“How do we represent our people? By putting their interests forward beyond personal interest. It is also to have the political will to be able to oversight on other arms of government.
“The day you start thinking about yourself and your personal interest is the day you start betraying the people you represent.
“We must guide against greed and selfishness. Greed will set you against the House and selfishness will set you against those you represent and it will not do you any good.
“For this reason, you must do away with greed and selfishness if you truly want to succeed as a lawmaker. Always know that it is when you serve your people wholeheartedly that you would have enough reasons to judge yourself adequately.
“You must learn to be passionate about your institution and be ambassadors of the House. We must work together irrespective of the party through which you came to the House. Elections are gone and we are one now in the interest of our people,” Dr. Obasa told the lawmakers-elect.
Earlier speaking about the theme: ‘Towards A Responsive and participatory governance – prospects, opportunities and challenges’, the Clerk of the House, Barrister Olalekan Onafeko, said the training was critical to how the 10th Assembly would conduct its business.
“This is because the Lagos Assembly is built in a way that other Houses of Assembly learn from it,” he said.
He appealed to the lawmakers-elect to be open to learning so that they can contribute to making the House a better institution and Lagos a better place.