An Interview with Ejimonye Chukwuemeka

The Mace: Nigeria celebrates her 50th Independence Anniversary. Do you think it’s worth celebrating?

Hon. Ndume: My answer is a categorical no. Celebrating implies that some things have been achieved. Taking a dispassionate look at 50 years of Nigerian independence you will agree that objectively there is truly nothing to celebrate but there is something to mark and that is, we have clocked 50 years of independence. I think that government should have used this date to reflect back and see how far we have come, what we have achieved and what we are supposed to achieved. We are supposed to consider what we haven’t done right and identify those things responsible for our backwardness today in comparison to other African countries.

An Interview with Hon. Mohammed Ali Ndume

The Mace:  Hon, world opinion today indicates that Nigeria is in both political and leadership crisis. What is your take on this?

Hon Ndume: I presently agree with that fact. Without fear of contradiction, looking at the crop of leaders we have today, I can confidently say that so many people out there who have no business with leadership, find themselves in leadership positions. So, it is just like the adage, “garbage in garbage out.” Well, in our case we cannot say it is all garbage because there are some people out there that are made of good stuff. But you must have majority by your side in order to have a positive result. The problem we have is that majority of us in the leadership are bad. And when majority is bad, the end result is negative.

Another significant chapter was opened in the history of the National Assembly as the immediate past Clerk to the National, Mr. Oluyemi Ogunyomi today, formally handed over the instruments of office to his successor Alhaji Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa mni. Mr. Ogunyomi is bowing out of a distinguished career in the Civil Service, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.

A Bill for an Act to Established the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council and Other Matters Connected Therewith has come before the House of Representatives.  An Executive Bill, it seeks to establish an authority known as Abuja Metropolitan Management Council which is intended to achieve efficient running and operation of municipal services within the Federal Capital Territory.

The Bill also seeks to make Abuja Metropolitan Management Council an autonomous body that can sue and be sued, hold, acquire and dispose of any property in the Federal Capital Territory. When established the AMMC shall be responsible for land use, control and development in the territory, including processing and approval of building plans for development, monitoring and control of physical development. It shall also design, control and make provisions for Parks, Gardens and recreational facilities and their maintenance.

Activities of illegal miners continue unabated in several communities in the country, and recently led to several deaths in Zamfara State. Hundreds of deaths have been reported in Yalgama, Dareta and Tungar Daji Villages in Bakkuyum and Anka Local Government areas in the State as a result of lead poisoning.

Hon. Mohammed Sani Takoki (ANPPP) representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara state who sponsored a motion to this effect, explained that the activities of these illegal miners have led to the contamination of soil, water and air thus resulting in the deaths of over a hundred people particularly children in these two local government areas.