Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, representing Bende Federal Constituency, yesterday, delivered a public lecture on the Theme: 20 Years of the National Assembly in the 4th Republic: “The Tasks Ahead of the 9th National Assembly“.
Hon. Kalu, who recently emerged the Chairman, Media and Public Affairs Committee (Official Spokesman), Federal House of Representatives, represented Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the Hon. Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.
The event, which marked the 20-yrs of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, was held at the Nigeria Air Force Conference Centre, Abuja, on Monday 29th July, 2019.
Organised by Alh. Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori, Clerk to the National Assembly, and attended by dignitaries, including; His Excellency, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; the Service Chiefs (represented), as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) also represented.
Delivering his speech, Hon. Kalu thank the organizers of the event, more specifically the Chief Host, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori, for extending the invitation to the 2nd Public Lecture of the National Assembly Legislative Digest.
Kalu noted that, “The journey of the National Assembly over the last 20 years has not been a smooth ride. From the teething problems of the 4th Republic’s maiden assembly which strived to define the terms of coexistence of all branches of government, to the tenuous relationship between the last assembly and the executive, our legislature has had its share of successes and missteps in its quest to deliver the core constitutional mandates of good legislating, representation and oversight.
“Despite all this, the National Assembly of the 4th Republic has produced some remarkable
legislations; more recently, the 7th Assembly’s Pension Reform Act, the National Health
Act, and the Terrorism (Prevention) Act. Not forgetting the National Minimum Wage Act,
Police Reform Bill, the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) Amendment Bill, the
Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill, the Railway Transformation Bill and the “Not too
Young to Run Bill” (now a fourth alteration to the Constitution), all of the 8th Assembly.
Hon. Kalu who spoke on the task ahead for the 9th National Assembly urged his colleagues to learn from the mistakes of the previous assemblies and build on their achievements for the good of the nation.
Watch the video below:
