The Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA), Mr Taiwo Kolawole, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikeja that many Nigerians were ignorant of the roles of legislators.
He said that many citizens made undue requests from lawmakers, thereby distracting them from their constitutional duties.
“We are faced with several constraints, especially expectations of people; they expect us to solve most of their personal problems.
“People demand things such as school fees, house rents, money for burials and many others from us,’’ he told NAN.
He said adequate knowledge of the duties of legislators would enable members of the public to stop undue requests from lawmakers.
“You have the constraint to the extent that you may use your whole salary to solve people’s problems.
“I hardly see anyone coming to me to discuss the problems of their constituencies; they come with personal problems; it is unfortunate,” the lawmaker said, adding that many Nigerians do not assess lawmakers by their contributions on the floor of the House but by their abilities to solve people’s personal problems.
“Not even speakers have access to funds like that,’’ he said.
Mr Saka Fafunmi, who represents Ifako-Ijaiye II in LAHA, said the 1999 Constitution imposed oversight functions, true representation and lawmaking on legislators. (NAN)
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