In meeting with the target of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and the Legislative Agenda of the 10th National Assembly, the House of Representatives, on Tuesday, inaugurated its standing Committee on Basic Education.
The Committee, which is made up of eminent Members of the House, is headed by former Speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly and Member representing Takum/Ussa/Donga Federal Constituency, RT. Hon. Mark Bako Useni.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting, Hon. Useni charged Committee Members and the National Assembly Bureaucracy to step up activities in achieving the legislative agenda of the Hon. Tajudeen Abbas-led House of Representatives.
He said, “we have a very big task ahead of us as Members of this committee. I want to urge us to be very committed, to be deep in our thoughts to make sure that we bring the system out of the woods.
“This we can do by bringing about effective legislative framework that will help to save the situation of basic education in Nigeria.
“You are also aware that, part of the legislative agenda of the 10th Assembly is to make sure that at the end of the day, basic education achieves a greater feat beyond where we are today.
“I want to therefore call on you, my colleagues on this committee, to make sure that we work assiduously to change the situation for the better. As your chairman, I want to assure that mine would be a collegial approach. Together, we wil put on our thinking caps to make sure that we bring new ideas that will help the situation.
“On this note, I want to also encourage the Secretariat of this committee to be up and doing in availing Members with very effective tools that can be deployed in making our legislative business in this committee a success”.
On his part, the Leader of Labour Party Caucus and Member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency of Anambra State, RT. Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, expressed optimism that the Chairman of the Committee would lead well and make Nigerians proud, at the end.
“I want to say that, speaking for myself, you have my loyalty. You have my dedication to do this work. I have perused the work plan. At least for the first quarter, which we are in, it could be the fourth quarter beginning from the year. But this is our own first quarter and why not going into that? Because I know that the time will come for his adoption.
“I want to also urge my colleagues that we should take this committee very, very seriously. Every committee is important. But like George Orwell pointed out, ‘all animals are equal, but some are more equal than the other’. These are one of those because of its impact on our young population and what we intend to achieve together”, Hon. Ogene added.
Other Members who took turn to speak, alluded to the fact that the future of basic education in Nigeria depended on the quality of legislative works of the committee, pledging their commitment to assist the country reposition the education sector, in competitive par with other countries.
They all applauded the work plan designed by the Committee Chairman which shall serve as the module for the operation of the committee, as it settles down for legislative oversight actions.