Hon. Francis Waive represents Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency of Delta State and currently serves as Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business. In this interview with TAIWO ADISA, he speaks about the performance of the 10th Assembly, the controversy that rocked his Constituency following an invasion by the military, the Tax Reform Bills currently before the National Assembly. He also declares that the absence of governance at the local government level is putting undue pressure on legislators. Excepts:
THIS is your second term in the House and as the Rules and Business Chairman, how would you rate the productivity of members in terms of bills and motions that affect the people in this session?
The productivity of Honorable members of the 10th House of Representatives is high by whatever yardsticks you use to measure it. The number of bills and motions during the first session i.e. the first legislative year is the highest in our history. The issues addressed are also Germane and relevant to the needs of constituents. Insecurity, inflation, corruption and other problems affecting the lives of ordinary Nigerians topped the list of matters addressed on the floor of the House. We passed the Students Loans Act, Minimum Wage Act, Audit Bill (awaiting concurrence of the Senate) Appropriations Acts, etc.
The general complaint among constituents is that of neglect and failure to facilitate democracy dividends to the constituency, how are you dealing with that on a personal note?
The problem generally is that the complete absence of local government administration in the country for several years made legislators the closest persons in government to the grassroots. Thankfully, the Tinubu administration is tackling this head-on. One day will come when lawmakers will not be judged by their constituents on the basis of school fees or hospital bills paid or rents paid or water provided. The role of the legislature is that of lawmaking, oversight and representation.
On a personal note I am glad that my people, the entire people of Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency can testify that they have been enjoying the dividends of democracy since they elected me to represent them in 2019. I have excelled in providing succour to the downtrodden and those in need. My projects scattered in all thirty two wards of my constituency are visible, traceable and beneficial to our people. I am in the constituency every other weekend and my constituents know that my constituency office is functional and they make use of it.
Will it be right to call the 10th Assembly a rubber stamp as they hardly hold the executive to account?
What most Nigerians expect is a legislature that is constantly at loggerheads with the executive. When two Elephants fight it is the grass that suffers. The experience during President Buhari’s first tenure should not happen to this country again. The economy suffered at that time and the polity was constantly on the boil. The principle of checks and balances does not include combat. This 10th National Assembly has played its role creditably well. Some ministerial nominees for instance were not cleared. Some requests of the executive were reduced etc. But it’s bad news that sells, so many of the time when the National Assembly says no to the executive it will not make news. But we’re already writing our names in gold with landmark legislations some of which I mentioned earlier
One of the roles of a member is to stand in for his people, how well did you play that role during the incident between communities in your constituency and the military? Has the matter been resolved now?
The Okuama incident is a sad one. First the remains of the slain soldiers were found on our soil. But this implied complicity of our people is completely unacceptable and unverified. Thankfully, the military announced that they knew the killers and eventually went after them outside Delta State. We however felt oppressed when the king and other community leaders were detained by the military. Our Governor, our Senator and myself had to do everything we could to get the king released. Till today the community remains in total ruins as all houses were destroyed in retaliation by the military except for a church and a block of classrooms. It was hectic getting the hundreds of displaced persons out of the bush and into an IDP camp and providing for them. Our call is for the community to be rebuilt while efforts continue to bring the culprits to justice
Your state is seen as a PDP state, though a PDP Rep member defected to the APC recently, how are you coping with the threat of the PDP in the state?
Long before venturing into politics I have served my people not just as a popular clergyman but in providing health care, educational support and social services through my work as a civil society interventionist. Thus when I ran for public office it was not a matter of the platform on which I was running. It was the person that mattered. So I face no threat but simply continuing to work for my people. And thankfully my work is seen and appreciated by my people. If you compare the 2023 elections results with that of 2019, you will see that there is a huge improvement in my margin of victory. I am grateful to my people for that.
What is the fate of the Tax reform bills as things stand and what should Nigerians expect?
The Tax Reform Bill is one of the best piece of legislation to come before the National Assembly. I believe it will be one of the legacies of the Tinubu presidency. The tax cuts for the poor are huge while multiple taxation currently affecting businesses will be a thing of the past.
Many of the critics of the bill have not read the bill. Some just want to use it as a political weapon. I am shocked when I hear the suggestion that it be delayed like the Petroleum Industry Act. What exactly did that delay achieve for the PIA? Rather our Oil Industry suffered and still suffers from that delay.
In any case democracy is about dialogue. We should continue to debate the specific provisions of the bill and those aspects that the majority of us agree should be amended will be amended. But to throw the baby and the bath water away is what we must not do.
The bill has passed second reading in the Senate and the relevant Committee shall work on it including organizing a public hearing on it. Every Nigerian will be welcome to air his or her opinion before the committee prepares and submit its report to the Senate. The same process will happen with the House of Representatives
The House is equally undertaking amendments to the 1999 Constitution, what are the big issues this time, and when can the House deliver the amended Constitution?
Constitutional amendments recognize that the Constitution is not yet perfect. This 10th National Assembly has said that it will deliver in time for Mr President’s assent before the politics of 2027 sets in. On the front burner are issues of State Policing, Women participation in governance. Local government administration, true and or fiscal federalism.
The general complaint from constituencies is that members don’t consult them before embarking on constituency projects. Which is the most exciting project you will say you have delivered to your constituency so far?
What you call a general complaint doesn’t apply to me. As we speak, I do not know which of my projects to tag as my most exciting (to use your words).
Is it the road I constructed and tarred in Otokutu in Ughelli South LGA? Or the ongoing fencing and general renovation of Aladja Grammar School Aladja in Udu LGA? Or is it the block of twelve classrooms complete with toilets that I constructed in Eserophe Primary School Ughelli North LGA? Is it the over twelve communities reconnected to the National grid or the tens of electricity Transformers I provided for my people? Time will fail me to tell of the over fifteen public schools that have had blocks of classrooms and the several hundreds of solar-powered street lights scattered across the constituency. I simply work for my people
Talking about legacies, how would you want your constituents to remember you?
It is a common saying among my people today that I have surpassed all my predecessors in office put together. The number of Bills I have sponsored is more than that of all the others put together. Also, the number of projects I have done surpasses that of all my predecessors combined. I simply work for my people. I have set the standard, others coming after me now have a benchmark to beat.
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