A member of the House of Representatives representing Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency of Nasarawa State, Hon. Ari Muhammad AbdulMumin, has said that about 95 percent of his allowances are being spent on the people.
Sharing his experience as a lawmaker in an interview with our correspondent at the National Assembly complex, Abuja, he said but for patience and tolerance, it would have been a difficult expense.
“Before now, whatever I have is for me and my family and can only give whatever I want, but now, whatever I have is not my own. It is for me, my family and the people of my constituency.
“In fact, the constituents are taking not less than 95 percent of whatever I’m earning today. This is a major experience which is difficult to bear if one is not patient and tolerant,” he declared.
AbdulMumin disclosed that he learnt the attributes from the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila and his deputy, Idris Wase “who always counsel us about patience and tolerance whenever we are in an executive session or even during one-on-one conversation with any of them.”
He described the lower legislative chamber as “a mini Nigeria where every local government in the country is represented”; stressing that interacting with colleagues from different socio-cultural backgrounds and professional bodies, has further helped him in understanding that Nigeria is a great country.
The lawmaker, who is the vice chairman, House Committee on Youth, however, advised the government and politicians against sharing money for the youth, but empowers them with jobs.
AbdulMumin also urged them to look inward on how to assist the youth become useful to themselves and the country at large instead of N10, 000 or N20, 000 cash empowerment that will take them nowhere.
He said: “Youth engagement should not only be about white collar jobs or sharing money for them, no. Imagine we have the kind of Dangote in all the six geo-political zones of the country; it would have brought a lot of relief for the government and all of us.
“There should be manufacturing companies in every corners of this country that will engage the youths through direct and indirect jobs. Textile industries in Kaduna are gone, tyre/dunlop factories have since closed in Ogun, and so many others across the nation.”
AbdulMumin, who is the Shettiman Nasarawa and Makaman Toto, advised the federal government to “always adhere strictly to the issue of federal character when it comes to employment opportunities or empowerment programmes for the youth.”
According to the lawmaker, who noticed lopsidedness in such opportunities offered in the past, “this is one the ways to check nepotism and corruption in the country.”
