By Alhassan A. Bala
Rt. Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the current majority leader of the House of Representatives, is a 5-time member representing Tudun Wada and Doguwa federal constituency since 2003.
He is one of the few lawmakers from both chambers with such longevity in the National Assembly.
Doguwa, as he is popularly known in the lower chambers, is among the most popular and, sometimes, vocal lawmakers.
In recent years, lawmakers have used their connections, friendships to either get job for the sons and daughters of their constituencies, or some other federal projects.
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Many lawmakers have introduced bills for either creation of federal health institutions, higher institutions of learning and/or scholarships to study abroad.
It is increasingly becoming like a competition between lawmakers of both Senate and House of Representatives, on how many job opportunities (offers) one gets to provide to the teeming educated youth in their respective constituencies.
This mostly happens through either committee the lawmaker is heading or member or when he has any other opportunities.
For people of Tudun Wada and Doguwa, however, it is rather unfortunate that they couldn’t get such gesture from their representative in the national assembly, despite years of legislative experience.
Their representative rather focuses on giving such open opportunities to those from southern part of the country and other states than his people.
This may sound odd to understand by especially people outside the constituency, but evident instances abound.
In the year 2018, a letter emerged and went viral in social media, when Alhassan Ado Doguwa was chief whip of the house. It clearly showed the lawmaker cajoling for job opportunities to some listed youth, non of which was from his constituency. In fact, they are majorly from the southern part of the country.
The number three member of the house of representatives started making effort with what I can described as a peanut offer to few selected individuals who are mostly sons and daughters of his political friends, leaving many educated youth with nothing to yearn for.
Since 2003, Alhassan Ado Doguwa could not provide or give a single job opportunity to young educated youth in Burji town of Doguwa local government.
Burji is the second most populous town in Doguwa local government and when it comes to education it is now leading other towns, as currently there are over 50 young graduates who have no job and their representative is there dashing or giving job opportunities to others.
Consequent upon this, therefore, I wish to ask the leader of the house of representatives that: what is the sin of Burji youth?
Is it that they are not qualified to get offers from your respective office?
I wish to remind Alhassan Ado Doguwa a Hausa proverb that says: “Dan Tuwon Gobe Ake Wanke Kwarya,” and “A Juri Zuwa Rafi Wata Rana Tulu Zai Fashe.” A stich in time saves nine.
Bala is an Abuja-based broadcast journalist, writes this from Abuja.
