Crisis brews in Rivers Assembly over calls for Speaker’s resignation

Crisis brews in Rivers Assembly over calls for Speaker’s resignation

OrderPaperToday – A crisis is heating up in the Rivers State House of Assembly over calls on the speaker, Mr. Ikuinyi Uwaji Ibani, to resign for alleged poor leadership and failure to cater for the welfare of staff.

Recall that aawmaker representing Ahoada East constituency 1 in the assembly, Mr. Martins Mannah, recently called for the resignation of the speaker, a move that has sparked a contention among members.

The lawmaker while briefing journalists in his office after plenary on Tuesday lamented  the absence of adequate training and workshops for lawmakers which he noted has affected their performance.

He said: “This assembly, over 80% are new members and as a legislature we are expected to go for seminars, workshops and conventions to improve our capacity, but unfortunately since we resumed, this is our third year, we have only travelled once for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association CPA meeting, we have only gone for only one seminar, whereas other states that produce only onions and water melon are able to sponsor their lawmakers to all seminars, workshops and CPA meetings even to foreign countries.

“The speaker has failed to deliver all this training to members, now as new members how do we contribute on the floor of the house when we have not been adequately trained, some members do not even know how to move motions.”

The lawmaker also complained that for 17 months staff at the assembly have not been paid while also lamenting the level of decay at both the assembly complex and staff residential quarters.