The speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, says the National Assembly is ready to respond urgently to the yearnings of Nigerians.

Mr Abbas said this at a stakeholder meeting on the 10th House of Representatives Legislative Agenda in Abuja on Monday.

According to him, there is no better way to show that the 10th House of Representatives is ready to respond, and urgently too, to the yearnings of those who brought us to the people’s house to do the people’s business.

He said the lawmakers had resolved to regularly consult citizens in the discharge of the mandate, adding that the current assembly was “the people’s house for the people’s mandate.”

Mr Abbas said the house would not hesitate to consult with critical stakeholders in developing the agenda to elicit their input and areas of expectation.

“We can never over-emphasise the fact that citizens’ engagement is the fulcrum of representative democracy. It is only through such engagements that legislators will truly become the representatives of the people. To do otherwise will amount to a democracy without the people,” he said.

The speaker said the house prioritised the participatory budgeting process and delivery, law reform, electoral reform, women’s participation, and inclusion in governance.

According to him, others include improved socio-economic conditions, entrepreneurship, employment, health and education, infrastructure, and citizens-focused diplomacy.

He added that the house would also target institutional capacity and citizens’ engagement, constitutional amendment, and restructuring, among others.

(NAN)