Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the current Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, is a five-time member representing Tudun Wada and Doguwa Federal Constituency, beginning in 2003.
He is one of the few lawmakers with such longevity in the National Assembly.
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Doguwa, as he is popularly known in the lower chamber, is among the most popular and, sometimes, vocal lawmakers.
Lawmakers have used their connections, and friendships to either get jobs for the sons and daughters of their constituencies or attract federal projects.
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 on how many job opportunities (offers) one gets to provide to the teeming educated youths in their respective constituencies.
For the people of Tudun Wada and Doguwa, however, it is rather unfortunate that they couldn’t get such a gesture from their representative in the National Assembly, despite years of legislative experience.
Their representative, it appears, rather focuses on giving such opportunities to others parts rather 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, when he was chief whip of the house. It showed the lawmaker cajoling for job opportunities for some youth none of whom was from his constituency. In fact, they are majorly from the southern part of the country.
The number three-member leader in the House of Representatives started making effort with what I can describe as a peanut offer to few selected individuals who are mostly sons and daughters of his political friends, leaving many educated youths with nothing to yearn for.
Since 2003, Alhassan Ado Doguwa could not provide job opportunities 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 but 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 what is the sin of Burji youths? Is it that they are not qualified to get offers from your respected office?
I wish to remind Alhassan Ado Doguwa of a Hausa proverb that says: “Dan tuwon gobe ake wanke kwarya,” and “A juri zuwa rafi wata rana tulu zai fashe.” A stitch in time saves nine.
Alhassan A. Bala is an Abuja-based broadcast journalist
