Delegates protest membership of committees

Against the backdrop of placement in committees of delegates, Justice Idris Kutigi Chairman of national conference was yesterday bombarded by delegates who complained that they were not properly placed in the committees of their choice.
Prof Iyorchia Ayu called on the leadership to mix up the membership so that non professional can also contribute their experiences and benefit from the work of the professionals.

He said “that you are a professional in a particular area should not automatically give you that area as your committee; non professionals in some areas might have experiences in some technical committees.
A PRONACO representative, Olawale Okuniyi, said there was the need to bring the best out of the assembly and underscored the need for the leadership to consult with the delegates before placing them in the committees.
A youth delegate, Comrade Abur Clifford stated that the 18 youths were not spread in the 20 committees and stated that the leadership of the conference does not want any good future for the youths. He said the youths were often blamed as being involved in the violence taking place in the country saying that the youths might have useful suggestions to the end of violence in the country.

Hajiya Mariam Buba said the leadership has not taken into cognisance the affirmative action, saying that women needed to be spread as chairmen of committees.
Ramatu Balla Usman supported the position of the earlier speaker and said when politicians are put as chairmen of committees, they would not perform well.

An Imo delegate, Bob Njemanze reminded the confab that they were set up for a purpose encapsulated in the president’s address, stating that if they were not ready to handle the task before them, they should go back home.
The Imo delegate cautioned that delegates should help the secretariat to guide the conference instead of knowing so much.
Musa Awaal Rafsanjani representing civil and youth, said those people who have complaints should write their grievances and send to the secretariat so that the bickering about committee would stop.

Dr Akiode Afolabi called for consultation with the delegates as many of them chose as many as three committees without being appointed into one and also wondered why the committee lists were published without the approval of the delegates.
While many objected to working in their committees as placed, some  delegates advised that they should first go to work in their present committees instead of bickering.
Mr Falana urged the chairman to entertain genuine complaints while Mike Ahamba said wherever anyone is placed, let the people go there and let the number remain the same on both sides.

He was of the view that people should not be placed where they are experts saying that it was the same people who were agitating over their placement that called on the leadership to hasten up on the committees without necessarily considering the enormity of the task involved.