Decoding Dysfunction: The Executive’s Nonchalant Stance at the Legislative Roundtable

By Victoria Adeusi

The press as an organization serves to inform and it is to this end we always pick up our pens to write and we will keep writing.

On the 26th of January 2024, the legislative house of this reputable association held a meeting which took place at the faculty SLT. The sitting commenced at exactly 11:31 a.m.

The first presentation on the agenda was skipped due to the absence of the president because it was her duty to present it. The house moved on to the next agenda which is the presentation of NAPS’ Week events and budget. According to the executives, each office was to make its respective presentations for the NAPS’ week. The presentations done at the sitting could be described as nothing short of abysmal. The first presentation which was done by the social director was done without a version of the presentation in hard copy for those present at the sitting. The clerk -who is responsible for printing the documents- stated that the reason for this was because she received the document late. She also stated that some of the executives didn't submit their documents at all. The financial secretary submitted hers around 4 pm on 25th Jan 2024 while the social director submitted hers around 1 a.m. on 26th Jan 2024. There was an uproar at the sitting as this was seen as an act of disrespect to the house and a sign of unseriousness on the part of the executives. 

According to the president, the members of the executive ought to have submitted their budgets in early January for a review, and also the documents were meant to be submitted to the General Secretary before being brought to the house. None of this was done by the executives and this shows a blatant disregard for due process by the executives. The president further asked if it is permitted for her to discipline executive members because they are giving her issues and she bears the burden of most of the work to be done by the executives. This raises the question if there is any form of cooperation among members of the executives. Is the president implementing pertinent steps to ensure that members are carrying out their duties? Last session we had the same issue of members of the executives refusing to cooperate with the president. If the same issues persist, I fear that it will become a pattern. We will have a situation where NAPS executives will be known as nothing but a lackadaisical bunch.

I think it's important we pay very rapt attention to what is going on among the executive members before they become too lax in dispensing their duties. Napsites entrusted these members with responsibilities and not titles. If all we see is a title and there is no act of taking responsibility, then trust has been betrayed. That the service rendered by the executives is voluntary doesn't mean it should be neglected. These offices are important offices that are set up for the smooth running of the association, if any is irrelevant, the Constitution wouldn't have set it up. If people entrusted with this position are neglecting this responsibility, they should be questioned and held accountable for their actions.

The speaker told the president not to handle issues alone and to try to ensure the executives perform their duties and if anyone still fails to do so, such issues can be brought to the house. The speaker of the house and the honourable members also spoke against the disrespectful acts of the executive against the house and promised to be more strict towards such acts from henceforth.

The P.R.O. was asked to tender a duly letter of apology for not feeling remorseful about his improper dressing and also for putting on his tie in the sitting and not excusing himself. He was asked to write an open apology and also submit a duly letter of apology.

The Ags was asked to excuse himself from the sitting, write a letter of apology, and was fined #500 which is to be paid between now and the next sitting for not respecting the house by playing a video while the sitting was going on. It was established that any executives who submitted an unsigned document would be fined #200 and the ones that don't submit the document at all will be fined #500.

Other agendas that were addressed at the sitting include

The proposed audit committee which consists of two students from each department was inaugurated. The 400-level students were not part of the committee as there was no representative from the class, only one student was present from 300-level and two students each from 200-level and 100-level. The speaker of the house briefed them on their responsibility as the audit committee and they were inaugurated by the president.

The in-house disciplinary committees were also inaugurated The duties of these members are to deal with any disrespectful act against the house.

The president was fined #1000 for wasting the time of the house as all the budgets that ought to be presented by the executives were not fully prepared and also the newly inaugurated disciplinary committee was asked to look into the executives who are not doing their tasks as stated by the president and are also asked to pay #1000 each in addition to their discipline.

The meeting was adjourned at exactly 3:11 p.m.