By Levinus Nwabughiogu

Delegates at the ongoing national conference in Abuja can’t stop being funny. From complaints of inadequate food supply to recognition of titles and honors as prefaces to their names in the official minutes and records, the complaints took another dimension Wednesday with a former Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Mrs. Virgy Etiaba leading the complaints of lack of tissue papers in the toilets. Hardly had the opening formalities begun than Etiaba raised an observation call. Granted, she told the conference that there were no tissue papers in the rest rooms.

“I have observed that there are no tissue papers in the toilets. I observed that yesterday. It is not enough to tell the world how much that is being expended on us,” she said.

Responding, the chairman of the conference, Justice Idris Kutigi apologized and promised to perfect the situation. He said: “Honestly, I am very sorry to hear this from delegates. Before, I do anything, I must apologize. Definitely, we shall take steps to make sure that we improve. Please, we feel very sorry indeed.”

Professor Eddy Erhagbe, an Edo State delegate, who was embarrassed by the complaints before television cameras, pleaded that such complaints should be subtly made behind the scene. He recommended an executive session to enable delegates ventilate their feelings on issues that bother them.

No medical facilities
Similarly, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, a delegate from Kano called the attention of the conference to lack of medical facility for delegates, hinting that the clinic in the venue which belongs to the National Judicial Institute (NJI) does not attend to the delegates.

“I know as at today there is no functional clinic for delegates. In the event of medical emergence, there is no clinic,” he said. The complaint, however, got the attention of Justice Kutigi, who said, “If anybody needs any medical attention, they will help us. We sat down with the SGF and we agreed that the staff clinic should cooperate.

Payment slips
On hiccups trailing issuance of payment slips to delegates, Kutigi promised that every anomaly would be corrected to enable delegates have slip for every payment made into their accounts.