The Kind of Senator Anambra Needs

Posted by admin Anambra, State News Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Continuity and sustainability of achievements appear to be rare in Nigerian politics, why do you want to interrupt the incumbent senator representing your zone?

There comes a time when honest, God-fearing men of vision, motivated by the love for their people, step forward for service. Anambra South senatorial zone at this time urgently requires the services of trusted and tested persons of impeccable records to represent its people at all levels of government. A lot of things are wrong not only in Nigeria but with Anambra South zone. The quality of representation, especially in the Senate since inception of the present democratic dispensation, is worrisome. There has been a gap between the people and their senators owing to lack of consultation. The major consequence of this failure of effective senatorial representation is the obvious underdevelopment of the senatorial zone. I believe that an effective representation is the major strategy to attract the enormous resources of the Federal Government to address the myriads of seemingly intractable problems confronting the zone, ranging from ecological disasters to lack of infrastructural facilities. I have decided, after due consultations, to offer myself as a senatorial candidate for Anambra South senatorial zone on the platform of the ACN in the April general election.

A good number of the representatives appear confused of their real duties or responsibilities as legislators, especially when making electioneering promises…

I have no iota of doubt that my accumulated experiences traversing both private and public sectors have actually equipped me to grapple with this challenge of representing my zone in the National Assembly. My style of representation shall be a clean break from the past. It is my resolve to offer accountable and conscious representation with constant cross-fertilization of ideas between me and all my constituency office. There shall no gap in communication at any point during my tenure. Indeed, as senator, it will be everyone’s right to know how he is represented in the senate. Together we shall rebuild the zone; together we shall provide the necessary amenities to unleash the creative forces that will mark out our zone as the axis of industrialisation and development in the country.

It’s visible that innovation and creativity are presently lacking in our polity. What new things are you bringing to the table?

The last twelve years have been like we had no voice in the senate. None of our representatives bothered to reach out to the people who elected them. In the last four years, they had no meeting with the people who elected them. The senator has no single project to show for it. In fact, it was like he went to represent only himself. Therefore, I want to be the people’s mouthpiece.

Also, I have a programme which will have representatives from all communities within the zone and we shall meet regularly to select priority projects for each community. This is a new innovation and the people are eager for us to meet every quarter.

In real terms, what are in your shopping list to the senate for your constituency?

The enormity of problems confronting Anambra South senatorial zone is too astounding that for practicality, I shall prioritize them. I shall lobby both the senate and the federal government to find panacea to the daunting challenges posed by: Ecological problems (Erosion, Gullies and Landslides); infrastructural underdevelopment; poverty and economic empowerment. The pervasiveness of ecological problems, erosion, gullies and landslides that threaten our zone is such that the resources of the state government cannot adequately address them. For these ecological problems to be solved or checkmated, active federal government intervention is inevitable. It’s worthy to highlight here that part from the notorious Nanka/Oko/Ekwulobia erosion menace, the following areas are severely being ravaged by monstrous gully erosion –Ekwulumili, Nnewi, Ozubulu, Ihiala, Ukpor, Utuh, Azia, Orsumoghu, Uga, Achina, Umuchu, Ihiala, Akpo, Ihembosi, Uli, Akpu, Ajalli, Ezinifite, (Aguata), Mkpologwu, Ufuma, Umunze, Umuomaku, Aguluezechukwu, Igbo-Ukwu, Ichi, Osumenyi, Okija, Ezinifite, Ogboji, Agbudu, Onee, Amesi, and others. As the senator representing the zone, I shall seek the intervention of the federal government through two avenues, the budget and the ecological fund. In addition, my constituency office shall establish an Ecological Disaster Management Committee (EDMC) whose task shall include, but not limited to educating communities on how best to prevent the pre-disposing factors that rigger off erosion menace and evolving environmental friendly strategies of managing ecological problems. Efforts will also not be spared in attracting foreign help by the committee.

You want to say something about infrastructural underdevelopment?

Yes, good federal roads are so scarce in our senatorial zone that one can safely deem them non-existent. I shall pursue vigorously the inclusion of our roads in the annual federal government budgets and shall liaise with my colleagues in the senate, the federal ministry of works and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) for prompt rehabilitation and construction of new federal roads in the zone.

Besides, there are several agencies, national and international, through which we can secure additional sources of water outside the state government provision. I intend to exploit every opportunity open in such agencies as United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Department for International attract adequate water supply to our senatorial zone.

Electricity is very vital in Anambra South senatorial zone if we must maintain or increase the tempo of Industrialization that is currently our hallmark. I shall evolve an integrated plan, in collaboration with the federal ministry of Mines and Power, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and independent power producers to address the electricity problems of our zone. I agree with the maxim “Health is Wealth.” Therefore, I shall ensure that the zone benefits from the primary healthcare delivery system and other healthcare programmes of the federal government. In concert with the relevant agencies such as the Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA) National Programme on Immunization (NPI), National Action Committee on HIV?AIDS NACA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other non-governmental organizations, we shall expand the frontiers of our health system.

However, though my primary constituency is Anambra South Senatorial zone; I shall in collaboration with other senators from Anambra state and South east address common interest and problems of Anambra state and Ndigbo. Therefore, a vote for Chris Atuegwu is a vote wisely cast and it epitomizes a vote for progress and sustainable development.

How can you rate party’s appeal to the people of the state?

ACN has taken over the grassroots. All who decamped from all the other parties in the state found home in ACN. We have room for all. Our party is a mass movement for the people.

-The Nationwp_posts