WHAT HAS SAMSON OKWU DONE?

By James Igiri Odeh

“What has Samson Okwu done?” is a recurring decimal in the political firmament of Igede nation and beyond. Among admirers and traducers, the question is the same, begging for an answer. The article below attempts to catalog some of his modest efforts at improving the living conditions of his constituents, while making laws for the good governance of Nigeria.

Preamble:

The Igede people of Oju/Obi Federal Constituency have voted a number of people into the Green Chambers of the National Assembly, namely; Hon. Agi D.O., Late Rt. Hon. Altine Idikwu, Rt. Hon. Augustine Adikpe and the incumbent, Rt. Hon. (Chief) Samson Ajah Okwu; who, undoubtedly, towers higher in terms of performance and delivery of democratic dividends to the people.

Infact, it is with Samson Okwu that Igede People realized that a member of the House of Representatives can execute such life impacting projects. Indeed, all previous occupants of that seat never gave an inkling that the office can attract constituency projects to this extent.

Undoubtedly, being a Second and Third Timer in the Green Chamber has its great advantages. And, a fourth term will be more advantageous to Igede people. The longer you stay in the National Assembly, the more the ranking, the more the rating, the more projects are allocated to your constituency.

For the purpose of clarity and avoidance of ambiguity, it is important to clarify on the duties of a legislator. A legislator performs a number of functions but traditionally speaking, his/her duty is to make laws that will engender good governance. However, he/she performs other functions based on political exigencies of the time and/ or duties incidental to his or her office.

In the assessment of the vast majority of the people of Oju/Obi Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu has performed creditably well on all fronts, as enunciated below, and those achievements have spoken volumes about his person, disposition, style of leadership and political sagacity.

In the area of law-making, the traditional function of a legislator, Rt. Hon. Samson Ajah Okwu has the following to his credit:

BILLS

1. An act to repeal Pension Reform Act No. 2, 2004 and enact the Pension Reform Act 2014 to make provision for contributory pension scheme and for connected matters thereto (SB 288 & HE 487). This Bill has already been passed and assented to by President Goodluck Jonathan.

2. A Bill for an Act to establish Forensic DNA(Deoxyribonucleic Acid) Data Bank in Nigeria ( Deoxyribonucleic Acid, DNA, Identification Bill, 2014).

3. A Bill for an Act to Establish the AIRFORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY,Kaduna,and other matters connected thereto.

4. An Act to amend the Federal Housing Authority Cap F14, LFN, 1973 and enact Federal Housing Authority Act to further empower the Federal Housing Authority to provide affordable houses for Nigerians and for other matters related thereto.

5. An Act to amend the Federal Mortgage Bank Act Cap F16, LFN, 1989 and enact Federal Mortgage Bank Act, 2019 to enhance the effective management of mortgage industry and for other matters connected therewith.

6. A Bill for an Act to amend the Federal Road Traffic Act, 2014 so as to provide stiffer punitive measures against breaches and for other matters connected thereto. A Bill for establishment of College of Vocational and Skill Acquisition Centre {An ND/HND awarding Institution] to be sited in Igede land is on the pipeline. This will stem the migration of able youths to slave in Western Cocoa farms.

To avoid theft of ideas and plans, other proposed bills will be enumerated as time goes on. It is auspicious to note that just sponsoring bills is not enough but getting the bills assented to by the Executive is the thick of it. And this Hon. Okwu has been able to achieve.

MOTIONS

Aside Bills sponsored and co-sponsored, Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu has moved motions on the floor of the House of Representatives as follows:

1. Urgent need for the rehabilitation of Oju-Adum-Okuku-Ogoja Road/need to revoke the contract awarded to Dele Demski Nigeria Limited and award same to a competent contractor. This motion was moved on 28th November, 2012.

2. Non-conduct of election in Oju 1 and 2 (Uwokwu) State Constituencies, Benue State by INEC/need to conduct election into Oju I and 2 State Constituencies, Benue State. Motion moved on 25th July, 2011.

3. Petition sponsored in favour of an Igede son, Mr. Oboh Silas, urging the Comptroller General of Immigration to reinstate him to office having been wrongly sacked . This was moved on 28th June, 2012.

4. Petition sponsored by the Rt. Hon. in respect of an assault of one of us, Dr Theresa Ugalahi, who was terribly assaulted by an Air Force Senior Medical Doctor at Ile-Ife in the Air Force Hospital where our sister and daughter of Hon(Sir) Benjamin Ugalahi was doing her Housemanship.

5. Motion of URGENT NATIONAL IMPORTANCE drawing the attention of Federal Government to the outbreak of strange disease ravaging OYE-OBI community in Orihi council ward of Obi LGA Benue State.

This auspicious motion was moved on 20th February, 2020.

INFRASTRUCTURES:

In the area of infrastructure, Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu has used his contact, position and power of lobby to influence a good number of projects to his constituency. He has also used his personal resources to defray the cost of such other projects that became expedient at a time. Though not exhaustive, the list of such critical infrastructures includes:

1. The construction of 4km Oju-Ebenta-Uwokwu Road in Oju Local Government Area, Benue State.

2. The construction of 5km Obeko-Ohuma Road in Obi Local Government Area, Benue State.

3. The construction of Edumoga-Ibilla-Ohuma Road.

EDUCATION :

Furthermore, Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu built several blocks of three classrooms at different locations round Oju and Obi Local Govt Areas

1. He built a 3-Classroom block at Itakpa Ito, in Obi.

2. He built a 3-Classroom block at Ogore Ito, in Obi.

3. A block of 3-Class room at Ogori Uwokwu, in Oju.

4. A block of 3-Class room at Okileme, in Oju.

5. A block of 3-Class room at Itogo, in Obi.

6. A block of 3-Class room at Akunda Ikwokwu Ito, in Obi.

7. A block of 3-Class room at Ohuma Ito, in Obi.

8. He built a block of 3-Class room at Owo, in Oju.

9. He built a block of 3-Class room at Oye, in Oju.

HEALTH:

1. A Health Centre at Ohuma, Obi Local Government Area was built and furnished by Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu.

2. Again, Okwu Memorial College of Health Technology, under construction, is built by Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu from his pocket to give his constituents unfettered access to quality health services through the training, teaching and research the institution will embark upon when completed.

According to the ancient Greek philosophy, water is, undoubtedly, one of the elements of life. This presupposes that without water, there would be no life on the planet earth. Thus, to give ‘life’ to his constituents, Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu attracted the siting of motorized boreholes at various local communities being areas most hit by water scarcity;

WATER:

1. He provided motorized borehole at Ukpute, Ainu- Ete, in Oju

2. He provided borehole at Assemblies of God Church, Anyiwogbwu -Ibilla, in Oju.

3. He provided borehole at Obene- Uwokwu, in Oju.

4. He provided borehole at Agwala Ainu, Oju LGA

5. He provided borehole at Ikponyire, Adum-West, in Obi. 6.He provided borehole at Ogore, in Obi.

6. He provided borehole at Obeko, in Obi.

ELECTRICITY : In the area of electricity, Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu is not found wanting as he attracted and facilitated the electrification projects at Ochodu-Ukpa, Odaleko-Iyeche, Oboru, Ohuma, Oyinyi, Ojuo and Adum-East. Apart from those, he donated a 500KVA transformer each for Anyiwogbu-Ibilla, Ojokwe-Uwokwu, Obusa Ainu, Ikachi, and Ochodu-Ukpa all in Oju Local Government Area. Obi Local Government Area is not left out as he procured a 300KVA transformer each for Itakpa-Ito, Obarike-Ito, Uwobe and Adugodu in Obeko Council Ward and Ohuma his ancestral home and ensured that they were connected to the National Grid. Maybe a quick run down of the electricity projects will better our appreciation.

1. Currently, Itogo rural electrification is ongoing in Obi through the intervention of Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu

2. Uwokwu Communities electrification project is ongoing in Oju, both as a Constituency project and his personal complimentary intervention. He electrified Ochodu-Ukpa, in Oju.

3. He electrified Ohuma, Oyinyi, Ojwo, Ikiriye in Orihi Council Ward of Obi LGA

4. He electrified Omaga- Ipinu Adiko, in Obi LGA

5. He donated 500KVA Transformer to Anyiwogbwu-Ibilla, in Oju LGA

6. He donated Transformer to Obusa- Ainu, in Oju LGA

7. He donated Transformer to IKachi, in Oju LGA

8. He donated Transformer to Ochodu-Ukpa, in Oju LGA

9. He donated Transformer to Obarike-Ito, in Obi LGA

10. He donated a transformer to Ijanke Community in Obi LGA

11. He donated a Transformer to Itakpa Ito, in Obi LGA.

12. He donated 300 KVA transformer to Umoda in OJU Community,Oju LGA

13. He provided solar lights from Ijanke to Obarike-Ito main town in Obi LGA. COMMUNITY SERVICE :

Recognizing the role of community engagement and community hall meetings in socio cultural development of his constituency, Rt. Hon.Samson Okwu took it upon himself to ensure provision of community halls at various points;

1. Idele Community Hall built in Oju.

2. Community Hall built in Obeko Obi.

EMPLOYMENT: In the area of employment, Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu has done meritoriously well having influenced the employment of many of his constituents into Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) as well as military and paramilitary organizations.

He influenced the employments of many Igede sons and daughters into: Nigerian Air force, Nigerian Army, Civil Defence Corps, Immigration, Correctional Service, Police, Mortgage Bank, PenCom, Federal Housing Authority, Nigerian Social Insurance, Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), JED PLC, NPCC, just to mention a few. For political reasons, it won’t be appropriate to list the names and numbers of the beneficiaries.

PHILANTHROPY : As a gregarious person naturally, he loves mingling with his constituents irrespective of class and status thus turning his house at Obarike-Ito into a beehive of activities anytime he is home. He took that a step further;

1. By distributing a truck load of rice to his constituents during Christmas each year since 2015.

2. He assisted in building houses for people.

3. He facilitated the purchase of vehicles for people as a form of empowerment.

As a leader who lives true the meaning of the maxim, “health is wealth”, he has been organizing free medical outreaches since 2015 to cater to the health challenges of his constituents. In those medical outreaches, people with minor ailments were taken care of and when the need arises, referrals were given. Thus, the constituents yearly look forward to that time of the year when Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu’s free medical outreach gets on the way for them to access medical services, for free.

Besides these, Rt. Hon. Okwu;

1. Built a Health Center at Ohuma Ito, in Obi LGA.

2. Ensures the building of College of Health Sciences which is ongoing at Orihi Council Ward, in Obi LGA ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT:

In the area of economic empowerment, Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu gave out among others;

I. 150 pieces of brand new motorcycles to his constituents

ii. He gave out 20 brand new refrigerators

iii .20 grinding machines

iv.50 pieces of hair dryers

v. 10 pieces of sewing machines,

All of the above affected lives positively.

Further more,

1. He facilitated the training of over hundred of Igede National Youths Council (INYC) in computer training with certificates.

2. He empowered Widows at several times .

1. He empowered Youths in skills acquisition both in Oju and Obi LGAs.

2. He donated two buses to National Union of Teachers (NUT) Oju and Obi chapters.

3. He established and provided Youths Acquisition Center in Adum-East, in Obi LGA.

SCHOLARSHIP : Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu equally gave scholarship to 75 students of his alma-mater, Igede Community Secondary School, Okileme, aside his usual bursary allowances to university students from his constituency studying in different parts of the country. He also grants bursary allowances to students of Igede extraction studying in colleges of education, polytechnics and other higher citadels of learning across the Nation and encourages them to strive for academic excellence.

The world today is driven by Information Communication TECHNOLOGY (ICT) thus, to keep the Igede youths abreast with novel ideas and happenings in the ICT world, Rt. Hon. Samson Okwu procured 50 pieces of computer set for Igede National Youth Council of Nigeria, an umbrella body for all Igede youths in both Oju and Obi Local Government Areas.

Chief Samson Okwu is quite aware that majority of his constituents are farmers who needs access to the market to sell their crops. He therefore decided to embark on opening up of access roads and construction of rural roads. Below are some of such road projects executed by Rt Hon Samson Okwu within his Federal Constituency:

1. Ojegbe-Ameka-Okpaga-Obijago road ongoing in Obi (tarred to a certain level already).

2. He constructed Ebenta-Uwokwu road.

3. He constructed Obeko- Ohuma- Ojwo road.

4. He constructed Edumoga-Ibila -Ohuma road.

5. He graded IKachi- Ojegbe road in Oju.

6. He graded Obeko-Adiko- Okwutungbe road, in Obi LGA.

And, the list continues to swell.