|31st January, 2018 |Victor Adaha
I detest arm chair journalism, therefore, I
cannot be found culpable of arm chair reporting. In recent times I have beamed
my search light on legislators beginning from my state, Cross River State,
because they are one arm of government which is supposed to be closest to the
people and speak for the interest of their constituents.
Recently, I visited Cross river state to
carry out investigative reporting on the state house legislators. I started
with the speaker of the house in the person of Rt Hon John Gaul Lebo, who also
represents the good people of Abi Local Government Area, and in a bid to
ensuring all stones are turned, I and my team of photographers and location
assistants swung into action.
We visited Abi Local Government Area, which
is made up of ten (10) political council wards, we focused our investigative
reporting on only projects the member representing the local government has
embarked on in his second term in office, which spans from 2015 to date only,
and basically on educational projects for efficiency and comprehensive
scrutiny, as he is a returning member. The team started from Adadama where
coincidentally the member hails from, it was evident he had projects like. (Our
focus is only on education, for the purpose of this reporting)
ADADAMA COUNCIL WARD
1.
Police post construction (2
locations)
2.
Construction of six (6) classroom blocks,
St Bernard’s Primary School. Adadama
3.
Facilitation of motorized borehole
installation of solar panel
4.
Facilitation of the Songhai farm PPP
initiative to Cross river Basin Authority (85% process completed)
ITIGIDI COUNCIL WARD
1.
Creation of Itigidi urban development
authority
2.
Furnishing of UBEC junior Secondary
School. Itigidi
3.
Supply of book shelves and sporting
facilities to UBEC Junior Secondary School. Itigidi
IGBO IMABANA
1.
Construction of six (6) classroom
blocks plus office/ store / toilet
2.
Construction of motorized borehole
/installation of solar panel
EDIBA COUNCIL WARD
1.
Construction of a six (6) rooms block
classroom
EKUREKUBE COUNCIL WARD
1.
Rehabilitation of four (4) rooms
block classroom
USUMUTONG COUNCIL WARD
1.
Rehabilitation of four (4) classroom block
GENERALLY
a.
Facilitation of recruitment of
indigenes at different agencies within the state and outside across board of
the different council wards.
b.
Supply of seventy- seven (77) white
maker board to different schools in the LGA.
c.
Supply of thirty-six (36) table
tennis standard boards to designated schools in the LGA.
d.
Distribution of two thousand one
hundred and seventy-two (2, 172) sets of furniture (plastic chairs and tables)
to all primary schools in the LGA.
e.
Out of forty (40) original Primary school
rehabilitation request submitted thirteen (13) have been awarded.
From my
investigative reporting, it is obvious the house member has done much as
regarding the educational sector, as our subsequent phase of enquiry would
focus on health and other infrastructural projects such as water, road etc.
RECOMMENDATION
Notwithstanding the member who doubles as the
speaker should still do more as the level of educational deficit evident in the
local government which in some communities is as a result of communal clash
still keeps the local government at a disadvantage state and condition. Hence,
much is still expected from him as some communities like Anong Ekureku, Ebom/Ebijakara ward etc are in dire need of rehabilitation of schools.
This
report became essential as in recent time our search light has been on
legislators and their justification of constituency allowances being allocated
to them and the constituency projects in the budget.
· The speaker should also intervene in health care delivery at
primary health care centers.
· And he should also facilitate the Ayade care to Abi, that should
be the benefit of the local government having the number three man in the
state.
· Not forgetting uncompleted college of nursing at Itigidi. This is
one way he can affect a vast majority of his constituents.
· Mr. Speaker should endeavor to ensure before his tenure elapses,
which the Songhai farm PPP initiative is a complete story, and he should also
ensure that the host communities have quota in its employment scheme in tune of
percentage, as it would be the benefit of having such an organization in their
land. Anything short of this, to be is depriving the people of their right and
privileges.
· It is important to also note that training youths is not just
enough but also equipping them with capitals or soft loans, at least helping
them access this loans, on this note I call on the speaker to also equip the
youths from the local government who were trained at the EDC programme which
was a partnership with the central bank.
· Water is life, its importance can never be over emphasized. Hence
I urge Mr. Speaker to look into the water project which although has been kick
started but not withstanding is a far cry from been completed as many
communities are yet to begin drinking from it.
PROPOSED FOCUS TO THE MEMBER FOR 2018
Among the list of others, the following have
been identified from my team’s interaction with members of the host Local Government
to be a pressing need that requires outright attention this year, they include
the following critical issues and sector of their economy.
It is also worthy of mention that other
schools request ranging to about twenty-seven (27) which were not covered in
the budget of the last fiscal year, should be carried over to this year 2018
fiscal budget for execution, not forgetting the six (6) Secondary Schools as
well.
There is no
doubt that Abi is a farming community, and as such good road network remains a
vital asset to the communities, hence the Speaker should as a matter of urgency
look into the abandoned RUDA roads in Itigidi and Bahumuno, not forgetting
Ediba to Usumutong and down to Ebom, Afafanyi among others.
The writer is an apolitical columnist,
socio-political analyst and a public affairs commentator void of any form of
sentiments. This is not a sponsored article, but a necessitated investigative
reporting to X-Ray and analyse the activities of our voted representatives for
onward assessment, and well informed, evidence guided verdict.
Victor Adaha (Mr apolitical)
Public Affairs Analyst
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