LEGISLATIVE CONSTITUENCY PROJECTS IN NIGERIA, IMPLICATION FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE PREYE OSEKE EXAMPLE

TRACKING_____Since inauguration into Nigeria’s ninth Assembly in May 2019, Hon. Preye Influence Goodluck Oseke has continued to work assiduously in the best interest of the people of Southern Ijaw whom he represents in the House of Representatives. At the instance of the 2020 Zonal Intervention Projects, the federal lawmaker was guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), being a collection of 17 interlinked initiatives designed to serve a blueprint in achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. The SDGs, as officially ratified and domesticated by all 193 member states of the United Nations, Nigeria being one, he had, ab initio, sought to build virile synergies with federal ministries, departments and agencies, the most recent of which is the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

Adopting the SDGs, in a rather reverse order, beginning with the very last i.e. “Partnership To Achieve The Goals”, Oseke domiciled the 2020 Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency Zonal Intervention Projects in the agency. The rationale for this being the actualization of Goals 2 and 1 being “Zero Hunger” and “No Poverty” respectively, through three well thought-out projects – Entrepreneurship Skills Development for Youths and Women in Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency, Strategic Empowerment for Youths in Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency; and Strategic Empowerment for Women in Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency respectively.

As a precursor to the strategic empowerment programme of today Saturday 10th October 2020, carefully selected modules of training had held for both categories of targeted 250 beneficiaries thus furnishing them with requisite skills in effectively managing small and medium scale enterprises. While the sum of ₦15,450,000.00 (fifteen million, four hundred and fifty thousand naira) was given as Conditional Cash Transfer to 224 and 85 women and youth entrepreneurs respectively with each receiving ₦50,000.00 (fifty thousand naira), 4 complete Barbers Kits and accessories, 18 complete Business Centre/Cybercafe Equipment, and 17 GSM Repair Kits. Other items in the bouquet of empowering items include 8 Welding Machines targeted at youths that are already preoccupied with the respective trades.

Additionally, 17 Hair Dressing Salon Equipment, just as same number of Fashion Design Equipment were procured and given to women all of whom are in similar trades. Complementing all these, Oseke procured and gifted 4 Toyota Camry vehicles, allocating them to beneficiaries drawn from each of the four state constituencies. In all these, nominations were made in a non-partisan manner across all seventeen wards, and the four state constituencies that make up Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency. More interestingly, the entire programme architecture was done in conjunction with credible civil society organizations whose work bother on accountability, the deepening of democracy and its dividends in Nigeria.

The terrain of the federal constituency, being one that has only two communities (Amassoma and Ayama-Ijaw) accessible by road, out of the one hundred and fifteen others, speak volumes of the preoccupation of the people. Guided by this reality, complete bundles of fishing nets and all accessories required in preparing them were procured and distributed to 80 beneficiaries, complementing these with fibre canoes, the latter category of empowerment items being those in which have been embedded floating features capable of saving those onboard in the advent of a mishap, this, being a huge improvement over the native ones that are carved out of wood.

Perhaps antecedents of this history-making politician could be instrumental to the wide array of dignitaries that graced the 2020 Empowerment Programme for Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency. From the academia were Prof. Emmanuel Adigio, Vice Chancellor, Nigeria Maritime University Okerenkoko, Delta State; Prof. Teddy Charles Adias, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Federal University Otuoke; Dr. Alfred Muladei, Registrar, Nigeria Maritime University Okerenkoko, Delta State; Prof. Seiyefa Fun-Akpa Brisibe, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State who also doubled as the Chairman of the Occasion. Royal fathers in attendance coloured the event with their presence. His Royal Majesty King W.S.J. Igbugburu X, Ibenanaowei of Bomo Clan, amongst numerous others that belong in the top echelon of the Traditional Rulers Council from the area.

Described by many as a politician with very charming interpersonal skills, in Oseke’s company to grace this occasion in Bayelsa State are seven of his colleagues in the Green Chambers amongst whom are Hon. Kamsol Long Gap representing Mikang/Quan.Pan/Shendam Federal Constituency of Plateau State; Hon. Musa Palli representing Alkaleri/Kirfi Federal Constituency of Bauchi State and Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation; and Hon. (Dr) Alex Ogbonna representing Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency in Cross River State who is the Deputy Chairman Petroleum Resources (Downstream). Other members of the National Assembly at this occasion were Hon. Ben Igbakpa representing Ethiope Federal Constituency of Delta State; Hon. Ifeanyi Chudy Momah who is the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Federal Capital Territory, representing Ihiala Federal Constituency of Anambra State; and Hon. Shehu Balarabe representing Birnin-Gwari/Giwa Federal Constituency of Kaduna State who is also the Deputy Chairman Fedral Road Safety Corps, chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, amongst several others. Hon Idris Kabiru representing Kura-Garun Mallam-Madobi Federal Constituency of Kano State.

Agreeably, Oseke has justified the response of the Nigerian National Assembly to the yearnings of constituents for development/federal presence with particular reference to the judicious use of “Constituency Project” funds, one that has been greeted with an array of misconceptions since the inception of zonal intervention projects popular known as constituency projects in Nigeria,

In every step of the four-year tenure thus far, this federal lawmaker has continued to awe constituents and public watchers too, with gestures that are rather alien to our clime, interjecting modern-day democratic practices and realities commonplace. Indeed, the fulfillment of campaign promises, with particular reference to the empowerment of Youths and Women, as reechoed on 5th September 2020, during his Maiden Town-Hall Meeting with Community Leaders at Oporoma, the headquarters of Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency, will remain ineffaceable.

Just like the Greek philosopher Aristotle averred that “state exists for public goods and continues to exist for the greater good of humanity”, Oseke has continued to remain focused, set on the path that he must follow, thereby providing public good to the admiration of all.

In line with his four-year strategic plan which he unveiled to his Strategy Team from inception, the next thirty-six months will be characterized by the opening up of roads, interlinking communities across tributaries, creeks and rivers, making them accessible to our people, while investments already made during the first year begin to metamorphose Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency into the business hub of “The Glory of All Lands”, just like Mumbai is to India, Zurich to Switzerland, Lagos to Nigeria, and Onitsha to Anambra.