As the members of the 10th National Assembly mark one year in office, an Oxford-trained entrepreneur; President of Ebonyi Chamber of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh PhD, has charged the federal Lawmakers to sit up and deliver quality representation to their people as the era of unsustainable borehole waters and substandard street lights is over.
Dr. Ezeh, who’s also the CEO, Immaculate Group of Companies gave the charge while speaking to journalists in Abakaliki the Ebonyi State capital.
According to him, some of these lawmakers have not made any meaningful contribution to justify the humongous salaries the draw from taxpayers money.
Eze who contested to represent Abakaliki/Izzi Federal constituency of Ebonyi State under the platform of Labour Party, said the person who “snatched” his victory “with powers of the state” hasn’t done anything in the last one year.
“After one year in office, with humongous salaries, allowances and allocations, I am yet to point to any major contribution, the honourable member representing Abakaliki/Izzi Federal Constituency has made at the National Assembly debates. If there are efforts he has made, I will gladly praise and encourage such efforts. He is my brother after all.”
Speaking further, Eze said the situation is so bad that he’s “yet to see even his constituency office that is active and operational. These are the basic irreducible minimum. Where will your constituents see you? How many inclusive and expansive town hall meetings have you held over a period of 365 days of representation? Like I said, I am willing to help him with robust ideas if he so requests. If he reaches out, he can get ideas and help from willing constituents.
“For instance, I challenge him to take one or two communities and focus legislative agenda on a few critical issues affecting such communities. Instead of fake Chinese street lights, get those communities connected to the national grid, and ensure they have access to meters and properly managed public utilities.
“Instead of sinking boreholes indiscriminately, develop community-level water treatment plants using combined efforts of LGA, State, Federal and World Bank agencies.”
Highlighting the dearth of infrastructure in his federal constituency, the entrepreneur Ezeh added tha; “Many of our rural areas cannot be accessed especially during rainy seasons for something as simple as culverts. Work with the governor to declare a culvert revolution in our communities.
“Under most federal agencies, there are ‘idle’ funds lying there, waiting for creative ideas to access them. There are examples he can learn from, let him visit the former member representing Aninri/Oji River Federal Constituency, Hon, Tobi Okechukwu and see the wonders he did in his federal constituency. Roads, schools, water projects, geo-informatics surveys, house codings, mappings, etc,” he added.
