From Kenneth Udeh
The choice of electing Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu as the Senator representing Abia-North Senatorial District in the current 9th Senate has been described as the best decision taken by constituents of the zone during the 2019 general elections.
Senator Kalu’s constituents in Umunneochi Local Government made the declaration on Sunday during the commencement of a Mid-Term Constituency report tour organised by the Senator to meet and interact with electorates in all the wards in the entire five local government areas of Abia-North.
According to Kalu the exercise is to ascertain the impact of his leadership in terms of human resources empowerment and infrastructural projects on his Abia-North constituents and so also receive direct feedback on other challenges faced by them.
Alongside his team Kalu toured Lopkanta, Leru – Umuchieze, Nnaeato and Eziama Nnaeato wards where he was warmly received and hosted by community stakeholders which consisted of Traditional rulers , community President Generals and executives, youths and elderly women and men.
In the course of interaction in each of the wards visited by Kalu,the elated constituents testified to the various projects and empowerment sited in their communities as highlighted by the Senator, while also expressing their gratitude adding that their decision to vote Kalu have paid off.
In similar addresses at Lopkanta and other wards the Senate Chief Whip faulted the narrative propagated by politicians that he’s decision during his tenure as Governor which led to the creation of the cattle market headed by Fulani natives at Lopkanta gave rise to the current spate of kidnapping and other crimes at Umunneochi.
Explaining, Kalu said that the pioneer initiative of creating the cattle market in Lokpanta was to drive revenue for both the government and the community to the development of the area. Kalu further explained that a law was also enacted to guide the operations of the livestock market, which stipulated that for every cow cold ten percent must be deducted and divided into two out of which five percent will go to the government while the remaining five will go to the local government.
Kalu asserted that if subsequent governments had implemented the law, the Umunneochi Local Government is supposed to make nothing less than 300 million naira every month. According to him, he channelled revenues generated from the Lokpanta cattle market to fight insecurity in Abia State when he was governor.
The Senator explained; ““I left office as your governor so many years ago. I fought insecurity as your Chief Security Officer from what we raised from the cattle market. The agreement we had while setting up the market was for the state to get 5% and the local government area to get the other 5%.
“It was done with good intentions to drive development in your area. We didn’t establish the market to hurt anyone. We brought the market so that money raised from it can be used to build schools, hospitals and water in your area.
“Of course I created the Lopkanta Cattle market during my tenure as Governor of this state , but you can ask Elder “Ochi ” the market was lobbied to be sited at that particular area.
“Initially I planned to site it at a further distance away from Lopkanta to around the express Ishiagu Axis leading to Enugu State but three traditional rulers from Lopkanta advocated for the cattle market to be sited there at Lopkanta.
“I did it because I love you people. People should stop playing politics with everything including insecurity. Lives should be valued by all because it is only God that can give life.”
With regards Infrastructure Kalu disclosed that the Lopkanta road was already captured in the 2022 budget saying that its construction will begin in earnest.
Comrade Ezeugbo Uwabunkeonye who represented the President General of Nnaeato community commended Kalu for the construction of a Two Kilometer Road at Ubahu community. Ezeugbo also mentioned the installation of a motorised water borehole at Ezeoba, reconstruction and full furnishing of Eziama central school with chairs and tables,including the distribution of writing books ,textbooks and school bags to pupils of both primary and secondary schools.
Expressing his gratitude Ezeugbo thanked Kalu for the construction of the roads leading to Achara and Aro-Ipka and the 2km Ubahu community road. At Lopkanta the community through its traditional leader HRH Ifeanyi Uduemeze appealed to Orji Kalu to facilitate the construction of hospital and electricity power to the community.
Complaints on insecurity dominated the interactions held in all the wards which bothered on kidnapping , rape and other forms of criminality. Responding Kalu expressed that though he his worried over the situation he is however incapacitated by the law to preside over security matters in the state. Kalu told the gatherings that according to the constitution the federal, state and local government authorities held the prerogative to oversee the affairs of security.
However Kalu relayed his efforts as a lamker to draw the attention of the executive to the ugly security situation, acceding to their request, the Senator made financial donations to aid the activities of the local vigilantes for the purchase of relevant security gadgets and equipment.
Spokespersons of each wards which include; Uduemeze III of Lopkanta , HRH Prince Ifeanyi Eke; Orji of Amorji Leru – Umuchieze HRH Eze Engr Nwankwo, Orji of Amorji ; Comrade Ezeugbo Uwabunkeonye who represented the President General of Nnaeato community and President General of Eziama Nnaeato ,Dr. Elijah Otutu all reaffirmed the commitment of their communities to reelect Senator Orji Uzor Kalu back to the Senate.
