But the House will not only be remembered for courage. Nigerians will
definitely remember its many bills, motions and interventions, even in the face
of Executive lawlessness and blackmail. In many ways, the House of
Representatives under the leadership Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, a man of
tremendous prescience, stood out as the people's assembly where voices
resonated irrespective of class or political affiliation.
The turning point for the House however, was the removal of fuel
subsidy on the first day of January, 2012. This was another Executive
indiscretion that shut down the entire country for nearly two weeks. Apart from
the fact that the subsidy removal was ill-timed, being the first day of the
year, the Executive apparently did not consult widely before taking the
decision. The House's intervention which began when it reconvened on Sunday
from Christmas break, culminated in the resolution that eventually came after
series of negotiations with state governments, trade unions and civil
societies, among others.
At other times, the House also demonstrated that it was indeed the
voice of the Nigerian people especially when it beamed its searchlight on some
critical sectors of the economy. These included but not limited to the
petroleum sector, (the various probes), including the Malabu Oil scandal, the
aviation industry, Police Pension scam and Ministry of Interior where it
uncovered inconsistencies, tardiness and corruption.
It is however regrettable that we could not resolve issues around the
missing Twenty billion dollars, the Abba Moro Immigration scandal and Kerosene
Subsidy scam even though the Downstream Committee submitted the Kerosene report
for consideration.
On a personal note, I came to the House with the determination to give
a robust representation, first to Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro, my constituency, and then
to other interests like the environment, education, good governance and issues
of human rights, development, gender and Niger Delta, among others. I certainly
did not achieve all I set out to accomplish within the period, no doubt. But on
reflection, I feel a sense of pride and fulfillment because we have raised the
bar of representation in my constituency. Now, a new consciousness exists among
our people. I am also happy with my work on the aforementioned legislative
interests.
Any fist time visitor to my constituency will obviously appreciate our
peculiar terrain. Our towns and communities are far-flung islands that had
suffered untold hardship and neglect for many years. So for me, access was an
indivisible word throughout my tenure. We engendered in clearly identifiable
terms, access to education, quality health care, portable water, and employment
opportunities and above all, access to a changing world. This defined my
approach to our constituency's multifaceted challenges as a member of the House
of Representatives.
For instance, between October 4th and 5th 2012, I convened the First
Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Economic Summit which had in attendance the leadership of
the House of Representatives led by Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Speaker. Rivers
State government was also fully represented by the attendance and input of
senior government officials. The summit was inspired by my firm belief that as
a people, our potentials are boundless.
It was indeed a robust constituency engagement strategy designed to
showcase our investment and economic potentials. The summit which presented a
future and forward-looking master plan for our people also provided a platform
for community and traditional rulers, academics, thinkers, businesses,
non-government organisations, women, youths, the clergy, professionals and our
friends to share ideas, shape the economic vision of the constituency, engage
and work together for the acceleration of the development of Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro
Federal Constituency.
My tenure also provided opportunity for me to engage my colleagues and
fulfil my election promises which I personally anchored on quality and
effective representation.
I was therefore determined to be as active as I can in my legislative
duties by sponsoring and supporting bills on the floor of the House. These
bills included:
1. a bill to authorise law
enforcement agencies to receive e-communication to enhance criminal investigation.
2. a bill to amend the fire
arms act so as to increase the penalties for illicit possession, transfer,
manufacturing, dealing in and housing of fire arms, small and light weapons.
3. a bill to establish Medical
Laboratory Post-Graduate College of Medical Laboratory Science.
4. an act to provide for the
establishment of the legal and regulatory framework, institutions and
regulatory authorities for the Nigerian Petroleum Industry among other bills I
co-sponsored.
Others are my co-sponsorship of a motion on the collapse of Dorongo Dam
and the urgent need to tackle increasing cases of pipeline vandalism which has
led to the death of over 500 persons and loss of over N2 trillion in just one
year.
I wish to also state that I moved motions on the threat of annihilation
of some Andoni communities in Rivers State due to accelerated rise in sea level
and the need to declare Oil Well 1, Oloibiri, Ogbia Local Government Area of
Bayelsa State a national monument. In
addition, I moved a motion against the cancellation of Onne-Eleme Junction/Aba
Road Bus-section 1 of the reconstruction of the East-West Road contract by the
Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs which has now been revisited.
As chairman of Petroleum Downstream, our committee periodically
organised sensitisation workshops to improve capacity. And frequently, we
engaged regulators, marketers, operators and all stakeholders in the sector.
This is aside our public hearing sessions on the perennial crises of scarcity
and corruption that bedeviled refined products which fell under our
purview.
Besides, I did not falter in my promise to continually engage and
liaise with other government agencies in attracting life changing programmes
and projects to my constituency. We did all within our power, not only to
improve the living conditions of the generality of our people but also offered
hope of a better future.
Outside my core duty in the parliament, and aware of the endless
possibilities in the field of education, I encouraged a number of young people
in my constituency in their educational pursuits. I personally provided scholarship awards
through Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Economic Zone Development Foundation to some of our
youths in universities, both at home and abroad. At the last count, we had over
20 young men and women pursuing different post graduate courses in the United
Kingdom under our scholarship.
For good measure, I also personally took our work plan and details of
our success story as a constituency beyond our shores. On almost all my foreign
trips, both personal and official, I located our people wherever I could find
them and enlisted their support in all our programmes. The most remarkable of
such encounters was my invitation as co-chair to the 2013 Andoni Forum
Convention which held at Hilton Hotel, Rosemont, and Chicago, United States
from 5-7 July.
I will therefore remember this
era with fond memories, particularly the life-long friendships, camaraderie and
the privilege of serving in an honourable House. Above all, I am eternally
grateful to my people for the rare privilege of representing them.
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