CHIDIEBERE IWUOHA writes on the recent empowerment programme by a lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Hon Jones Chudi Onyereri from Imo state
It could be mistaken for a campaign gathering where the man seeking certain political office is in the soap box asking for the peoples mandate. So tumultuous was the crowd at St. Catherine Girls Secondary School, Nkwere, Imo state, that even the deaf and the blind could hear and see that a big event was on. Nothing else brought together the people of the Nkwerre/Isu/Nwangele/Njaba Federal constituency than the empowerment programme organized by their representative in the National Assembly, Hon Jones Chudi Onyereri.
Underscoring the importance of the occasion, chairman of the occasion and former deputy speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Chuma Nnaji, described the event as a ‘’return of investments’’ as Onyereri who was elected by the federal constituency was only giving back to his people. Speaking in similar vein, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, who also hails from the constituency, said Onyereri’s choice as the peoples’ representative was not a misnomer.
Anyaehie noted that without empowerment, politics would amount to nothing, adding that it was in the character of the party to empower people. He listed Senator Hope Uzodinma, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Hon Raphael Nnanna Igbokwe and Hon Gerald Irona as some of those who, had at one time or the other empowered their constituents. To him, it might have pleased the almighty God to give the lawmaker another term , having done so well.
In his speech, Hon Ihedioha who was represented by the member representing Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency, Hon Raphael Nnnanna Igbokwe, commended Nkwerre people for producing Onyereri, who he said, as a first timer, he was able to make it as committee chairman of the House.
He pleaded with people of the constituency to return Onyereri in 2015, as failure to do that would deprive the federal constituency of an opportunity to have a committee chairman and described the colleague as an intelligent lawmaker whose charisma would always allow his colleagues to stand still whenever he stood up to speak.
Also speaking, the member representing Njaba state constituency in the state legislature , Hon Obioha Kevin Chino described Onyereri’s empowerment of women and youths in the federal constituency as first of its kind in history, adding that he had actually showcased all the products available to the people of Njaba state constituency and had therefore set a very high target for others to follow.
Chino’s position was collaborated by a politician in the state, Owelle Evans and Onyereri’s aide, Hon, Cajetan Ikpeamaeze who said based on the degree of empowerment of the federal lawmaker, all hands should be on deck to return him in 2015. Also speaking, another stakeholder, Prince Eze Ugochukwu who said the constituency had never had it so good, made it clear that nobody did a quarter of what Onyereri had done in two and a half years. He added that they were marvelled during the tour of the federal constituency as projects were scattered all over the place.
Apart from empowerment materials given to his constituents and party executives like official vehicles like cars and buses, tricycles, sewing machines Keke NAPEP, motorcycles, the lawmaker also trained 250 youths from his federal constituency under a programme supervised by the National Roots Research Institute (NARI), Umudike, Abia state.
Also corroborating the earlier speakers, Executive Director of the institute, Dr. Julius Okonkwo said the youths were trained on value addition, root and tuber crops, which “includes making of cassava bread, cake, chin-chin, flakes from cocoa yam, ginger drinks etc. The essence of this training is to be economically independent as they will get money from sales and help their families’’.
Okonkwo made it clear that many advantages were inherent in cassava bread, saying this would encourage people to go for cassava production and ultimately curb unemployment.
He commended the lawmaker for the opportunity given to the 250 youths in his federal constituency to undergo training with his institute, because by so doing, he had empowered them for life.
All the traditional rulers from the federal constituency came out in their numbers to give Onyereri their support and blessing. They made it clear that they did not come out to engage in party matters, but rather when they saw light, school and other projects in the constituency, they asked questions and they said they were done by Jones. The monarchs further said their mission to the economic empowerment programme was to commend him for a job well done and ask him to continue from where he stopped.
In his remarks, a visibly elated Onyereri thanked the leaders and traditional rulers of the federal constituency for their support and also commended his colleagues in the House for the honour done him.
Onyereri who chairs the House Committee on Banking and Currency told his constituents that in the last two years, he had sponsored two bills in the Green Chamber and sponsored many motions, including the rehabilitation of Dikenafai road in his constituency; an erosion site; and on welfare and well being of his people.
He said as the chairman of one of the influential committees in the House, he supervises Nigeria Export bank, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Commission(NDIC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), monetary authorities etc and had established himself in that sector. The lawmaker said he energized 20 communities in that constituency made up of four local governments and ensured the establishment of one school in each local government area of his constituency. He similarly recalled ensuring the reinstatement of a police officer sacked 13 years ago with his rank restored, just as he mounted solar street lights across the federal constituency with the project still ongoing, and set up ICT centres.
The lawmaker also told the gathering that he had attracted a school to the area which could compare favourably with any university, adding that he also gave scholarship to students from the metallurgical institute and also provided vehicles for church priests to aid their preaching of the gospel.
So, appreciative were the beneficiaries that they instantly asked him to take another shot at the seat come 2015.
