RE: TWO YEARS OF ROBUST AND MAGNIFICENT REPRESENTATION.

DECONSTRUCTING THE HALF -BAKED TRUTH FROM THE REAL TRUTH.

Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo,

House of Representatives member,
Nkwerre/Isu/Nwangele/Njaba Federal Constituency.


I read with raptured attention , keen interest and excitement, although with mixed reactions, the heart -warming achievements' list and scorecard of the member representating Nkwerre/Isu/Nwangele/Njaba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ozurigbo Ugonna , in his official press release tagged : '' Two Years Of Robust And Magnificent Representation." , which was personally signed by him.



Let me start by commending his avowed commitment in working very assiduously to change the legislative narrative and leave the federal constituency better than he met it. To be fair with him , Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo has done relatively well in some aspects of representation within his two years in office under review .


In a country where our 109 Senators in the Red Chamber and 306 House of Representatives members in the Green Chamber don't care a hoot about their image and about the welfare of the people they represent, but rather want to be addressed as Honourable Members and Distinguished Senators; anyone who appears humble and accessible in disguise among them is always seen as a 'Saint'. In a country where our elected federal legislators don't know the weight of their responsibility to the 206 million people they represent, but care little or nothing about probity, accountablity and stewardship through effective representation, anyone who does that is usually celebrated !

Permit me to say , it is from the above prism that Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo's acheivements galore or scorecard of two years in office received some applause among his supporters , members of his constituency , political associates , friends and the onlookers.

In Nigeria for instance , giving account of one's stewardship in office as the Representative of the people may look so strange to the uninformed members of one's federal constituency who perceived and ironically called legislators -legislooters. This is where Chief Ugonna Ozurigbo scored a high point in the hearts of his supporters , many of whom, did not know they have the right to know how much he earns as allowance, the peg for millions of Naira appropriated to his hallowed office as constituency project funds as always captured in his annual proposed budget. And of course , equal distribution of these projects across the 43 INEC wards in Nkwerre (10), Isu (11), Nwangele (11) Njaba (11) Federal Constituency; in addition to the alleged secret deals at budget defense sessions. This is a topic for yet another day !



FAST FORWARD IT TO THE 94 ACHEIVEMENTS' LIST |SCORECARD OF OZB:


As I religiously and critically dissect the 94 items in the scorecard or achievements' list of Hon. Ozurigbo Ugonna , I discovered a number of discrepancies between project speculation and real implementation. Methinks , that in an attempt to either prove that he is really working for the people or , to rather impress the masses and ignorant supporters, Chief Ugonna Ozurigbo flooded the cyberspace with an overbloated acheivements' list and forwarded same to a select local tabloids in the state for public assessment and possible applause .

Again, while I sincerely commend him for impressive legislative outing within his two years in office , ironically, about 55% of the items in his achievements' list are still pending and awaiting ; a normal project speculation which have not been truly implemented . Don't forget that a budget or proposal is subject to approval or otherwise.

Funny enough, the National Assembly Budget Research Office doesn't have an overriding power on budget implementation; perhaps for a number of reasons below :


✓ Lack of clear rules regulating the budget process.
✓ Delays in producing the Medium -Term Expenditure Framework |Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF|FSP).
✓ Poor level of executive -legislative engagement at budget formulation stage.
✓ Lack of robust engagement between the executive and legislature during the budget approval stage.
✓ Delays in approving the Appropriation Bill
✓ Delays in producing budget implementation reports and the lack of oversight therefore.

I don't want to accuse anyone of budget padding !

From the above , is it not rather mendacious and even mischevious for a federal legislator to include as part of his acheivements proposed projects that are in the 2021 Budget which have not received approvals ?


Don't shout , MacDonald ! This insightful and timely response is not for Hallelujah boys , but for discerning minds as an average black man doesn't do research ! Kindly go through the list and see for yourself that most of these projects are still hanging and awaiting ; pending Gen. Muhammadu Buhari's approval .

Also note that a number of the projects in his long list of achievements galore were done during his days as a state legislator !



Take a dispassionate look at the following items in that over exgerrated list; Nos:


Click to read the list for comparison:
https://www./ozbfor2015/permalink/2918720471679950/


40, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52,
53, 54, 55, 56,57, 58, 59, 63,65,67,68, 69,70,71,
73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88
89,90,92,93,94 :


The no 92 in the list of items which is a minor renovation and purchase of some medical equipement at the Abba Primary Health Centre located at Ogwuaga Abba was done during his tenure as the Deputy Speaker of the 8th Imo State House of Assembly. Why brought it forward as part of your achievements as a federal lawmaker, if not to hoodwink the gullible and uninformed?

Sadly enough, OZB also included in his acheivements list |scorecard the almost completed Nkwoebu market project executed by his successor , Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu (KSC) ; which I attaracted with the support of the trio of Eze Ndubueze Maduabuchukwu (Uburu ll of Abba), Engr. Kene Iwuogo , President General of Abba Autonomous Community and Engr. Obinna Azonobi. On this note, I leave him to his conscience as his media handlers may tag it a typo error !

To this end and for emphasis sake , let me quickly reteiterate that the first job of a Representative or legislator is to make laws and visiblity. The last job is to bring dividends of democracy home to his constituency. Has Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo done well as a lawmaker ? Yes, but it is relative and within the time frame under review !
Does he need to do more ? Yes, he does !

His presence should be felt in the House ; outspoken and a strong voice just like during the days of his immediate predecessor, Rt. Hon. Jones Onyereri !

Since to whom much is given , much is also expected ! Therefore , I will candidly advice him to take a departure from this quasi - traditional method of empowering the youths with motorcycles and Keke na pep to a more proactive and productive empowernment programmes through agriculture and capacity building!

Look around you, there are many graduates roaming the streets in the village. Pick up a few of them and award them scholarships for their post -graduates programs, instead of giving them Okada !

High Chief Johnbosco Ozigbu in the last two years had sent not less than 15 young men from Nwangele LGA overseas for legitimate greener pastures . In one occasion, I assisted them in completing their undertaking forms.

Sir, with your hallowed position you can empower as many hardworking and honest young men around you as possible !


Permit me also to say that , I was highly impressed when I read a story about six members of Isu State Constituency who were sent overseas for their Masters Degree programmes courtsey of their ' House of Assembly member ' - Rt. Hon. Ngozi S M Obiefule. I was also impressed when I read a story online how Dr. Solomon Chinonso Ucheka Pasolo awarded a scholarship to Kennedy Ogenna to study journalism at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism , Owerri Statelite Campus . Isn't that more rewarding than giving the young man Keke na Pep ?

We should tell our leaders the truth that the people need developmemt and capacity building. Unfortunately, in our milieu , where we still grapple with basic needs of food and shelter , we have continued to celebrate mediocrity and frivolities nurtured by ignorance and poverty !

Enough of these motorcycles and Keke na pep empowernment as we honestly keep praying for our leaders for sense of direction.



+ Njoku Macdonald Obinna officially holding media brief for the largest Federal Constituency nay Senatorial District in Nigeria.

Njoku Macdonald Obinna ground breaking ceremony for the Nkwoebu Market you claimed to have attracted was only made on April 16 in an afterthought sort of manner while the 2021 Budget was passed in December 2020. Except you are the rat who fixed it into the budget after your groundbreaking ceremony, I am of the opinion that you have your facts highly altered. You have just shot at yourself and this clearly shows you are just a purveyor of negativity. If you were smart you would rejoice that more projects will be sited at the market and pray it blooms like Ariaria market Aba, which is still undergoing expansion. It is also sad that you do not know that there is a difference between Abba Health Centre and Ogwuaga Health Centre which you swore for years that OZB did nothing at but accept today that he actually attended to that Hospital. This shows that you are indeed a stranger in Abba if you do not know this. It is sad that after two years you are still convulsing yourself with OZB and his projects. One thing here is that you have accepted that OZB worked in the Eight years he spent and put in place quality projects unlike the toy-toys you photo op for. Well, you remain a lost soul and I will forever pray that you do not die from CARDIAC ARREST because of OZB.

Dike Philip must defend his monthly salary as the social media aide to the lawmaker .

It is expected and we ain't surprised at all !

Weighty argument has been made, just deal with it !

Njoku Mcdonald, your envy generated lies will continue to get burst by me. May Brown envelope not lead to your end.