₦airaland Forum

WHO THE CAP FITS........

Jack Lew says and I quote,
“I think there is no higher calling in terms of a career than Public Service, which is a chance to make a difference in people’s lives and improve the world”.
I agree but I would like to adjust that statement to read thus:
“There is, therefore, no honour in Public Service if it is shrouded in layers of nonchalance and distant or non-representation; a situation where the elected rule from afar and leave behind the electorate to die in the world of assumptions".
This has been the Abians reality in the sixteen years of her democracy at the Legislative level, especially at the National Assembly.
As the commercial hub of South-East Nigeria, Aba has been at the forefront of the revenue generation of Abia State. Through the mainstays of Trade and Commerce, she has placed herself in the map of all things business. But while she has enjoyed this relevance, she has had to grapple with very many varying vices, thinkable and otherwise.
We had, for long, hoped on past and succeeding governments to shift the paradigm but we realized that there is but one angle we have not viewed it from; the business light of life.
As a business, the terrain of Aba can yield for us all the attention we desire if only we can put a structure to her. Our income flow can get us all we deserve if we market her the right way possible. We know what we are capable of but what does every other person think?
At the soul of business is marketing and you do not just put any individual in-charge of that department. You need an experienced hand; someone who has operated from the particular business location and understands the intricacies and challenges of the people in that very location.
The job description is befitting of somebody who has rubbed minds with people of different walks of life, meaning that he has a world-view of things.
One who possesses a balanced view as a result of his interactions with both parties and can represent the organization, both at the local and national or international level, depending on the scope of the business.
Nonetheless, he first beautified the lives of many in his constituency, even before running for office in order to prove to us that charity begins at home.
He began with the first assignment by moving "the motion to rehabilitate the Federal Roads within Aba and the entire Abia State" on 13th of August, 2015.
He noticed the need for his people to have a sense of belonging, that led him to erect an ultra-modern constituency office, located at 169 Azikiwe Road, Aba, so that all our complaints can expressly get to him and promptly too.
And guess what? His free bus shuttle service has been of immense help to students of all categories within and without his constituency because he believes in education.
To think that he not just works externally, apart from awarding scholarships that take care of school fees, he builds classroom blocks alongside. If you have heard of the recently erected Nnentu Primary School Blocks, Migrant Farmers' Primary School Blocks in Uratta Community, Etche Road Primary School 2 Classroom Blocks, amongst others, you'd hear his name alongside.
Time will fail us to enumerate further but I will do all I can to bare my mind on the matter, so that we will appreciate God's gift to us, even in a time when nobody cares about the masses that elected them unto power.
We sent him to the House of Representatives in 2015 to represent the good people of Aba North and South Federal Constituency and we need to know what he did with our mandate.

Do you really want to know?
Stay tuned........
#AbaMustBeBetter

Nna Henry Ngenyechike writes from Aba.

Hon. Prestige Ossy Free Bus Shuttle

Hon. Prestige Ossy on inspection of road projects

More pictures of projects commissioned this week by Hon. Prestige Ossy

How dare you post this rubbish? With a simple google search you would have read up a lot about Hon. Prestige Ossy achievements in his three years in the NASS, but instead you prefer to come feed the masses with lies. Thank God I am here to diffuse your lies.
Talking about projects, just ask any average Aba person about Hon. Prestige Ossy, he/she will feed you with the right information from Free School Bus Shuttle, Classroom blocks in public schools, Skill acquisition/vocational training, Scholarships, Water projects, Roads Projects to various Empowerment projects, among others.
Talking about his people loving him, please see the pictures and tell me more.

NEED TO REDUCE EXPENDITURE BY PROCUREMENT OF MILITARY AND PARAMILITARY UNIFORMS AND OTHER CLOTHINGS APPARELS FROM INDIGENOUS MARKET
LEAD DEBATE:


Mr. Speaker, Honourable Colleagues, it is a well-known fact that the uniforms and other wearing Apparels of officers and men of the Nigerian Military and Paramilitary Services are produced and procured from Foreign markets and in Foreign Currency. This has been the age long practice, however owing to the present economic realities, it is essential that an end be put to this practice.

Needless over emphasizing the fact that our economy is in recession and as the Representatives of the people we must not wait for our economy to hit the rock before we do all within our reach to savage the situation.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable Colleagues, We must be proactive in the quest to save our crashing economy. Being proactive entails the act of creating or controlling a situation rather than just responding to it after it has happened. Having said this, it is my position and view that the uniforms and other wearing Apparels of officers and men of the Nigerian Military and Paramilitary Services should going forward be produced and procured from the indigenous market. By saying uniforms and other wearing Apparels, I simply refer to the entire clothing of officers and men of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air force, Police, Customs, Immigration, Security and Civil Defence Corps, Prisons, Fire Service, Road Safety even the National Youth Service Corps members including their berets, Shoes, Crested Vests and stockings, Belts, Cardigans and Head Warmers etc.

It is a notorious fact that the entire Military comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force have about five different sets of uniforms and other wearing apparels for their officers and men. In the same vain, some Paramilitaries like the police also have about five different sets of uniforms and other wearing apparels while others have two sets or more. All these uniforms at present are being procured from foreign markets and in Foreign Currencies and this is in sharp contrast with what is obtainable in other parts of the world.

We are all aware of the fact that one of the major economic agenda of the present administration is diversification and conservation of Foreign currency. Unfortunately we cannot conserve foreign currencies if we continue relying on the foreign market for almost everything used and consumed in Nigeria, particularly the clothing and other wearing Apparels of officers and men of the Military and Paramilitary. In the light of this, it is more imperative at this point to take a stand for the good of the entire good and lovely people of Nigeria and our ailing economy.

We can borrow a leaf from other countries of the world that produces their own military and paramilitary uniforms. The global best practice today is for countries (both developed and developing) to strengthen their economy by investing in and patronizing indigenous markets and one of the ways of doing that is to procure military and paramilitary uniforms and other wearing apparels from indigenous market.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan has a very vibrant textile industry that has over the years contributed immensely to their economic growth. Pakistan remains one of the few countries that produce their own military and paramilitary uniforms. As a matter of fact, Pakistani factories produces and supplies military combat uniforms to many other countries in Asia and Africa.

CHINA

China also produce their own Military and paramilitary uniforms. And apart from this fact, China also produces military combat uniforms for other countries in Asia including Australia.

FRANCE

In France today, all military and paramilitary uniforms are manufactured and produced in France.

India and Brazil are some other countries of the world that produce their own Military and paramilitary uniforms. The question that then comes to mind is if Pakistan, France, China, India and a host of other countries can produce their military and paramilitary uniforms, why can’t we do the same.

A CASE FOR INDIGENOUS CLOTH MANUFACTURERS
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Colleagues, permit me to bring to the fore the fact that in Nigeria today, there are over a thousand and one Indigenous cloth and other wearing Apparels manufacturers who if and when contracted can conveniently kit the entire officers and men of the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air force as well as those in the Paramilitary and of course the National Youth Service Corps members. The underlying advantages of patronising our Indigenous cloth and other wearing Apparels manufacturers are huge and enormous. For example, if we patronise the Indigenous cloth and wearing Apparels market, we will procure these uniforms and other wearing Apparels with our currency and this will go a long way in adding value to the Naira, strengthening our economy and conserving the Foreign currency. Moreso, we would in the light of this administration’s change agenda diversify our economy by encouraging and empowering the Indigenous cloth and other wearing Apparels manufacturers as they may even go as far as producing these uniforms and other apparels for officers and men of the neighbouring Countries’ Military and Paramilitary, thereby creating job opportunity and generating more revenue for the country.

A CASE FOR ABA MANUFACTURERS
May I at this point make a case for the good and industrious people of Aba who I represent. I know as a matter of fact that there are numerous cloths and other wearing Apparels manufacturers in the lovely city of Aba who can produce quality and befitting Cloths, Shoes, Belts, Berets, crested Vests and Stockings, Cardigans and Head warmers etc. For the entire Military and Paramilitary personnel in Nigeria including members of the National Youth Service Corps for lesser amount compared to what has been proposed in the 2016 Appropriation Act. All that is needed is for these entrepreneurs to be empowered so as to ensure product consistency and quality.

THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT

The role of the Government in ensuring the sustainable growth of indigenous cloth manufacturers cannot be overlooked as the Government must put in place palliative measures towards ensuring that such indigenous manufacturers are empowered and an enabling environment must be created to enable the growth and development of the industry in Nigeria.

I therefore propose the provision of direct support for cloths and other wearing apparels manufacturers through the provision of grant and loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Bank of Industry and other financial institutions on a single digit interest rate.

Though I concede that this sought arrangement might lead to the proliferation of Military and Paramilitary uniforms, I make bold to say that even now that these uniforms and other wearing apparels are imported into the country, they sometimes still fall into the wrong hands. Having said that, I would rather suggest that strict regulatory measures be put in place to guard against the proliferation of these uniforms. In this regards, I suggest that only accredited and certified manufacturers be empowered to indigenously produce the uniforms and other wearing apparels of officers and men of Nigerian Military and Paramilitary.

CONCLUSION

Mr. Speaker, Dear Honourable Colleagues, without wasting our precious time, I want to believe that we are all aware that the need to conserve foreign currency and diversify our economy cannot be over emphasized, particularly at this time when the entire nation is battling Economic Recession. I believe that we as the elected Representatives of the people will take a giant step towards winning the war against economic recession if we harken to this clarion call by encouraging Indigenous market participation in our country.

Mr. Speaker, Dear Honourable Colleagues, I invite you all to lend your support to this Motion, while hoping and praying that our country Nigeria will indeed get better.

Thank you all.



Hon. Prestige Ossy