CHIEF DANIEL OKEKE (MEZIE ABIA): THE BEACON OF HOPE FOR AROCHUKWU/OHAFIA FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY.

CHIEF Daniel Okeke (MEZIE ABIA): THE BEACON OF HOPE FOR AROCHUKWU/OHAFIA FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY:- ENGR. ADIMOHA

It was a very rewarding session with Chief Dan Okeke when I paid him a visit at his residence in PortHarcourt. Rewarding and revealing in the sense that it afforded me the one-on-one opportunity to further ask questions, seek answers and get guarantees from him about his political stock.

This erudite but humble politician, if he must be called a politician, comes across to me as a technocrat in politics and a very very honest man who feels empathy and compassion for his people. I was not surprised therefore when he condemned some lawmakers who argue that their job is just to make laws when indeed lawmaking alone is not enough for the youths and other suffering constituents.

The best laws that you can make for a hungry and impoverished people is to give them employment, provide healthcare services, education, build good roads, etc. Hence Constituency Projects must be attracted and supervised to fruition, not embezzling the funds meant for these projects.

If after making beautiful laws in Abuja and the farm roads and the other local roads are hardly passable during rainy seasons, how is farming possible and how are other economic activities that rely on transportation possible?

Chief Dan has been in the business of philanthropy, empowering the youths and giving scholarships to indigent students of his constituency. Currently, he has attracted two roads to Ihechiowa and Mkporo. He will do more and more when he gets to the House of Representatives.
I say this because I know him so well.

We cannot continue to have thugs and stone-hearted “representatives” who go to Abuja for selfish reasons and only come back home to their constituents during elections to hand them peanuts and more promises, only for the suffering constituents to find out soon after the election that between promises and performance there’s a chasm. He is not in that mold. Chief Dan comes highly recommended.

Chief Dan, in one word, seeks to promote the welfare of his people. He is down to earth. He is as honest as he is compassionate. There is no better time to put such a humane persona to use than now. We must put our best foot forward.

Let us send Chief Dan to go for us. He is tested and can be trusted.

Engr Emma Uche Adimoha

Constituency Projects: Kalu formally receives Award Plaque, vows to halt Rural-Urban Migration

Constituency Projects: Kalu formally receives Award Plaque, vows to halt Rural-Urban Migration

From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja

Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu on Wednesday formally received the Award plaque for winning the “Overall Best Constituency Projects and Human Relations Award”at the 2022 Senate Press Corps award held earlier in 2022.

The award ceremony organised by the Apex media body of the Senate had in June honoured Kalu in recognition of his efforts at executing massive developmental projects and promoting a healthy communication synergy amongst his colleagues, constituents and workers within the National Assembly.

Fielding questions from the press shortly after he was presented with the plaque, the former governor stated that his goal is to mitigate rural – urban migration through the provision of basic amenities for residents within rural areas.

Kalu told the journalists that the movement of youths from the rural to urban areas in search of greener pastures can be discouraged by enhancing the livelihood of communities through the provision of basic public utilities, cottage industries among others.

The need to create avenues for rural dwellers to generate income within rural areas was also canvassed by the award winning Senator, citing an Example with a recent deal he signed with PowerChina, Monday, in Abuja, signed the deal for the establishment of five Agro-Industrial parks, worth $500 million.

On his re-election bid, Kalu expressed confidence in his scorecard , noting that the people will vote for him and his All Progressives Congress Party as a result of the massive infrastructural developments erected within their localities in the last over three and a half years.

Kalu reinstated his commitment to put the people first; “We are strong stakeholders with the people and we believe in the people. It is my job any day I will be in politics to leave the people then that means I have left politics, so the people come first, must also come last for me.

“We need to create an income based revenue for our people to be able to earn income and stop migrating to urban areas and want to stop people living in the rural areas coming to urban areas. I’m sure you would have heard about the business partnership venture we’re doing with the Chinese in Abia North District and it is purely private business driven. And our duty is to continue making what will benefit the people because if we are in politics and the people are not happy we should not also be happy.

Asked about his thoughts on his return bid, Kalu expressed confidence in emerging victorious , noting that he is his own rival as no other candidate could match his popularity and acceptance by the people.

Kalu remained upbeat at securing ninety eight percent Victory for his party; “Election is coming and I’m not shaky because I know I am with the people. The people are there. The election in Abia North I can tell you people frankly it is Orji Kalu versus Orji Kalu , there is no other candidate and that is the truth. People might be taking money from people they want to run for election, but they’re not really the election. The election there is Orji Kalu versus Orji Kalu.

“It’s only one party in our area and that party is the All Progressive’s Congress (APC) and people will vote on 98% APC in that senatorial district. I can bet anybody with money. It’s not something. It is not rocket science so it is me versus me.

“It’s my attitude to the people that will make them give to another person,there’s no vacancy in the area.

The former expressed gratitude to the organisation for finding him worthy to be entrusted with such a prestigious award amongst other lawmakers like himself, Kalu said the award will spur him to do more for his people.

“Abia Too Backward, Needs Strong, Prepared Leader Like Me To Make Positive Changes” — Mascot Kalu

“Abia Too Backward, Needs Strong, Prepared Leader Like Me To Make Positive Changes” — Mascot Kalu

The governorship candidate of Action Peoples Party, APP in Abia State, Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu has said the state needs a young, vibrant and prepared leader like him to take over the mantle of leadership at this time.

The governorship candidate of Action Peoples Party, APP in Abia State, Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu has said the state needs a young, vibrant and prepared leader like him to take over the mantle of leadership at this time.

In an interview with ABN TV’s Political Perspective, Mascot Kalu, a former Chief of Staff in the state said he has looked around and is not happy with some things happening in the state which he said he loves so much.

According to him, there are not many young viable voices in their 30s, 40s, and early 50s, an age he said is right for anyone wishing to become the governor of Abia.

“I am not having that feeling that we have the right people, with the right training to propel the state of affairs, given the situation we have found ourselves in Abia.

“We are so behind, so backward so we need a very strong prepared leader to lead the state and that is what I represent,” he stated.

According to him, he left his former party, APC because he was not well treated despite his contributions to building the party.

He said, when it was time for the party to acknowledge his contributions, he was always reminded that his brother, Senator Orji Kalu is the Senate Chief Whip.

Abia North: Orji Kalu’s Achievements Not Surprising, Performance In His DNA— Prof. Kalu

Abia North: Orji Kalu’s Achievements Not Surprising, Performance In His DNA— Prof. Kalu

Prof. Uduma Kalu, a renowned academician on Friday commended the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu on the number of projects he has attracted and executed in Abia North Senatorial District since he was elected in 2019.

The University Don stated this in a chat with newsmen, saying that he is not surprised by the performance of the former Abia State Governor.

He said: “Abia North Senatorial District has made progress in the last three and half years and the remarkable results are there for all to see.

“It is not surprising that all over the country, when people are giving examples of good stories to tell of former governors that performed well while in office, majority of Abians still name Orji Uzor Kalu as the best. During his era as Governor of Abia State, education was free from primary to secondary schools. Abia State University was well funded by him with students paying below N10,000. Today, ABSU is in shambles and teachers are not paid. During his era, teachers including other civil servants were well taken care of, including timely payment of their salaries, allowances and gratuities. He even paid thirteenth month salary back then.

“He also built and funded health centres where drugs were given out to Abians for free of charge. He built Abia State University Teaching Hospital with world class facilities, go there today, you will weep for yourself. Kalu is a thorough leader with outstanding qualities. He built roads across the three Senatorial District without discriminating any zone. He invested so much in agriculture thereby providing food security for Abians even when President Olusegun Obasanjo tried to make life difficult for him.

“Today he is doing the same thing as the Senator repressing Abia North Senatorial District; Performance is in his DNA,” he said.

He appealed to the people of Abia North Senatorial District to continue to support the Chief Whip of the Senate, noting that Kalu was ready to do more for the district if reelected in 2023.

“We must unite and reelect Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, because we cannot afford to go backward to the era of zero project. Abia South and Central are envious of Abia North because of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s performance. We are talking of over 70 verifiable projects across Abia North. From Umunneochi down to Arochukwu is now a construction site. We must rally round Senator Orji Uzor Kalu by returning back to the Senate overwhelmingly.”

Abia-North:Orji Kalu completes Lekwesi road, escalates works on Atani, Eluama, fifteen others

Abia-North:Orji Kalu completes Lekwesi road, escalates works on Atani, Eluama, fifteen others

As the Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu intensifies his rural development drive within rural areas in his zone, the 600 meters Lekwesi Umuchieze Amaoji road located in Umunneochi local government area has just been completed.

The road, already completed and delivered with drainage and Asphalt has been described by the community dwellers as the best dividend of democracy they’ve ever received in its entire history.

An elated resident who pleaded anonymity who undertook a personal inspection of the newly completed infrastructural facility said that the community were indeed extremely joyful over the development.

Speaking behind the camera while recording footage of the road the resident said that Kalu who is also the Senate Chief Whip has been impactful to their community throughout his tenure at the Senate.

He commended the quality of the road ;”The road which is now completed is in healthy condition, the community are extremely happy about the road constructed by this amiable Senator and they owe him all he needs to return him to the Senate come 2023. You can see that the road is as good as you can think of it. All thanks to our Senator, Orji Uzor Kalu.

In similar vein Kalu has also escalated the construction of the first ever tarred road in Atani-Abam community situated in Arochukwu Local Government Area which has currently attained its Asphalt coating stage.

In an amateur video obtained by the SUN made by Kalu Ayu a prominent Youth leader in Arochukwu L.G.A, the construction of the 3km road has reached its advanced stage following the construction of drainages, preparation of sub base and the application of laterite.

Speaking behind the footage, Kalu disclosed that the road project has Thrilled residents of the community, stating that they have resolved to re-elect Orji Kalu back to the Senate in appreciation for his good deeds to those communities.

Kalu said that road is the first ever tarred road in the history of the community;
“This is the 3km road that Orji Kalu is building for the people of Atani Abam . The road starts from Ndi Oji down to Atani Abam.

“They have completed the drainage 100% and you can see it is strong and solid. They have applied laterite what is happening now is adding stone base as you can see work is still going on massively.

“Right now you see the grader coming , spreading the stone base in preparation for the Asphalt. This is how the work is going every day to see that the job is completed before Christmas day. Right from the beginning we have never seen a tarred road in our lives in this community but this one has been given to us from Senator Kalu and we are very grateful.

Weeks ago some of construction commenced for numerous roads located in Umunneochi, Isuikwuato and Arochukwu L.G.As as captured in the 2022 Appropriation.

At Isuikwuato the SUN confirmed that Kalu had completed the construction of four roads and facilitated the construction of additional nine as indicated in the 2022 budget.

Currently the construction of the Umuobiala rural road, Eluama is ongoing while construction of some other roads has also commenced they include; ” Construction of Isuikwuato township road; Construction of Uturu Township Road, isuikwuato;Construction of Ukwunwangwu/Akpukpa/Ndudu rural road;Construction of Eke/Omoeme/Eme Amaezigba Road (prof. Ernest Ojukwu) road, Ahaba Imenyi, isuikwuato;Construction of a rural road at Acha Isuikwuato;Construction of Ekebe College road, Isuamawu Community (HRM Eze Dr.Christopher Aboh) road;Construction of Umuobiala rural road, Eluama; Construction of Nvuru Bridge, Uturu township and Construction of Eke/Omoeme/Amaezigba rural road, Ahana Imenyi.

Construction of roads facilitated for Umunneochi LGA has also reached advanced stage they include ; the Ogwumabiri Obinolu Ngodo Isuochi road; Obinihu – Agbor Fada Road , Nnaeato and three other roads all in Umunneochi LGA.

Asides the construction of schools, health centers and the provision of motorised pipe borne water for communities, the Senate Chief in over three and half years facilitated the construction of over sixty roads spread across rural communities in Abia North.