True leadership is one that breeds trust and accountability to its benefits and as Warren Bennis once wrote ‘Leadership is the capacity to transform vision to reality’.
Being a visionary leader, Hon. Ben has been able to gradually transform the vision which he is passionate about for Bende into reality. He has shone the light and given the constituency a new definition of leadership and governance far from what has been experienced since the 4th republic.
June 11, 2021, marked the second year in office of the Representative of Bende Federal Constituency who is also the Spokesperson of the House of Representatives. A feat he achieved regardless of being a first-time legislator in the house.
Despite the challenges and judicial distractions, Rep. Benjamin Kalu has delivered flawlessly the promises he made to the people of Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State.
He has ensured that he is constantly living on the mantra of Leadership by Service, this he has consistently proven in the manner for which he represents the people.
Historically, he has recorded the highest number of projects a legislator has achieved in the Bende Federal Constituency, with over 45 projects attracted. He has successfully put smiles on the faces of indigenes both young and old, home and abroad through these projects in the various communities.
These projects include:
- Construction of Road in Nkpa Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State
- Construction of Road in Alayi Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State
- Construction of 2km (Phase 1) Bende-Okporoenyi-Nkalunta Road in Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State
- Supply of Agricultural Seeds to Farmers in Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State
- Flood And Erosion Control Project at Amankalu, Alayi and Ozuitem in Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State
- Renovation of Umunato Item Health Centre, Bende LGA, Abia State.
- Supply of Drugs for Eye Treatment in Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State.
- Water Supply Scheme in Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State
- Block of Classrooms in Igbere Bende Federal Constituency
- Installation of Solar Powered Borehole in Bende Local Government Of Abia State, Abia State
- Rehabilitation of Bende – Arochukwu – Ohafia Road Section I C/No.6481
- Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia Road
- Construction/Renovation and Furnishing of Block Of Classrooms Across 6 Geo-Political Zones (Bende Federal Constituency)
- Rehabilitation of 21km Bende-Itumbauzo-Ntalakwu Road in Abia and Akwa-Ibom States
- Rehabilitation of Bende – Itumbauzor – Etitiulor Road, Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State
- General Maintenance of Umuahia – Bende – Ohafia Road Route No.421 (F.107) In Abia State
- Construction of a Block Of 2 Classrooms at Umuimenyi Secondary Technical School, Nkpa In Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State
- Renovation of Classrooms at Community Primary School Apuanu Item, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Renovation of a Block Of 2 Classrooms with Office and Provision of Furniture at Nkpa Central School, Nkpa, Umuhu, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Provision of Classrooms Furniture to Ubibia Central School, Ubibia, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Provision of Classrooms Furniture to Onu-Ibina Primary School 1, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Provision of Classrooms Furniture at Over Rail Primary School 1, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Provision of Furniture at Ozuitem Central School Ozuitem, Bende LGA
- Renovation of a Block of 2 Classrooms with Office, Store And
- Provision of Furniture at Township School Bende, Uzuakoli, Umuhu Bende LGA, Abia State
- Renovation of a Block of 2 Classrooms with Office, Store And
- Provision of Furniture at Nkpa Central School, Nkpa, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Construction of a Block of 2 Classrooms with Office, Store and Furniture at Ubibia Central School 1, Ubibia, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Construction of a Block of 2 Classrooms with Office, Store and Furniture at Onu-Ibina Primary School 1, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Provision of Furniture at Ozuitem Central School, Ozuitem, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Provision of Furniture at Over Rail Primary School 1, Bende, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Provision of Classrooms Furniture to Ubibia Central School 1, Ubibia, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Provision of Classrooms Furniture to Onu-Ibina Primary School 1, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Provision of Infrastructural Materials, Textbooks.
- Student bursary for 400 Students across Bende Federal Constituency.
- Furnishing and Equipment at Central School 1, Bende LGA, Abia State
- Health Insurance Scheme for Bende providing 90% subsidized healthcare for over 500 Bende indigenes.
- Training and empowerment of Bende indigenes on poultry farming including
- the distribution of;
-
- 20,000 birds
- 1000 bags of bird feed
- 100 birdcage
- 100 bird drinkers and feeders
- COVID-19 Interventions, palliatives, awareness and training: Training of Health Workers, distribution of food items, sensitization of constituents with billboards, radio jingles, distribution of over 10,000 hand sanitizers, face masks, hand gloves, community washing points around the constituency, provision of four emergency COVID-19 Vehicles
- Donation of 27 motorbikes and 13 tricycles (Keke Napep) to various wards in Bende to curb insecurity and improve transportation in Bende.
- Solar-powered borehole drilling commenced in Ovum Ugwu, Nkpa, and 2 other communities in Bende North and Bende South.
- Secured approval to build a solar farm to house a mini-grid for energy supply in Bende.The facility will provide light for 25 years non-stop, away from the national grid.
- Abia Electric transformer to Item, Bende, LGA, Abia State
- Rehabilitation of Uche-Ebiri hall in Igbere
- Renovation of Agbamuzu town hall
BILLS:
As a proactive legislator, in two years he has sponsored over 40 bills on the floor of the House of Representatives including the very first bill of the 9th House.
These bills include;
▪ Acts Authentication Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019
▪ Nigerian Meteorological Agency Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019
▪ Nigerian Communications Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019
▪ Federal Capital Territory Education Resource Centre (Est.) Bill, 2019
▪ Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019
▪ Export Prohibition Act (Repeal) Bill, 2019
▪ Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2019
▪ Investment and Securities Act (Repeal and Re- enactment) Bill, 2019
▪ Foreign Service Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2019
▪ National Planning Process Bill, 2019
▪ Entrepreneurship Development Bank of Nigeria Bill, 2019
▪ Patents (Additional Rights) Bill, 2019
▪ Unclaimed Dividends Trust Fund Bill, 2019
▪ Statutory Bodies (Annual Reports, etc.) Bill, 2019
▪ Federal Character Commission Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019
▪ Internal Loans (Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Development) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019
▪ Public Accounts Implementation Tribunal Act (Repeal) Bill, 2019
▪ Official Secrets Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019
▪ National Inspector-General for Tax Crime Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2019
▪ Federal College of Education, Bende (Establishment, etc.) Bill, 2020
▪ Federal College of Land Resources, Igbere (Establishment, etc.) Bill, 2020
▪ Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020
▪ Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020
▪ Dangerous Drugs Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020
▪ Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu (Establishment, etc.) Bill, 2020
▪ Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Owerri (Establishment, etc.) Bill, 2020
▪ Interpretation Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020
▪ Epidemiologist-General of the Federation of Nigeria (Est. etc.) Bill, 2020
▪ Nigerian Street-Trading Regulatory Commission (Est., etc.) Bill, 2020
▪ Constitution of the Federal Republic of
▪ Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2020
▪ Legal Aid Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020
▪ Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) Bill, 2020
▪ Oil and Gas Free Zones Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill
▪ Petroleum Technology Development Fund Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill
▪ Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020
▪ Nigeria Special Economic Zones Authority Bill, 2020
▪ Chartered Institute of Cooperatives and Social Enterprise Management (Est.) Bill, 2020
▪ Federal College of Education, Bende. (Establishment) Bill, 2020
MOTIONS: He has also moved 17 motions on the floor of the House:
▪ Need to Combat Threatening Degradation in Nkpa, Bende, Itumbuzo, Alayi, and Other Communities Across the Country
▪ Breach of Privilege of the House of Representatives Brought Pursuant to Order 6 of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives and Section 17 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2018
▪ Need to Suspend the Implementation of the Cashless Policy on Deposits by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
▪ Urgent Need to Ensure Speedy Reconstruction of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Runway and Installation of Landing Aids
▪ Urgent Need to Combat Severe Landslide and Other Threatening Environmental Degradation in Alayi and Other Communities in Bende Federal Constituency
▪ Need to Investigate the Failure and Refusal of the Niger-Delta Development Commission to Submit its Budget Estimates for 2019 to the National Assembly for Approval
▪ Urgent Need to Investigate the ‘Deep Blue’ Contract of
▪ $195,300,000 Between the Federal Ministry of Transport and HSL International Limited and the Alleged Use of Cabotage Funds to Service the Contract
▪ Need to Increase the Government’s Funding of Nigeria’s Health Sector
▪ Need to Investigate the Alleged Violation of Labour Laws by International Oil Companies (IOCs)
▪ Coronavirus: Urgent Need to Evacuate Over 65 Nigerians From the City of Wuhan and the Wider Hubei Province in the People’s Republic of China
▪ Maltreatment and Institutional Racial Discrimination Against Nigerians Living in China by the Government of China
▪ Need to Curb the Rising Incidences of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Related Explosions Nationwide
▪ Need to Suspend the Proposed Recapitalization of Insurance Companies, Insurance Intermediaries and other Players in the Insurance Sector in View of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Economic Recession
▪ A Call on the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) to Suspend the Directive to Stop the Use of Barges for Evacuation of Containers Into and Out of Nigerian Ports
▪ Need to Investigate the Non-Payment of PPPRA Administrative Charge on Imported Refined Petroleum Products by members of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) since 2015
▪ The Need for urgent intervention in the Public Health Crises of Tuberculosis in Nigeria.
ACCOUNTABILITY: With his weekly radio program ‘BEN KALU’S MANDATE’ He ensures that he gives Bende Constituents a detailed analysis of his weekly activities and welcomes all kinds of contributions and questions from the constituents and beyond.
Ben Kalu’s Mandate airs every Tuesday on Flo 94.9 Fm, replayed on Family love Fm.
It is also streamed online by ABN TV.
The vision of the BEN KALU MOVEMENT, built on the foundation of the Community Spirit remains to serve the people who he has been elected to lead. UTABIRI BENDE as he is called stands firm, unwavering in this commitment to delivering selfless leadership that will continually leave smiles on the faces of everyone who experiences it. He remains committed to good governance not just to the people of Bende but also in Abia State, putting the people first before party politics. As he believes that after politics comes governance.
