It was a day filled with profound joy and excitement as the Member representing Bende Federal Constituency And Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu formally flagged off the Umuimenyi Nkpa Roads/Ecological site intervention project approved by the Federal Executive Council, today August 27, 2021.
The official flag off was successfully performed by the team from the Ecological Fund Office Abuja, which included The Director, Pollution Control, Mr. Igwe Clinton who represented the Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Funds Office, Dr. Habiva Lawal, the Deputy Director, Pollution Control and Project Supervisor Mrs Kolade Esther, Project Manager, Uwemje Useh, Asst. Project Manager Engr. Aliv Madugu, Consultant, NX Engineering Consulting Services Ltd.
Also in Attendance from the State included Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, Member representing Bende North State Constituency and Minority Leader, Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Mike Ukoha, Member representing Arochukwu State Constituency, Hon. Chibuzo Solomon Okogbuo, former Minority leader, Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chukwu Ngozi Chukwu Former LG Chairman Bende LGA, Hon. Pastor Okey Ike, former TC chairman Bende LGA, Hon. John Mark, former Deputy Chairman Bende LGA,
The traditional rulers present were; Chairman, Bende Traditional Rulers Council, HRH. Eze Ukaegbu, Nkpa Traditional Rulers Council, HRH. Eze Ozigbo, Prof. Emejigwe, Leaders of APC Bende LGA amongst all other dignitaries.
The Director, Pollution Control at the Ecological Funds Office, Mr. Clinton Igwe who represented the Perm. Sec in his speech explained the details of the project, highlighting the various communities involved and time frame for its execution.
He added that the Representative in his commitment to bring this project down to Nkpa Community has been steadfast in his follow ups and communication since he moved this motion on the floor of the house. He mentioned that the Nkpa people are blessed to have a representative like Rep. Benjamin Kalu.
He encouraged the community to support the contractor who is in charge of the project. At the end of his speech, he officially handed over the site documentation and analysis to the contractor, Alhaji Nasiru Sadiq, Managing Director, Nespreaco Services Limited.
Speaking at the event, the President General Nkpa Central Development Union, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Nwaji thanked the representative for attracting such an enormous project to the Nkpa community adding that this will in no small way, improve the lives of people living there as well as enhance economic activities.
While appreciating the Representative, the former Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Imo who was also present at the event gave a stern warning to anyone who has intentions to run for the position of the Member representing Bende Federal Constituency to take a seat until the current representative decides that he is no longer interested in the position. In his words
‘No son of Nkpa community or anybody else should come out to contest for the position of representing Bende Federal Constituency until Hon. Benjamin Kalu decides he is tired of the job’
Hon. Kalu in his speech, welcomed everyone who had come to share in the joy of Nkpa as thy celebrate this special day. He highlighted that the promise being fulfilled today was a campaign promise to the Nkpa Community which was clearly written in his Manifesto. He continued that this motion was the first motion he raised on the floor of the house as it was a matter of urgency to relieve the suffering of the Nkpa people. He added :
‘This project is for erosion flood control, bridge reconstruction, and the construction of roads in Umuimenyi Nkpa, Bende Federal Constituency. It covers five communities and will fix the Nkpa bridge which remains the single most expensive unit of the project and the desire of every indigene of Umuimenyi Nkpa. It is a project spanning about 11 kilometres of road construction linking the five communities and creating access to the Enugu Port Harcourt express road. The benefits of this singular project are myriad. Upon completion, it will increase the economic activities and social life of the people of Umuimenyi Nkpa. It will also improve the security of lives and property and create more jobs for the youth of these communities. Children will return to schools, farmers to their farmlands, and women to the markets without the previous impediment caused by inaccessible roads which have increased poverty and criminality in the land.’
He acknowledged the Senator representing Abia North Senatorial Zone Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu for his efforts in development of region through the various projects he had attracted, and also the deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives and Member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Rep. Nkeiru Onyejeocha for her intervention in the ecological needs of her constituency, cooperation and support through this process.
Rep. Kalu assured the people of Nkpa community and Bende federal constituency that he will not relent in his efforts to transform the constituency adding that this is the first time Bende is experiencing such leadership in it’s existence. He thanked the President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, the Speaker House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila and Mr. Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for making this project a success. He said;
‘Today, I have a bouquet of thanks for all the hands that helped make this project possible. I must thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Federal Executive Council for approving this project. I must thank the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, for allowing me to move the motion which birthed this project in the first place. I am immensely grateful to Mr. Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for stewarding this project and for his persistent support to balance the equation in the distribution of this intervention across the affected areas without discrimination.’
The Youth leader, Hon. Kingsley Obioma in his vote of thanks expressed appreciation to the representative for fulfilling his promise to the Nkpa people promising that the youths will ensure that they support the contractor and engineers in every possible way while protecting the project as it represents their future an that of the community.
Below is a copy of the remarks delivered by Rep. Benjamin Kalu
REMARKS DELIVERED BY REP. BENJAMIN OKEZIE KALU AT THE FORMAL FLAG- OFF OF THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND ECOLOGICAL INTERVENTION AT UMUIMENY NKPA IN BENDE FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY ON AUGUST 27, 2021
(Protocols)
The events of today, are a manifestation of my promise to the people of Umuimenyi Nkpa in page 3 of my manifesto, under Infrastructure Development, Federal Presence and Urbanization. In my manifesto, I promised to attract the federal government’s intervention to construct a new bridge replacing the current Nkpa bridge. This promise was not made on a whim but from a carefully conducted needs analysis of Nkpa and the biggest challenges of its people.
Due to land degradation and gully erosions caused by climate change in Umuimenyi Nkpa, farmers had been cut off from markets, school children were unable to access their schools, sick people were cut off from proper health care, and my fellow brothers and sisters carried their dead on their head to cross flooded gullies on their way to bury them. Burdened by the suffering of the people of Nkpa, on the first day of business of the 9th National Assembly, as a first-time legislator, I moved the first motion of the National Assembly, seeking the intervention of the federal government to address the ecological challenges of the people of Umuimenyi Nkpa. Thereafter, I followed up through several engagements with the Presidency and the Ecological Funds Office.
Thankfully, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), finally approved our proposals, and today, we are here to flag off that project to the glory of God.
This project is for erosion flood control, bridge reconstruction, and the cleaner construction of roads in Umuimenyi Nkpa, Bende Federal Constituency. It covers five communities and will fix the Nkpa bridge which remains the single most expensive unit of the project and the desire of every indigene of Umuimenyi Nkpa. It is a project spanning about 11 kilometres of road construction linking the five communities and creating access to the Enugu Port Harcourt express road. The benefits of this singular project are myriad. Upon completion, it will increase the economic activities and social life of the people of Umuimenyi Nkpa. It will also improve the security of lives and property and create more jobs for the youth of these communities. Children will return to schools, farmers to their farmlands, and women to the markets without the previous impediment caused by inaccessible roads which have increased poverty and criminality in the land.
Today, I have a bouquet of thanks for all the hands that helped make this project possible. I must thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Federal Executive Council for approving this project. I must thank the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, for allowing me to move the motion which birthed this project in the first place. I am immensely grateful to Mr. Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for stewarding this project and for his persistent support to balance the equation in the distribution of this intervention across the affected areas without discrimination.
I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the exceptional professionalism of the people of the Ecological Fund Office. I commend the Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Funds Office, Dr. Habiba Lawal for her dedication and commitment to this project from 2019 to date. Her leadership and integrity can indeed be observed in the manner with which the Ecological Funds Office Staff have managed this project in the last two years.
As we flag off this project which is an intervention to the ecological challenges caused by climate change, I must seize this opportunity to mention that global warming remains a key concern for our collective future. The South Eastern region of Nigeria is especially vulnerable to sea-level rise and repeated ocean surges. There are projections that the Niger Delta could lose over 15,000km2 of land by 2100 with a one-meter rise in sea level. The biggest climate challenges to our region are land degradation, coastal and gully erosions as well as insecurity caused by tensions and apprehensions due to forced migration. According to research, there are a total of 2,300 gully erosions in the South East.
In Bende, threatening environmental degradation has caused the closure of schools, loss of homes, farms, access to water sources, need for forced resettlement, and health challenges. A few examples of this degradation include;
i. Landslide measuring about 4km and spanning 4km in Amankalu, Alayi;
ii. Etitiulo-Itumbauzo-Akwa Ibom flooding, currently affecting the livelihood of
cocoa farmers;
iii. Umuokpoamaekpu Item gully erosion;
iv. Gully erosion at Amabo Amaokwelu Ndi Ofu Uche, Bende with about 100
houses now abandoned;
v. Gully erosion at Ozuitem;
vi. Gully erosion at Ndiagwu Amaso Akafu Etiti, Bende;
vii. Gully erosion in Bende Town, Etitiulo;
viii. Gully erosion at Oba Amaewu Road, Amamba, Uzuakoli; and
ix. Gully erosion at Alayi – Okoko Item
Clearly, climate change is an existential crisis that must be taken seriously. Thankfully, leaders from this senatorial district like Senator Orji Kalu, Chief Whip of the Senate; Rep Nkiru Onyejiocha, Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives; and Dr. Uche Ogah, the Minister of State for Mining are conscious of these erosion menaces and have been working hard to make a visible impact in these areas. On my own part, as a representative of the great people of Bende Federal Constituency, I will continue to advance the collective interests, welfare, and economic development of the entire people of Bende regardless of party colours or political biases because I am first, a son and representative of Bende before the representative of a political party.
To the good people of Umuimenyi Nkpa, I say, jealously protect this project, protect the materials for this project, secure the workers who have left their families to dwell among you until this project is done. We are expectant that within sixteen months we will be commissioning this project to the glory of God.
I thank the organizers, the stakeholders, the President-General, the traditional leaders, the woman leader, the youth leader, and my All Progressive Congress party who elected me to help move Bende forward. Today we are here to join hands for community building and all hands, including yours, must be on deck. Therefore, I urge the great people of Umuimenyi Nkpa to come onboard let us make this land greater than we met it.
God bless Umuimenyi Nkpa community, God bless Bende LGA,
God bless Abia state,
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
