Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has become a household name ever since he got to the House of Representatives for the first time. He became the House spokesperson and largely the face of the 9th House. Hon. Ben’s dexterity with task, his command of the queen’s language, his handsome looks, height, neatness and impeccable dress sense will make any Abian, if not jealous to be proud of him.
Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu’s performance was even better in comparison with his handsome looks, whether it was in Youth employment, scholarship to intelligent or indigent students, payment of Hospital bills, massive Road construction, construction of Bridges within and around Bende Federal Constituency; Ben stood out.
I missed the class of highly celebrated Federal House of Representatives Members Abia had in the 9th NASS, those were glorious days. The proficient Hon. Uko Nkole was representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal constituency where he performed exceptionally well with plenty federal jobs secured for young people of his constituency, mega construction of Roads, Bridges, Hospitals, Classrooms, Houses for the poor, Award of scholarships, gifting school materials etc; the shoes he left behind cannot be filled with palliative cassava stems. Even the present Governor, Mr. Otti has approached FMW for continuation of the OMENUKO, IGWU Bridge with was attracted by Rt. Hon. Nkole and construction gone to some appreciable level. There is a reason, Hon. Nkole is nicknamed Mr. Projects.
During the 9th House of Representatives, Isuikwuato-Umunneochi Federal Constituency was a beehive of activities and a construction site of sort, represented by the accomplished Abia political Amazon, the delectable Hon. Barr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha. Active gully erosion sites were permanently controlled, many failed Bridges were fixed, Road construction was massive as many Isuikwuato and Umunneochi communities benefited, Aviation school, Polytechnic, Federal jobs, sustainable employment were hallmarks that defined Adaejiagamba’s era in the National Assembly, House of Representatives.
Unfortunately, Abia lost most of her quality representatives due to “obedient wave” that brought in all manners of character. Presently, Federal House of Representatives projects for constituencies ridiculously dropped from massive construction of Infrastructure to gathering a bunch of poor rural dwellers and gifting them “aki na ukwa”, “okpa”, “aki ilu” etc. Tagged palliative items.
Recently, these bench warmers latched on the comical creation of state frenzy just to cover their inactivity and lowest performance rating in the House. Of course all the noise about creation of state and LGAs died as quickly as it came; these guys were only looking for means to register their names in the media, but deep inside them they knew states are not created by such senseless multiple bifurcations when existing ones are struggling to get by.
It is therefore imperative, in my considered view to state categorically that Mr. Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has done exceedingly well both in his first and current time at the NationalAssembly. Anyone who is yet to give Federal jobs to more than 300 Abia youths shouldn’t join the conversation. Ben is in a class of his own in quality representation.
Nevertheless, I am strongly disagreeing with the Honorable Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu on his submission that Mr. Otti is doing well. I wish to question on what parameters did he weigh Otti’s performance to arrive at such perverse and outrageous conclusion.
It is on record that Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu currently has about 2000 Abians under his direct payroll, has secured good Federal jobs for over 300 to 500 Abians, while Mr. Otti has sacked over 20, 000 and still ready to sack more. How does sacking of poor Abia workers become performing well?
Mr. Deputy Speaker, many of the roads you attracted are still standing four years after, the cost of each of those roads were public knowledge, award of contracts was by open bidding, whereas Mr. Otti has shrouded cost of his contracts and process of award in total secrecy. Does lack of transparency and accountability translate to performing well?
Dear, Mr. Deputy Speaker sir, your party APC through the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has released a total of over N400 billion through FAAC, JAAC, Palliatives to Otti’s Abia State but with practically no infrastructure of value located anywhere in Abia that is worth the humongous amounts APC Federal Government has released to Abia; where lies the performance?
APC Federal Government negotiated N70k new national minimum wage, FG has started paying with arrears, other state Govenors both APC and PDP have started paying or agreed to pay but the “deadbeat” Abia Govenor who bragged to be first to pay has since gone cold; do you still believe your friend is doing well?
Wage Award for Abia workers is only coming now, more than 14 months after FG initiated it at N15k for just 3 months, when hunger has already shown workers “shege”, other states including APC Federal Government paid N35k regularly; how does this mean doing well?
Sir, It is also on record that you work with folks who helped you win election as there is no scarcity of quality people in Abia, you didn’t abandon your people because you won election to import strange fellows from Europe and America to take up jobs. Move around the streets of Umuahia, leisure outfits and relaxation joints are closing shop. There is no money anywhere, only contractors and a few imported aides who are not resident in Abia are “wadded”. Why is your friend starving Umuahia of its status as a state capital?, Nvosi is not the seat of government.
Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu, I am aware and have physically seen your Road projects scattered all over Bende Federal Constituency, can you ask your friend to show us where he built the N6billion RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, the N7billion RESEARCH lab, who benefited from his N3billion CAPACITY BUILDING, N4.6billion Agricultural seedlings, N4billion Women development, N3.6 ICT Infrastructure, N11.9 billion EDUCATIONAL facilities and all other spurious expenditure contained in Otti’s government quarterly reports. Mr. Otti your friend cannot be performing well if he cannot show Abians where these Infrastructure are located. I have even used NATIVE SENSE to search for them to no avail.
Mr. Deputy Speaker sir, can you advise your friend Mr. Otti to quickly pay attention to the Specialist and Mother& Child hospitals he has left to rot away, the ENYIMBA shoe factory and the garment factory are also begging for attention, those two outfits can engage over 200 Abia youths. Well, Otti says, employment is not his priority.
If Otti your friend is performing well, why are Abians yet to see a single investor come into Abia state? Why is he borrowing so much instead of improve the state’s IGR- addition of students’ school fees, registration fee, matriculation fee, exam fee- are not IGR; they are retained by institutions and Parastatals for their operational cost.
Finally sir, it is good to boldly express your party’s readiness to take over Abia government House come 2027, but be rest assured that my party the PDP is strong and more ready to take over Abia government House again and bring back the better days of plenty where everyone prospered, unlike under Otti’s Labour Party where only contractors flourished by raking in N 6 billion for a kilometer of Road and Governor’s office serviced with N9.9MILLION daily under 9 months.
Notwithstanding personal relationships; the main function of the Opposition is to critically but logically hold government in power accountable. However, I hope to see more robust opposition coming from the APC in days to come, if it wishes to drive Otti from the Abia government House.
Rt. Hon. Kalu sir, who becomes Governor matters, we cannot afford to have someone again with divisive mindset of ‘we’ against ‘them’ and social class war/ consciousness of Billionaires vs none Billionaires.
Keeping it honest.
