Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

Member representing Bende Federal Constituency and Spokesperson of the House, Rep. Benjamin Kalu has celebrated the Youths of Bende and Nigeria I’m commemoration of the International Youth Day, held on the 12th of August 2022. In a statement released by the Representative, he acknowledged that the youths are an integral part of the society as they are surtees of sustainability in the nation. He added that regardless of the daunting challenges that confront them, Nigerians youths have remained relentless in their pursuit to stay purposeful, achieving the highest potentials adding that his belief in the Nigerian youth spurred him to…

The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) the elite club of professors in advanced humanities will today 11th August induct Prof.  Victor Ukaogo and thirty three other professors inside Professor JFA Ajayi auditorium,  University of Lagos at the 24th  convocation and induction ceremony  of the highly revered body. Another eleven highly revered academics including Odia Ofeimun and Akin Osuntokun will receive investiture  as Fellows of the Academy of letters. The investiture of 11 scholars and induction of 34 scholars is across disciplines commenced yesterday  through Friday,  the10th of August 2022. Akin Osuntokun and Odia Ofeimun are among the new Fellows to…

The electronic, print and online media is awash with campaign slogans, posters, bills and write-ups,  by the supporters, constituents, political jobbers, sycophants, and hangers-on of desperate politicians. These people unapologetically invaded our privacies,  inundating us with lies and often offensive materials, all in desperate attempts to sell to us, their bread-winning  candidates, most of whom only visualize their portraits in the country’s currency notes, which may be the only motivating factor in their quest for political office. Any keen observer of the political landscape in Nigeria would’ve noticed the restiveness among the electorates that which often  precedes mass democratic shifts…

Back in my days in the university in Nigeria, there was this female professor, vocal, audacious, and forthright in her dealings with everyone including the university management.  In the university senate meetings, her presence elicits a measure of dread, especially for the underperforming and ill-prepared vice-chancellor. She was reputed to have always said ‘in doing my things, I do not walk, I run. In like manner,  the spokesman of the HoR, Hon. Benjamin Kalu seem to have a verifiable disdain for walking but developed and adapted an admirable capacity to run even as a first-timer. And for three years plus,…

The House of Representatives has adopted the motion raised by the Member representing Bende Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Benjamin Kalu on the urgent need to improve the quality of malaria intervention by prioritizing local content to prevent the high mortality rate of malaria in Nigeria today, July 27, 2022. While presenting the motion to the House, the lawmaker stated that the recent 2021 Malaria Indicator survey analysis shows that Nigeria is sliding back with a parasite prevalence of 32% and the Impact of Malaria in the country has caused the country huge…

Member representing Bende Federal Constituency and Spokesperson of the House has sent his wishes to the Fmr. President General Ohaneze Ndi Igbo South African region, Chief Daniel Akwari a.k.a Osuuzor on his birthday, describing him as a true friend and dependable ally. The lawmaker in his statement appreciated Chief Akwari for his commitment to the development of Item and Bende Federal Constituency through his dedication and hard work. He prayed for God to grant him long life and good health in his journey through life. He wrote; July 27, 2022 HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHIEF DANIEL AKWARI A.K.A OSUUZOR With great delight,…

More communities like Uzuakoli, Ozuitem, Alayi, and Itumbauzo are set to receive Federal Government Intervention on the ecological needs of the community as Member representing Bende Federal Constituency and Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu draws the attention of the House to ecological problems facing these communities. You may recall that Rep. Kalu who moved the first motion of the House on ecological intervention (HM-001), in that motion drew the attention of the Federal Government to the ecological needs in various communities in Bende Federal Constituency. Fortunately, some communities such as Umuimenyi Nkpa have received interventions…

In efforts to intensify the fight against corruption in Nigeria, the bill to establish the Office of National Inspector General for Tax Crime Commission sponsored by the Member representing Bende Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Benjamin Kalu has passed through Second Reading. According to Rep. Kalu, the bill seeks to establish a system for the independent oversight of revenue collection authorities in Nigeria with the aim of promoting the economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of revenue laws, leakages, expansion of the tax net, ensuring accountability in the tax system as well…

Member representing Bende Federal Constituency and Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu is set to be awarded as the Most Outstanding Rep. Member of the Year 2022 at the 10th edition of the Democracy Heroes Awards which will be held on the 18th of August, 2022 at the Congress Hall, Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. The delegation which was led by the convener of the Awards, Mr. Olufunsho Alexandre Ajabonna paid a courtesy call to the Office of the representative to present the Certificate of Nomination to him on the 20th of July, 2022 in the National Assembly…

Member representing Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, Hon. Benjamin Kalu has threatened legal action against one Mr. Robinson Uwak, a former member of the National Assembly over alleged defamation. Hon. Kalu, spokesperson of the House of Representatives therefore demanded apology from Mr. Uwak within seven days, retraction of the libelous contents as well as deletion of all published defamatory contents online within seven days. In a letter from his legal representative, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, SAN of Ojukwu Faotu & Yusuf Chambers, the lawmaker also demanded that the apology letter be published in at least two national dailies and distributed…