Author: Drum Africa
My Dear People of Bende, HAPPY EASTER CELEBRATIONS I join you in the commemoration of the resurrection of our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ, this Easter. It is true that this holy occasion comes at an embattled time for our people and our nation, however, I enjoin all sons and daughters of Bende to intensify prayers as we fight to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and restore economic stability to all parts of the country. I also urge us all, in the spirit of Romans 13: 1-2 and 1 Peter 2: 13, to continue to cooperate with the Government in…
April 9, 2020 For Immediate Release RE: SLANDEROUS PUBLICATION BY MADAM MARYAM UWAIS AND SAHARA REPORTERS Our attention has been drawn to the misleading and slanderous publications of Madam Maryam Uwais MFR and Sahara Reporters both published on April 8, 2020 regarding the implementation of the National Social Investment Programs (NSIPs), the National Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, including the development of the National Social Register (NSR). The insinuations in the above mentioned publications that the 9th House of Representatives labeled the NSIPs as a failure and a scam are incorrect and untrue. So also are the insinuations that the 9th…
Yesterday, the federal government (FG) through Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), announced that it had begun moves to evacuate and quarantine Nigerians stranded abroad amid the Coronavirus pandemic. This may have come as a vindication for Rep. Benjamin Kalu, the spokesperson of the House of Representatives. Recall that exactly 3 months ago, on February 4, 2020, Nigerians, at home and in diaspora watched as a mild drama ensued on the floor of the House of Representatives. Via a motion of urgent public importance, Rep. Kalu of Bende Federal Constituency had called for the FG’s…
28-03-2020 PRESS RELEASE: STIMULUS PACKAGE AND SAFETY MEASURES AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC Dear People of Bende, a few months ago, the world began to experience the ravaging effects of COVID-19, a new and highly contagious strain of Coronavirus which attacks the respiratory system of infected persons. Unfortunately, this virus pandemic has now reached our shores with 89 confirmed cases in Nigeria as at the time of this release. In order to curtail the spread of the virus, there is a need to comply with all protocols and guidelines issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as well the…
PRESS RELEASE: CAR DELIVERY: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NOT DISTRIBUTING CARS (…as NASS and Executive already approve funds for NCDC, Lagos state, Health Workers, etc) It has come to the attention of the House of Representatives that a newspaper report on Friday, March 27, 2020, had insinuated that the Green Chamber is distributing official vehicles for the 360 members of the House at this critical moment that the country is battling to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. This story is rather unfortunate at this time that Nigeria and Nigerians are striving hard to address the pandemic that has forced the Federal Government,…
The House of Representatives, in plenary on Tuesday the 3rd of March, 2020, considered a motion on the urgent need for emergency response and need to contain the deadly coronavirus in Nigeria. The motion was thoroughly debated and passed. Some of the prayers include the need for the leadership of the National Assembly to set up an ad-hoc committee to liaise with the relevant health agencies to ensure efforts to combat the virus are intensified. The House also called for a better orientation of the disease by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture through relevant media outfits to keep…
Rep. Benjamin O. Kalu, member representing Bende Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives has stated that APC will participate in the coming local government elections in Abia State. He made this statement while receiving aspirants in the local government elections in Bende LGA who paid him a courtesy call to rob minds with him on the way forward for the party in the federal constituency. He also used the opportunity to call on all APC leaders in Abia State to arise and build from the ward level by ensuring that their candidates win the Councillors’ election as well as…
The Office of Rep. Benjamin Kalu (MHR), spokesperson of the House and Member representing Bende Federal Constituency in the National Assembly has come out to refute an online publication alleging his interest to replace Dr. Orji Kalu in the Senate. In a press release signed by the legislator’s Special Adviser on New Media and reproduced below, the office denied the contents of the publication describing it as sponsored by political desperadoes, whose self-validation is attached to the offices they occupy rather than in the fulfilment of the mandate of such office. February 27, 2020 PRESS RELEASE (FOR IMMEDIATE…
Of all three arms of government, the legislature does not necessarily fare well when it comes to approval ratings. This image problem is not peculiar to Nigeria. There are so few countries in the world where the legislature as an institution enjoys good popularity; including the United States of America which we often hail as the most ideal democracy. A Gallup poll shows that only 20% of Americans approve of Congress. In fact, in over 10 years, the Congress has not enjoyed up to a 30% approval rating and according to the Pew Research Center, only 17% of Americans currently…
PRESS RELEASE THE UMUAHIA-BENDE-OHAFIA ROAD: Hon. Minister Batatunde Raji Fashola- the pride of public service The Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia federal road repairs contract was a product of a motion sponsored and amended by the relevant representatives cutting across Ikwuano Umuahia, Bende and Arochukwu-Ohafia federal constituencies. The road belonged to three federal constituencies. Upon resumption of duties, Rep. Benjamin Kalu (MHR), representing Bende Federal Constituency observed that only Lot 1 of the Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia road project had been captured in the capital budget of 2019. Upon further inquiry, it was discovered that the engineering drawing sent for the Lot 1 was only for the…