Some constituents of Ukwa Federal Constituency, Abia State, have expressed dismay over the abysmal performance of their representative, Chief Uzoma Nkem Abonta at the Federal House of Representatives.
The people alleged that for the past 14 years the lawmaker has been at the nation’s lower chamber, the constituency is yet to feel the impact of his representation and therefore hinted of moves to recall him.
According to them, there is no single block laid in the constituency as constituency project attracted by Hon. Abonta to justify the mandate given to him by the people. What annoyed the people most was the comment by the lawmaker at Ndoki Union annual summit where he told the Ukwa people that they cannot eat their cakes and have it over their complain on the deplorable state of Obehie-Azumini road.
Rep. Uzoma Nkem Abonta
Abonta had at that Summit, accused Ukwa people of sabotaging the construction work on the road attracted by him by erecting 121 imaginary shrines, 87 markets and 129 filling stations among others and demanded unreasonable compensation when the contract had already been awarded thereby hindering work on the road.
Some of those irked by the comment wondered how a true representative of the people can argue and reason in that manner instead of negotiating a way construction work on the project can resume if compensation.
One of the respondents and a foremost illustrious son of Ukwa land who pleaded anonymity disclosed that there are plans to recall the member representing Ukwa Federal Constituency, Rep Abonta, citing poor performance in office.
He maintained that the performance index of Hon. Chimaobi Ebisike that has spent barely one year and that of the Hon. Benjamin Kalu, a first timer as well as Hon Nkeiru Onyejeocha far out-weigh that of Rep. Abonta that has spent fourth term (14 years) in the National Assembly.
He decried the deplorable state of hospitals in Ukwa-East and Ukwa-West with no doctor on ground to attend to medical emergencies as seen in Rivers State, adding that recalling him has become eminent to avert further disastrous representation.
In his remark, Arizolam Ekeke, tongue–lashed the federal lawmaker, maintaining that it was unreasonable to accused Ukwa people of building fake shrines, markets and petrol stations in order to be compensated, insisting that he should show humility to his constituents, and convene the first town hall meeting since his 14 years in the green chambers to render stewardship to his constituents.
Also a youth activist in the area, Mr. Kingsley Nna Okadigbo accused Rep. Uzoma Abonta of not operating any functional constituency office nor organized any town hall meeting in almost 14 years of his sojourn in National Assembly, adding that Ndoki people would no longer bear his insults, intimidation, harassment and oppression against Ukwa constituents.
In his words “Ndoki and Asa clans (Ukwa people) demand explanations on the terrible state of the constituency for the past 14 years. The decades of abandoned projects and the hijack of contracts from the NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta and Imo/Rivers Basin Authority should be explained to Ukwa constituents among others.
He noted that Ukwa people would no longer tolerate his ineptitude, incompetence and anti-people pattern of representation anymore, hence, the need to recall him back from the National Assembly.
“Enough is enough. We are ready and would deploy everything legal in our arsenal to ensure his express recall”, he added.
Also, a community leader, Sir B.C Babanta described Abonta’s sojourn in National as wasted years and a gross neglect of people’s mandate.
Dr. Eleogu, Lucky Nkem from Owaza, Ukwa–West also questioned the non-completion of Obehie –Azumini road especially on the part of Ukwa –West axis, calling for more investigations.
In her submission, an illustrious daughter of Ndoki land, Lady Emily Herbert expressed hope that Ukwa people would come out of this present challenges, describing it as political and economic doldrums foist on the constituents for almost a decade and half.
Reacting to the allegation of non performance through a telephone interview, Hon. Abonta said that while he was not averse to criticism but he should not be insulted and given a bad name except the organizers have ulterior motives.
He stated that it was not true that he had no single constituency projects in Ukwa Federal Constituency especially in Ndoki land but that he has discharged his core legislative functions creditably.
On his scorecard, Hon. Abonta enumerated some of his constituency projects to include the construction of 10 roads in Ukwa East alone, disbursement of N140m through a Micro Finance bank and counterpart funding to women for trading, entrepreneurship development that distributed skills kits to youths and distribution of five transformers to some communities despite the absence of electricity in the area which he said, he is working seriously to get it restored despite the mismanagement of about N20 Million given by the state government to committee.
Hon. Abonta disclosed that more than 100 youths have benefitted from his scholarship foundation and many schools and hospitals have been renovated as part of his constituency projects as well as water projects.
He maintained that his projects are germane, indepth and enduring as they focused more on agriculture, entrepreneurial development, education and health insisting that some health centres have received ambulances from him while he also distributed 30 cars, buses and 1000 tricycles (keke) to some of his constituents.
On the contentious Obehie-Azumini road, the lawmaker said that his comment might have been an outburst but insisted that the alleged building of emergency shrines, hospitals and markets along the road were done after enumeration on the road had been done before the contract award and that some sections without such issues like the Ndoki extraction of the road has been done close to 90 percent from Obohia–Iwukem–Etimekpo with double lanes and bridges and same to Obehie- Okeikpe axis.
He maintained that it was the unreasonable demand for compensation that caused the delay as those with genuine complaints were compensated on their structures affected by the road construction.
The lawmaker said that it was wrong for anyone to brand him a total failure just simply because he does not do social media to showcase his score cards but that more than 400 persons have benefitted from his constituency projects in areas of beads and soap making, barbing, fishery, poultry, plumbing, vulcanizing, computer training among others and that even if it were not enough, it would not be wise to say he has not done anything.
He equally dismissed allegation of non convocation of stakeholders meeting when many have been called and some of the people complaining refused to attend and asked if he would forced them out of their places of abodes.
