Honorable Barrister Jerry Uzosike, the member representing Umuahia South State Constituency, in the Abia State 7th House of Assembly, has given account of his stewardship as a legislator.
Hon, Uzosike who has stayed 2 years in office, gave the assessment on Thursday, while featuring on AFTELEVISION Audience Interaction Programme ‘Focal Point’.
The lawmaker noted that he has sponsored and co-sponsored so many bills and motions including projects.
“The basic duty of a legislator is law making and we have not been found wanting in that issue. My private bill was among the first that was passed by the 7th assembly (bill establishing Donor Agencies in Abia State).
He noted that the bill was initiated after considering the setback in resources experienced by the state after borrowing funds from commercial banks to pay counterpart funds to access grants for projects.
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“basically you need to pay counterpart fund for most of them to come. So I felt that states borrowing from commercial banks to pay counterpart funds to access these funds with the associated 25 to 30% interest, it helps to lean the meager state resources. I felt, let there be a law that will bring a level of discipline; a specified amount will be coming out and be set aside from consolidated revenue of the state so that any governor that comes, if anybody wants you to pay counterparts funds for any grant, you just go there, take it and pay without borrowing “
Speaking on a motion he moved to make History a compulsory subject in Abia Primary and Secondary schools, the lawmaker said;
“ I sponsored that motion because I felt that people who do not know where they are coming from will definitely not know where they are and they can’t actually project where they are going. And I felt our youngsters need to know who they are. There’s actually who an Igbo man is; I felt that we’ve lost trace and people no longer know those things we cherish and value; how did we survive the Biafran- Nigerian war? What made us to survive?
He added that a follow up for implementation is on ground to ensure that history is taught in Abia schools.
Other achievements of Jerry Uzosike include; Motions on bad roads, gully erosions in Umunwanwa, Olokoro, empowering business owners who were affected by COVID-19 with brand new generator sets, 125 deep freezers, drilling of borehole connected to the national grid for clean water supply in the markets, building of classroom blocks and houses for widows, etc in Olokoro, Umuopara and Ubakala.
According to the Honorable, his constituents trusted and voted him, therefore he resolved to keep to his campaign promises and also meet the basic needs of his people; house, food and clothing.
He revealed that he relies on his salaries and allowances to implement these projects, adding that the state government is yet to give him allowance for constituency projects, however, the governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, supports the 7th assembly.
He affirmed that the 7th assembly has done well in legislation, over sight, projects, etc. According to him, the likes of himself, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Enyinnaya Orji, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe and others have raised the stake of legislation with their achievements.
