It was Plato, a great philosopher, who once noted that ”Eventful legislation is the key to peoples expectation”.

Although not a Lawmaker in his time, but Plato, must have followed up on the Political trajectories of those era, to be able to understand what legislation meant for the people.

Today, one of such lawmakers, who is working assiduously and seriously in his legislative assignment, is no other person but the Minority Whip/member representing Arochukwu State Constituency, in the Abia House of Assembly, Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha.

Despite Court cases, which saw his position being dragged from Election Petition Tribunal in Umuahia, to the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, which ordered for a re-run in some polling units, in Arochukwu State Constituency and his final victory on the 25th of January, 2020.

Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha has remained unshakeable in his legislative assignments.

One of the things he did as soon as he took his seat on the floor of the 7th Assembly, was to move a motion, calling on his colleagues to intervene in the crises between Isu Community, in Arochukwu LGA and their neighboring Utuma/Ukwa Clan, in Biase and Odukpani LGAs of Cross River State.

This motion, was accompanied by a high powered delegation, which was put together by the Speaker Abia House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji, to meet with the Deputy Governor of Cross River State and Members of Cross River State House of Assembly, to fashion out ways to end the crises.

Among those in the delegation to Calabar on the 16th of March, 2020, include The Deputy Speaker Abia House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu, Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha and Hon. Chijioke Chukwu.

The outcome of the meeting, was quite commendable.

He had earlier, attracted the attention of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), to the Internally Displaced Persons of Isu community, and within a space of time, relief materials worth millions of naira, were provided by the two agencies to the community.

Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha, set out very early, by clearly defining his 7 Points Agenda which includes Agriculture, Affordable and Compulsory Education, Quality Health Care, Women/Youth Empowerment, Transportation/Logistics, Security and Diaspora Participation.

The people’s lawmaker, have started to tackle these Agenda one after another.

On Agriculture, he has through the CBN and NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank, facilitated the cultivation of Rice in Arochukwu, which will fully commence soon.

In this arrangement, loans will be given to Rice farmers in the area, through the NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank (a subsidiary of the CBN), to enable them produce food in abundance for the people.

Discussions are ongoing, with the CBN, to assist people of Arochukwu LGA, with a loan for the cultivation of cassava.

The Lawmaker, has attracted a 4 Class Room Block and an office at Aggrey Primary School, Ibom, Arochukwu, which has been completed.

Similar project, has been completed at Umuye Primary School, Ihechiowa and an ongoing one at Central School, Ututu, while Abam and Isu Communities, will soon benefit from the projects.

Hon. Mike Ukoha, believe in empowering the Youths so as to engage them meaningfully, this he is doing through the ongoing Financial Literacy Training, across the LGA, constituents with skills.

The training, will enable participants to access loans from NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank, to help their businesses.

On Security, the people of Isu community, are happy that their Lawmaker’s quick intervention, is yielding positive result as plans are on to build a permanent Police post with living quarters in the community, in order to bring lasting peace there.

Working harmoniously with Dr. Njoku, of Abia CSDP, the Minority Whip attracted/facilitated the sinking of a Borehole for the vulnerable women of Okpo village, in Ihechiowa.

Attracted/facilitated of about N4 Million 1.1kilometre farm road, with 2 culverts at Atani village, Arochukwu, linking up with other communities in the neighboring Akwa Ibom State. The essence of the road, is to reduce flooding in the area.

Attracted/facilitated the Construction of Amodu Ututu Road, at the cost of N3,072,690, as well as sinking of a Borehole, at N4,480,663.50, by the World Bank and Abia CSDP.

The Minority Whip, worked in partnership with the Presidents General of Development Unions in Arochukwu LGA, to enlighten the people on corona virus pandemic and the preventive measures.

He also engaged and trained Town Criers across the five clans, who went round the various communities to sensitize the people for seven consecutive days, on the preventive measures.

He provided huge relief materials, sanitizers and distributed to the five clans in Arochukwu LGA, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Vulnerable groups, the Women, 11 Wards of the Constituency etc, due to the corona virus pandemic.

In his bid to be more closer to the people, Hon. Ukoha, had held Town Hall Meetings in the five clans of Arochukwu LGA, where he discussed with the people on the challenges bedeviling them, and on how to tackle it.

This Town Hall Meeting promises to be a quarterly thing, and will be coordinated by Town Union Presidents.

During the last Christmas, some rural roads were graded in Arochukwu LGA, by Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha, for easy vehicular movement of travellers.

He worked closely with the Free Home Health Care Initiative, to educate the Elderly on the corona virus pandemic and the preventive measures and provided relief materials to them.

BILLS PRESENTED ON THE FLOOR.

H.A.B 4: The Abia State University Teaching Hospital Management Board Bill, 2019, Sponsored by Hon. Chijioke Chukwu and co-sponsored by Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha.

H.A.B 5: The Abia State Donor Agencies Trust Fund Bill, 2019, Sponsored by Hon. Jerry Uzosike and co-sponsored by Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha.

The Minority Whip, is the Chairman House Committee on Public Private Partnership/Culture & Tourism.

Some of the Committees in which he is a member, includes: Works and Project Monitoring, Civil Service Matters & Legislative Compliance, Appropriation, Agriculture, Health, Judiciary, Public Petitions among others.

It has been one year of eventful legislation and Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha is therefore urging his constituents, to be still for more is yet to come.

Chimezie Okoroafor
Media Assistant to the Minority Whip, Abia State House of Assembly
June 11th, 2020.