The people of Aniocha North Constituency from various communities, on Monday 7th February, 2022, freely expressed themselves in appreciation to Hon. Engr. Emmanuel Emeka Nwaobi, Member representing Aniocha North Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly, for the avalanche of projects sited in their communities.
It was indeed a day of reckoning as the lawmaker and his team visited various project sites within his Constituency to inspect both completed and ongoing projects, attracted from government by him, for which he has been acknowledged to have performed excellently well.
At Ezi Secondary Commercial School, Ezi, where he started his project inspection tour, Hon. Nwaobi expressed dissatisfaction over the already completed two blocks of six classrooms, thereby directing the Principal to write to the Ministry of Education and copy him to enable him follow up, so that the contractor can come back to correct the defects in the project. However, for the ongoing Library building in the school, he expressed satisfaction and urged the contractor to ensure that the project is completed in record time and based on specification.
The Principal of the School, Mr. Benjamin Ugwu, was full of praises for Hon. Nwaobi, whom he said came to their rescue at a time it looked like all hopes were lost, thereby promising to ensure adequate utilisation of the buildings to the benefit of the students and community at large.
At the Martin College Issele-Uku, where three projects were sited; a block of six classrooms building has been completed, about three hundred chairs and tables have already been supplied while the Laboratory Building is still ongoing and will be due for completion by the end of February.
Visibly overwhelmed by joy, the students of the school sang for Hon. Nwaobi, while the Senior Prefect, Miss Eziri Nmesoma, appreciated him for giving them a reason to study in a conducive environment so as to perform better in their academics.
The Principal of the School, Mrs. Obota Mary, affirmed that the joy of the students of Martin College Issele-Uku, especially the senior ones knew no bounds, because according to her, the laboratory was written off but has come alive through the benevolence of Honourable Nwaobi. She said, “with this six classroom block, laboratory building and furniture already supplied, we now have a conducive environment to work, hoping that the effect willl manifest in the output of the students”.
At Ezechima Grammar School, Obior, the students and teachers turned their appreciation into prayers, asking God to lift Nwaobi higher and endow him with more resources to accomplish more for the people.
Both Miss Okolie Fumnanya and Master Kenneth Benedict, Head Girl and Senior Prefect respectively commended Hon. Nwaobi for remembering the school with a brand new block of classrooms and a state-of-the-art laboratory building.
Their Principal, Mrs. Ogbein Helen commended Nwaobi for his effort in bringing out the environmental beauty of the school with brand new buildings, maintaining that such would boost the academic performance of the students as they put the laboratory equipment to judicious use ahead of their examinations.
The Councillor representing the Ward, Mr. Hilary Okafor was elated that such magnitude of project was graciously sited in his domain by Hon. Nwaobi, praying GOD to lift him to higher heights in his political career. He pledged to liaise with the Obior community leadership in order to engage the vigilance group to protect the project and already supplied equipment against any form of theft.
It was sad though to note that thieves made entry into the laboratory building to steal and ended up vandalising the ceiling in addition to carting away some of the school’s property. However, Nwaobi has advised the school management to involve the PTA and community in protecting the school and its property, while also assuring them of support to provide some of the essential needs of the school not captured in the BOQ.
At Aniugo Primary School, Aniofu, the only functional building in the school is the one built by the Honourable Member, which the Headmistress, Mrs. Moemeke P. O. was exceptionally grateful for. She stated that anybody with thinking faculty does not need a soothsayer to see that Nwaobi was the reason the school was still in existence, because it would have been difficult continuing with academics in the school without a building.
In addition to the Headmistress commending Nwaobi, the Councillor representing Ward 10 (Ugboko and Aniofu), Hon. Ifeanyi Anazia said that what Nwaobi has done has really changed the perception of the people of Aniofu, insisting that politics apart, nobody would dare want to discredit the Honourable Member in the community.
He affirmed that it is evident that only Nwaobi as a State Legislator, has a record of building structures in the primary schools in Aniofu and Idumuje-Ugboko communities, both in the same ward; therefore he asked GOD to replenish him and continue to give him victory against his detractors.
The final school among those visited, during the Constituency projects inspection, was the Ohe Primary School, Ugbodu.
At the school, the pupils as well as teachers were pleased to receive Hon. Nwaobi and had the first hand opportunity of appreciating him for a job well done.
The Head Teacher, Mrs. Mary Agiliga Nwaofude said, she was particularly impressed that the man who has brought development to the school she heads is her son and brother.
“He didn’t do all these in his place alone, but he did them here and many other places so that every community would benefit from his all inclusive representation. We appreciate him and pray to God to continue to give him victories in future elections, because we know that when he is there, more people and communities will definitely benefit from the dividends of democracy”, Mrs. Nwaofude stated.
The Councillor Ward 13, Hon. Solomon Bamisetimi eulogized Nwaobi, boasting that the school is beautiful and spacious enough to accommodate a campus.
He said that nobody can beat the record of Nwaobi as far as the school is concerned in Ugbodu, revealing that out of the four existing buildings therein, Nwaobi alone built three. One was attracted when he was not even a member of the State House of Assembly while the other two were built as part of his Constituency Projects, and they are the ones still remaining new and functional in the school.
On the part of the contractor, Mr. Emmanuel Eziuzor, he said he was honoured to work with Hon. Nwaobi who himself is an Engineer.
He described the inspection tour as worthwhile for the purpose of correcting any noticeable defect, which according to him, he has taken record of areas to amend.
Mr. Eziuzor assured that the remaining ongoing projects would be completed on or before the ending of the month of February.
He also called on the School Management and communities to endeavour to embark on maintenance as soon as the projects are handed over to them, advising that such is the only way to guarantee the life span of the projects.
From Ugbodu, the inspection team moved back to Issele-Uku to inspect Umueze Road, another star project of Nwaobi, which was completed during the peak period of Covid-19. The road with two side drain impressed Nwaobi who took time to inspect it, and also glad that some persons had even named their own streets along the road, because through the road, they can now access their own streets and houses.
In his brief address to tour journalists, Nwaobi said that he has learnt not to defend anything in politics by mere words but by showcasing projects he has done with pictures and video evidence.
According to him, “I have a mandate which the good people of Aniocha North Constituency willingly gave to me. I cannot possibly turn back and pay them with lies. I have a purpose in leadership and governance, which is to make laws for the overall good of Deltans, which Aniocha North constituents are part of. The next agenda is to use lobbying, which is part of the functionality of my office to ensure that budgetary provisions are made in favour of my Constituency and that I follow it through with the Executive Arm to ensure their approval and implementation.
“By the Grace of GOD, for the few years I have been in office, I have been able to positively touch virtually all communities in my Constituency, except Ubulubu, Ugboba and Ogodor because of their difficult terrains and unease accessing those communities. Albeit, I have on different occasions graded their roads on self-help to provide succour for the people both before my assumption of office and while in office.
Arising from the above fact, I have had a very meaningful discussion with the Governor on the issue of the road linking Obomkpa and Ogodor for the benefit of the communities along that axis. The road has so far been scoped and the Bill ready, awaiting award.
“I know that our people appreciate my modest but laudable efforts. From the calls I receive, the letters I got, the awards bestowed on me and many more, I am encouraged to continue to represent my people adequately.
“Again, the more one is in the Legislature, the more experienced one gets for the understanding of the processes of lawmaking and politics of attracting the goods of democracy. We need to sustain the mandate to be able to attract more dividends of democracy to our people and Constituency.
“Nonetheless, we cannot also achieve all that we have achieved without the sterling leadership qualities of the Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa in line with the focus of PDP as the ruling party. I want to specially commend the Governor for being there for me and always acceding to my demands to do one project or the other in my Constituency. It takes relationship beyond mere political imagination to achieve some of the things I have achieved with Okowa as the Executive Governor of Delta State.
“On this note, I say that I am happy that in record time, I have been able to accomplish so much for my people. The evidence is clear and visible for all to see. And I urge my people to stay on with their support and cooperation to me; and together, we will achieve more going forward”, Nwaobi promised.