By ABUBAKAR YUSUF

The applause of the maiden town hall meeting organised by the member, representing Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro Federal Constituency in Kogi State, Hon Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali, Chairman House Committee On Steel Development, to present his mid-term report card and stewardship to the good people of his constituency was a record-breaking event, not only alien to his constituents, but the entire Kogi East at large.

Rather than using the period for the celebration of the festival when politicians are subjected to different colour, shape and form of praise singing and sycophancy, his decision to present his constituents with impactful report card, has become another visible approach to our political evolution in Ankpa Federal Constituency.

This is also coming at a time when many elected representatives shy away from their constituency under the premise of one economic downturn or the other, but the federal lawmaker made it a duty upon himself to render his all-encompassing stewardship to his people.

Since to whom much is given, much is expected, and as a child that washes his hands clean could dine with elders, the federal lawmaker went beyond party lines to render his stewardship to the generality of his people.

He touched on his role as a federal lawmaker charged with statutorily attend all plenary, committees, presentation of bills and motions as well as contributions to same through observation and others.

The midterm report took place on July 20-23, 2021 at Omala, Ankpa and Olamaboro Federal Constituency of Kogi State.

Halims, as he is popularly called, was to his constituents alive to his statutory responsibility to ensure that Ankpa Federal Constituency is carried along in quest for nation’s development.

His approach to creating empowerment, employment, engagement, creation of opportunities not only to his constituents, is geared to ensure that all federal government programs due for his constituents are religiously and judiciously explored and shared among his people.

Hon Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali did not settle down for the business of lawmaking when he embarked on series of programs that covered Education, Agriculture, Health, Electrification, Rural Roads, Water, Skill Development, Capacity Building/Awareness, as well as Micro, Small and Macro Economic Development of his people.

Hence, in the last two years, issues that boarder on children school drop-out had reduced to the barest minimum in spite of COVID-19 pandemic with its multiple waves, with his comprehensive back-to-school program through provision of basic school infrastructure.

Ibrahim Ali also launched a well thought out agricultural program with distribution of fertilizers, agriculture equipment, provision of modern seeds and seedlings as well as insecticides. This took him to broker partnership with NALDA to improve both mechanized and subsistence farming in Ankpa Federal Constituency.

His quest to ensure good and healthy living for his people ensured his Interventions program as part of his constituency projects and provided both drugs and hospital equipment to Primary Health Centres (PHC) and some major hospitals in his constituency.

The need for a healthy living also led to the provision of pipe borne water through boreholes earmarked for all the wards in the constituency, provision of transformers for electricity, as well as open up of rural roads to assist villagers and farmers to move farm products from the rural communities to urban areas.

In a modest world, skill acquisition, development, capacity building and awareness has become the other of the day, as alternative route to white collar jobs, this he engaged his constituents in the last two years.

In his quest to distance idleness, indolence and provision of basic amenities in his constituency, Hon Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali also provided another outlet of engagement by providing micro and macro-economic activities, through provision of seeds that engaged the people of the area into small scale businesses, as SMEs is a new trend globally.

He embarked on empowerment outlets through provision of motorcycles, tricycles, grinding machines, dryers to create multiple engagements to the people of Ankpa Federal Constituency.

Halims contributions to national issues and discourse saw him lending voices to the extension of Makurdi-Adoka-Ojoku roads to Abejukolo, rehabilitation of major federal roads, reactivation of moribund ASCO so as to create employment opportunities to the people.

Alas, his transparent and accountable approach to elected office adopted by Hon Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali is unique and served as an encouragement that encouraged his desire to continue to be accountable to his constituents.

He also used the opportunity to brief the people on his plans to improve on the existing successes recorded in the last two years, so as to chart a new chapter of more development to the people of the areas.

With determination and drive to achieve the desired social equilibrium, Hon Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali is poised to achieve total emancipation of his constituents.

The positive development achieved on the last two years is an impetus and indicator that gives room for continuity and seamless transition towards returning the Federal Lawmaker in 2023.

This could be achieved using the current achievements and development template adopted by Hon Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali.

•Yusuf writes from Abuja.

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