Senator Abatemi-Usman Presents Mid-Term Scorecard
Vice Chairman Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has held a second year constituency briefing to present his scorecard to his constituents.
The event which saw crowd of people from the five local government councils within the district took place at the weekend in Okene, Kogi State.
Abatemi-Usman at the occasion highlighted his efforts and achievements in the last two years, as contained in a publication distributed to the people.
Thanking the people for considering him fit for the exalted position of a Senator, which is invariably the highest political office in the senatorial district, he said: “How time flies! Much has been achieved since I started this journey for you, and it is time to fulfill the promise that I made to be accountable to you. We have put together this publication to share a summary of the progress made during these last two years. My focus has been upon key activities and initiatives to positively impact upon and improve lives, through community based projects, whilst championing steel production and then creating support structures and mechanisms to help uplift the local economy and self-development.”
According to the publication, one of the key efforts of the youngest Senator is the push for the revival and full operation of Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASCO) and National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO), Itakpe. This resulted in the disbandment of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) and appointment of sole administrators for the two firms, with a seasoned metallurgical engineer, Joseph Isah Onobere, a Kogi State indigene of Ebira extraction as ASCO boss.
The publication showed pictures of transformers and boreholes (hand-pump and motorized) provided for different communities across the district, while also pushing for the construction of Ekuku and Osara dams to solve the perennial water problem in Ebiraland.
Other efforts of the Senator include the setting up of an NGO designed to equip his people with the necessary skills, support and management required for effective wealth creation; the push for the employment of about 100 members of his constituency in various agencies of government; inclusion of the construction of a primary healthcare centre for the people of Upake community in Ajaokuta Local Government and completion of the abandoned NTA sub-station at Okene in the 2013 budget as well as sponsorship of three significant bills which have all passed second reading.
Chairman of the occasion and Secretary to Kogi State Government, Professor Olugbemiro Jegede, Kogi Speaker, Hon. Jimoh Lawal, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Ado Ibrahim, Secretary-General of African Iron and Steel Association, Dr. Mahammed Sanusi, in their separate remarks, commended Abatemi-Usman's effort, while imploring the people to continue to support him.
MICHAEL JEGEDE
SPECIAL ASSISTANT ON MEDIA AND
PUBLICITY TO SENATOR
NURUDEEN ABATEMI-USMAN