Distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s outspoken nature and relentless pursuit of excellence have made her a target of challenges from within the Senate.
Her refusal to be silenced, along with her unflinching commitment to representing not only the people of Kogi Central but all Nigerians, has put her at odds with some.
However, the overwhelming support she continues to receive from the public underscores the deep faith that her constituents and Nigerians place in her leadership.
Her accomplishments within her first year in office are exceptional, particularly for a first-time Senator from an opposition party.
In just one year, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan illuminated 30 kilometers of road networks across Kogi Central with over 2,000 solar-powered streetlights. She trained and empowered over 1,300 women and youth. The senator also supported the tuition fees of over 353 vulnerable indigenous students at tertiary institutions nationwide. Furthermore, she facilitated federal employment opportunities for numerous graduates and led capacity-building training and empowerment programs for many others.
Her efforts also brought reliable access to clean water for Kogi Central communities, with 12 water reticulation projects, each featuring a massive 50,000-liter solar-powered motorized water system, serving 300 locations and providing 1,800 fetching taps.
To bring legislation closer to the grassroots, Senator Natasha engaged 100 constituency aides, both men and women, across all 57 wards in Kogi Central. She distributed 12 truckloads of grains, 10,000 wrappers for women, 20,000 notebooks, 5,000 school bags, and also reconstructed and remodeled the Abdul Aziz Attah Memorial College Okene (AAAMCO), turning it into a smart school.
In addition, Senator Natasha attracted employment opportunities in both federal agencies and private organizations for over 30 graduates from her constituency.
Ihima community, which had been without a police station for the past seven years, saw Senator Natasha take action by fully reconstructing the Ihima Police Station, which was officially commissioned by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
She also distributed 4 trucks of fertilizers, totaling 2,400 bags of NPK and Urea, to Kogi Central farmers, and facilitated the free Business CAC registration of 2,500 SMEs. Senator Natasha empowered Kogi Central students from 12 selected tertiary institutions across Nigeria with multipurpose business carts and startup funds.
To bring government closer to the people, she commissioned six constituency offices across the five LGAs. She has also sponsored two motions and two bills, including the bill for the establishment of the Nigeria Gold Reserve, the bill for the establishment of the Ihima Federal Medical Centre, and motions to investigate alleged corruption and inefficiency at Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd and National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO), among others.
Additionally, she moved to rename and upgrade the Federal College of Education Okene, among various other initiatives.
Senator Natasha has provided 5,000 digital learning devices to public primary and secondary schools in Kogi Central.
For these outstanding achievements in office within such a short period, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was honored as the Senator of the Year 2024. It’s easy to understand why the attacks against her have come.
Senator Natasha is more than capable of overcoming these hurdles. The challenges she faces are simply the extortionate price she must pay for standing firm in her convictions. Her strength lies in her people, who view her as a rear gem that must be protected at all costs.
– Isah Bala writes from Abuja.
