Spread the love
It is basically in our culture to eulogize an achiever, then go ahead to ask for more. After elections, politics and leadership take separate ways. Leaders with the interest of people at heart, go beyond partisanship and excuses, to touch lives and build friendship.
One will be forced to ask how possible it has been for a “first timer” in the State House of Assembly to demonstrate by mere believe that legislators concentrate only on law making.
Development strides of the young man representing Lokoja I Constituency have further strengthened the resolve for ideal leadership. His projects, tolerance and humility.
Under this democratic dispensation, the name Rt. Hon. Umar Ahmed Imam surely rings a bell. His emergence as the new 11th Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly then did not come to us as a surprise, given that the Law Maker is arguably a beautiful bride in the Hallowed Chambers of the Legislature in Kogi State.
Hon. Umar Ahmed Alfa Imam rode to power on a populist regalia, which to a large extent demonstrated the people’s commitment to test their willingness at the polls. Without mincing words, Lokoja I did not make any mistake, as the Honourable Umar Imam has gone ahead to step his foot on the ground for legacy projects.
Major point to consider is that Hon. Umar Ahmed Imam won the election on APC platform. He held firmly a flag of the major opposition party then in Kogi. However, he stated severally, that political party is a mean to evolve not to destroy what has been made obvious. Suffice it to say, that he believes in the giant strides of human development.
Hon Umar Imam is not moved by any kind of politics. He believes that whoever is doing great should be supported by all and sundry irrespective of party affiliation. As a youth, Imam has restored the ideal leadership pattern that could give hope to evolving youths in politics. His relationship with elders in the State, exposes those great features that define how a youth should behave.
In his constituency, several projects have been recorded even as a first timer in the house of Assembly.While several members who are representing various constituencies have been accused of not creating access to reach their people, Imam has gone ahead to open a constituency office at opposite Sa’ad Cuts Plaza along GRA road which has given employment to several workers who earn monthly Salaries.
The Constituency office seeks amongst other things, to grant access to constituents who are eager to find answers to several questions that bother on governance as well as key in his scholarship and development projects.
Imam is known to have empowered youths in his State Constituency within his first 2 years in the office. He believes in the Banki Moon school of thought which states that “Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance”
As a member, representing Lokoja I Constituency and the minority whip of the House from May 2015 to February, 2016, Hon. Umar Ahmed Imam has not deviated from his initial plan to bring development to his Constituency. He has so far commenced a Youth and Women Empowerment Programme for his constituency known as Hon. Alfa Imam Skill Acquisition and Empowerment Programme (HAISAEP) launched in 2015 and the back-to-school programme for public primary school pupils in Lokoja also launched in 2015.
He was until his election as speaker, chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation and Vice Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary. He was also a member of Several Committees which include the House Services, selection Committee, Education, Youth and Sports, and Culture and Tourism Committee.
A certain man in Kabawa, Lokoja while extolling his magnanimity, said that Hon Imam has watered Lokoja communities that was a comic way of thanking him for providing motorize borehole water project to some
community.
Another of such project was replicated in Ward A barracks communities and kudundufi in Lokoja by Imam, he rehabilitated some boreholes water scheme and provided a Water borehole for the people of Lokoja. The basic thing to mark in this achievements, is that people from these places found it difficult to get good water before Hon. Imam
intervened. According to them, it’s an assurance of hope for many things to follow.
To support education for all, Hon Imam established a scholarship scheme for students in their Senior Secondary class and higher Institutions, as well, provided free Jamb forms for successful students of his free WAEC scheme. It’s an encouragement that will continue to push these students to work hard and become high flyers in the Community, State and Country at large.
Imam believes in Unity and peaceful coexistence. To demonstrate his love for togetherness, Two years ago, the state government in partnership with the Republic of Korea, established a skill acquisition institute at the state polytechnic in Lokoja which is yet to fully take off.
Hon Imam who saw an opportunity in the ambitious programme of the institution has secured admission for 50 youths from his constituency to be trained in industrial welding, Auto mobile engineering. Carpentery, plumbing, civil engineering, among others, which will qualify for middle cadre jobs at the steel company which he hopes will
soon take off.
The federal government has since signified its intention to kick start the Ajaokuta Steel company but lamented the lack of skill personnel in kogi state that will work there when it eventually takes off. Hon Imam therefore enroll on his plans to train 50 youths through the Nigeria /Korea friendship initiative for a vocational institute to train the youths in various vocational enterprises. Young Imam who always hope that unemployment will soon be a thing of the pass.
True to his campaign promises, Hon Umar Ahmed Imam some months back, had presented a cheque to the tune of N5 million to party executives in Lokoja I Constituency, the state constituency Area he represent.
Chairmen of the five Wards that make up the constituency, Imam told them that the money is meant to providing infrastructure for the constituency.
He said he decided to fulfill his promise to his people in view of the ethics he holds dear to his heart as to why he joined politics, which is to bring positive change to the downtrodden in the society.
The legislator, who people believed he was not in politics or office for self enrichment,as always tasked the public to task their elected representatives, saying that the period where decisions are made by politicians without the input of the people that elected them is in the past. He believed that the people at the grassroots, are the real people he has at heart, because they are the ones who labour to ensure his victories at the polls, should be taken along.
Imam is in the good books of Lokojans and his giant strides in the area of sponsoring bills and motions for the betterment of his community have not gone unnoticed.
From what the young legislator has put in motion, there is no doubt, he will continue to do more for Lokoja I constituency.
– Abbas Yahaya takes a look at his Lokoja I State Constituency.
Spread the love
