My Very dear Constituents! In the name of God, the most Gracious, the most Merciful. All praise be to God the King of the world and owner of Heaven and Earth. It is with much gratitude to God Almighty whose mercy and grace kept me alive and well to once again report the progress of my activities as your Representative in the 7th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to you. If you recall, I gave the first report of my activities covering the period 6th June 2011 to 15th November 2012. In that report, I promised to periodically update you of my activities through subsequent reports. It is in fulfilment of that promise that I present to you a second report of my activities covering the period 16th November 2012 to 15th April 2014, which is another period of Seventeen (17) months from the last report which was also Seventeen (17) months from the date of my inauguration as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As I had mentioned severally at different occasions, the primary duty of a Legislator whether at State or Federal Level is to ensure that Laws that are enacted are people oriented, that is to say, Laws that will unite people, protect and safeguard their lives, properties and interests, better their lives and bring development to their communities. All Representatives of people are supposed to have their people’s interest, welfare and development at heart. It is for that reason that although Legislators at all Levels don’t have financial votes for execution of developmental projects, they still squeeze and sacrifice from their personal resources/income and also push Government to see that developmental projects are brought to their people (Constituents). I therefore urge you to please continue to support me and my other Brothers that represent you at both National and State Assemblies with prayers to God to grant us good health, more strength, more wisdom and the ability to represent and serve you better. T H E R E P O R T (SECOND) A. LEGISLATION As I mentioned in Interim Report Card 1, Bills that I sponsored or co-sponsored are still going through the Legislative process of enactment or amendment. I proposed (by way of Memoranda to the Constitutional Review Committee) amendments on gender issues, people living with disabilities and the status of Magistrates. The amendment process is still going on at the National Assembly. I am also working on sponsoring other Bills like the Mental Health Bill which if passed will protect the rights of mentally ill persons, their families and properties, the Tenancy Bill for the protection of the rights of both Landlords and Tenants and the Women participation in Politics Bill which will ensure and guarantee the participation of women in politics and holding elective offices. The three Bills will soon be presented for Legislative Process. B. REDEMPTION OF CAMPAIGN PROMISES MADE ON PEOPLE’S SPECIFIC REQUESTS If you recall, I reported (in Interim Report Card 1) that I was able to redeem some of the campaign promises I made in respect of specific requests made by people during my electioneering campaign. To the glory of God, I was able to redeem the remaining of such specific promises during the period covered by this report. I fulfilled the promises to buy a plot of land to be used as Tipper Garage in Jalingo for the Tipper Owners/Drivers union, vehicle problems diagonostic machines (computer) for Motor Mechanics Union Jalingo and Two (2) ferry boats for Amar and Kambari people. I also bought Ten (10) complete tool boxes in addition to the Diagonostic machines for the Mechanics. C. INFRASTRUCTURAL AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT PROVISION OF ROADS. Update on Roads mentioned in Interim Report Card 1: 1. JALINGO - KONA - LAU ROAD. This road is divided into two (2) sections, 1 and 2. Section 1 is from Jalingo through Kona to Lau (at the river bank on Lau side) while Section 2 is from across the river bank at Lau to Karim Lamido. The part that was awarded in the last quarter of 2011 is Section 1, that is, from Jalingo through Kona to Lau. The Contractor handling the work did not do well as he was too slow and at one time even abandoned the site according to complaints I received from my Constituents in both Kona and Lau. As a result of the inefficiency and non-performance of the contractor, we lost the funds budgeted for the project in 2012 since he could not present a valuation certificate for payment. I again pushed and had funds (N640m) budgeted for the project in the 2013 Appropriation Act. Sometime in the second quarter of 2013, the people of Lau by a letter through their Chief complained of abandonment of the project by the Contractor. That made me to write the Hon. Minister of Works attaching my Constituents’ letter of complaint. The Ministry investigated the matter and eventually revoked the contract to re-award to a competent and more serious contractor. When the Ministry started processing for the re-award, the former contractor went to court and got an injunction to restrain the Ministry from awarding the contract to another company until the case is determined. In order not to again loose the funds (N640M) appropriated for the project in 2013, the Ministry (with my consent) decided to prepare for the award of Section 2 of the road while waiting for the determination of the case filed by the former contractor in respect of re-award of contract for section 1. The Procurement process for the award of contract for Section 2 of the road, that is from across the bridge at Lau to Karim Lamido is at the final stages as at the time of writing this report (March 2014). Meanwhile, I will push to ensure that enough funds are provided for the project in the 2014 budget so that Section 1 of the road will be re-awarded and Section 2 continued. 2. ZING - YAKOKO - MONKIN ROAD. As at the time of the last report (Interim report card 1), contract for the construction of this road was about to be awarded. I am pleased to report that the contract was awarded at the end of 2012, the job is going on and has made visible progress. Progress of the work is slowed down due to problem of funds. I will continue pushing to see that more progress is made and funds appropriated in 2014 Budget. 3. MARARABAN PANTISAWA - PANTISAWA ROAD IN YORRO LGA As at the time of the last report, contract for the construction of this road was also about to be awarded. I am again pleased to report that the contract was awarded at the end of the year 2012 and work has since commenced. Work on this road suffered a little set back due to some errors in the design which needed to be corrected before continuation of works on the road. The correction which took some time to be made by the Ministry is now completed and approved. Work will soon resume on the site. I have complained on the attitude of the Contractor to the Resident Federal Controller of Works at Jalingo who has acted by warning the Contractor in writing. 4. RURAL FEEDER ROADS: I could not get approval for the construction of any of the rural feeder roads that I proposed in the 2012 and 2013 budgets. This is because while Federal Ministry of Works said the proposed feeder roads are all State roads and therefore cannot be constructed by the Ministry, I could not get them into the Federal Ministry of Agriculture rural feeder roads scheme due to insufficient funds provided for such projects in the Agric Ministry’s 2012 and 2013 budgets. I will continue pushing to see that I get some of them in the 2014 and 2015 budgets of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture’s Rural Feeder roads scheme. 5. PROVISION OF ROAD NETWORK AND DRAINAGE WITHIN SHAGARI ESTATE MILE 6 JALINGO: For those who know the Shagari Estate at Mile 6 in Jalingo, there are no built roads within the Estate. To the glory of God, through the Sites and Services Programme of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, l was able to get approval to construct roads and drainages within the Estate. The contract was awarded at the end of last year and work is now on going. 6. CONSTRUCTION OF SHOPS FOR TRADERS: Also through the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, l got approval for the construction of Thirty (Shops) for my trading Constituents. The Chairman of Jalingo LGA, Hon. Hassan Bappa graciously allocated a piece of land for the construction of the shops. Contract for the construction was also awarded at the end of last year and the job has already been completed as at the time of writing this report. 7. ECOLOGICAL INTERVENTION If you recall, l reported in Interim Report Card 1 that l proposed for Ecological Intervention for some areas after receiving complaints from my Constituents and was awaiting Mr. President’s approval. I have written several reminders but the approval is yet to come. I will keep pushing to see that we get the approval and intervention by God’s grace. D. PROVISION OF WATER 1. UPDATE ON WATER PROJECTS CONTAINED IN INTERIM REPORT CARD 1: If you recall, I reported (in Interim Report Card 1) that under my Constituency Intervention Projects Programme, I proposed the drilling of 126 (One Hundred and Twenty-Six) hand pump boreholes and 9 (Nine) motorized boreholes within the Six LGAs of my Constituency. I also reported that while some were completed at the time of the last report, some were still going on and some were being prepared for drilling. Although not all the boreholes that I proposed were drilled, I am very pleased to report that out of the 126 (One Hundred and Twenty-Six) hand pump boreholes that I proposed, 112 (One Hundred and Twelve) were done and out of the 9 (Nine) motorized boreholes I proposed, 5 (Five) were done. Details of the locations are available in my Constituency Office in Jalingo. 2. NEW WATER PROJECTS: For the period of this report (16th November 2012 to 15th April 2014), out of the 150 (One Hundred and Fifty) hand pump boreholes I proposed for drilling under my Constituency Intervention Projects Programme within the Six LGAs of my Constituency, contract for the drilling of 135 (One Hundred and Thirty-Five) were awarded through the MDGs and Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. 105 (One Hundred and Five) have already been drilled and completed as at the time of writing this report while the remaining 30 (Thirty) will be drilled in Karim Lamido LGA and other areas that were not accessible during the rainy season. Also, out of the 12 (Twelve) motorized boreholes I proposed for sinking at various locations within my Constituency, 10 (Ten) were drilled and completed. I will re-propose the remaining 2 (Two) and the un-done hand pump boreholes in the 2014 budget. Details of the locations of both completed hand pump and motorized boreholes can also be obtained from my Constituency Office in Jalingo. 3. CONVERSION OF (14) FOURTEEN DEAD SOLAR POWERED BOREHOLES TO MOTORIZED BOREHOLES: I received complaints from my Constituents in some LGAs that their Solar Powered boreholes were not working. I engaged experts to check with a view to repairing them. The experts reported that the boreholes could not be repaired because the solar panels were dead. The experts advised that the boreholes be converted to motorized boreholes which are easier to repair and maintain. I therefore paid for the conversion of 14 (Fourteen) such solar powered boreholes to motorized boreholes which are now working effectively (5 (Five) in Ardo Kola LGA, 4 (Four) in Lau LGA, 3 (Three) in Yorro LGA and 2 (Two) in Jalingo LGA.) Details of their locations can also be obtained from my Constituency Office in Jalingo. 4. REHABILITATION OF (67) SIXTY-SEVEN SPOILT HAND PUMP BOREHOLES: Based on the complaints I received as mentioned above, I also paid for the rehabilitation of hand pump boreholes that were not working. A total of 67 (Sixty-Seven) hand pump boreholes located in various parts of my Constituency were rehabilitated and are now working. E. HEALTH CARE DELIVERY You may recall that I reported in Interim Report Card 1 that I proposed for the construction, rehabilitation and equipping of health centres within my Constituency. I could not make any meaningful progress in this sector because of the Federal Government directive to MDAs that NO new capital projects should be started until the many abandoned and uncompleted capital projects are completed and put to use. However, I was able to get the following done in the Health Sector. 1. Rehabilitation of Bachama Health Centre. 2. Construction of a Primary Health Care Centre at Kona in Kona Ward of Jalingo LGA. 3. Construction of a Butchers shed and drilling of a Hand Pump Borehole (for maintaining a hygienic environment within and around the shed) at Lau in Lau LGA. F. PROVISION OF POWER 1. CONNECTION TO THE NATIONAL GRID: You may recall that I reported (in the last report) that I made requests to the Hon. Minister of Power and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission for the connection of Lau in Lau LGA and Karim in Karim Lamido LGA to the National grid. I also made a request for the completion of the abandoned contract for the connection of Sunkani in Ardo Kola LGA to the National grid. To the glory of God, I am pleased to report that funds were provided for the projects in the 2013 budget and as at the time of writing this report, work on the connection of Sunkani town to the National grid which was abandoned for many years is now completed and commissioned while contracts for connection of Lau and Karim Lamido have been awarded and work commenced. 2. PROVISION AND INSTALLATION OF TRANSFORMERS: Several requests were made to me for provision and installation of Transformers by my Constituents. I forwarded the requests severally to the Federal Ministry of Power, National Electricity Regulatory Commission and Rural Electrification Agency and vigorously followed up. I am pleased to report that as at the time of writing this report, 16 (Sixteen) transformers were allocated, provided, installed and energized based on the requests made at the following locations: i. Royal Castle Hotel Area Magami ii. UMCN No.1 Area Magami iii. Unguwan Fulani behind Government College Jalingo iv. Nyabukaka Community v. Abuja Phase II Area Jalingo vi. Unguwan Lasandi Mile 6 Jalingo vii. Unguwan Gulum behind Stadium Jalingo viii. Layin NTA Central Jalingo ix. Jim lari x. Sabon Layi Jalingo xi. Unguwan Malam Gabdo Kachalla Sembe xii. Dila Village along Pantisawa Road xiii. Mararaban Apawa xiv. Catholic Cathedral Mile 6 xv. Unguwan Nasarawo xvi. Jauro Santi near Specialist Hospital Jalingo All the transformers have been installed and commissioned. I will continue pushing to see that we get more transformers provided and installed in the Constituency. 3. PROVISION AND INSTALLATION OF SOLAR STREET AND HOUSEHOLD LIGHTS: I was able to get 100 (One Hundred) household solar lights through the Federal Ministry of Environment. Each light consists of one light point and one telephone charging point. They have since been installed. Also, I was able to get 396 (Three Hundred and Ninety-Six) solar street lights for my Constituency which were distributed within the Constituency and are still being installed as at the time of writing this report. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT G. EDUCATION: I did not report much progress on Education in Interim Report Card 1 because, apart from the two Overseas Scholarships I facilitated for two of my Constituents through the PTDF, all classroom blocks I proposed for construction within my Constituency were inadvertently omitted from the 2012 budget. However, to the glory of God, l was able to facilitate the execution of the following projects through my Constituency Intervention Projects Programme and personal funding within the period of this (second) report. 1. CONSTRUCTION OF CLASSROOM BLOCKS: 25 (Twenty-Five) Classroom blocks each consisting of Three (3) classrooms, a Head Master’s or Principal’s Office, VIP toilets and furniture were built at the following locations: i. Primary School/Government Day Secondary School Lushi in Lau LGA. ii. Government Day Secondary School Jika in Yorro LGA. iii. Government Day Secondary School Kachalla Sembe in Jalingo LGA. iv. Government Day Secondary School Central Jalingo in Jalingo LGA. v. Government Day Secondary School Hawai Mile 6 in Jalingo LGA. vi. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Garin Dogo in Lau LGA. vii. Government Secondary School Zing in Zing LGA. viii. Government Day Secondary School Kasuwan Ladi in Ardo Kola LGA. ix. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Abbare “A” in Lau LGA. x. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Yelwan Abbare in Jalingo LGA. xi. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Mayo Ranewo in Ardo Kola LGA. xii. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Jen Ardido in Karim Lamido LGA. xiii. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Jen Kaigama in Karim Lamido LGA. xiv. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Didango in Karim Lamido LGA. xv. Government Day Secondary School Garin Ayuba in Ardo Kola LGA. xvi. Government Day Secondary School Dobeli in Lau LGA. xvii. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Donadda in Lau LGA. xviii. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Dogoyeli in Karim Lamido LGA. xix. Government Day Secondary School Wuro Sembe in Jalingo LGA. xx. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Karim Maunde in Karim Lamido LGA. xxi. Government Day Secondary School Abbare “B” in Lau LGA. xxii. Government Day Secondary School Dankum Kassa “B” in Yorro LGA. xxiii. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Ding Ding in Zing LGA. xxiv. Primary School/ Government Day Secondary School Jiru Dauda in Karim Lamido LGA. Contract for the construction of a Classroom block in Andamin in Karim Lamido LGA was awarded but the contractor is yet to report to site as at the time of writing this report. I will push to see that he reports to site and executes the contract. 2. SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS I nominated all my Constituents that requested for scholarship to the Ahmadu Bello Foundation. Those that met their requirements were short listed for interviews and were interviewed. Only three (3) of the short listed candidates passed the interview and qualified for the award. I will continue pushing to see that more of our children get scholarships. 3. CAPACITY BUILDING FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS I have observed that one of the reasons that our children drop out of school or fail to further their education beyond either the Junior Secondary School (JSS) or Senior Secondary School (SSS) is their inability to meet the criteria for going further. An example is their inability to pass the relevant/required subjects like English and Mathematics. In order to build their capacity to pass such relevant subjects thereby meeting the entry requirements, l have personally made a compilation of Ten years past SSCE and NECO Question Papers in English and Mathematics with answers for Senior Secondary School students and ten years past JSSCE Question Papers in English, Mathematics, Social and Business Studies also with answers for Junior Secondary School students. They were produced in book form for distribution to our children in SSS III and JSS III. There are Forty Thousand (40,000) copies for both SSS and JSS, (Twenty Thousand (20,000) for Senior Secondary Schools and Twenty (20,000) for Junior Secondary Schools). This will enable them build their capacity through constant practice to properly prepare for their examinations. To go with the past Questions/Answers books, l have also printed One Hundred Thousand (100,000) Exercise books for both Junior and Secondary Schools for distribution to our children. Fifty Thousand (50,000) Exercise Books for the Senior Secondary Schools and Fifty Thousand (50,000) for the Junior Secondary Schools. To further build the capacity of our Secondary School children in ICT so as to be able to compete globally with other children, I went into partnership with the Federal Government under a programme known as the Universal Service Provision Fund (ICT) Programme whereby l was to renovate and burglar proof a computer centre in one selected secondary school in each of the Six (6) Local Governments of my Constituency while the partners (operators of the programme) are to provide One Hundred and Two (102) computers and solar installations to power the systems. I have long completed my part. So far, the selected schools in Ardo Kola LGA (Sunkani) and Lau LGA (Garin Dogo) have been supplied with the items (Computers). I will push the operators to supply the items to the remaining renovated centres in the other Four (4) LGAs. 4. CAPACITY BUILDING FOR MAGISTRATES. For timely and proper dispensation of Justice to all, it is important that the capacity of our Magistrates and other lower court Judges is improved by way of continuing education. To this end, l have purchased Sixty-Five (65) copies of a new very good book on the practice and procedure in Magistrates Court for all the Magistrates of our dear State. SECURING DONATIONS FOR THE LESS PRIVILEGED If you recall, l reported in the last report that l nominated some Orphanage Homes to MTN in one of their assistance programmes and donations were made to Minge and UMCN Orphanage Homes in 2011 and 2012. In 2013 too, l nominated UMCN Orphanage Home Jalingo, A donation of many items was made to them at the end of 2013. WOMEN AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT A. YOUTH EMPLOYMENT If you recall, l was able to get employment for One Hundred and Fifty-One (151) youth within the period of my first report. I am pleased to report that to the glory of God, l was able to secure more employment for another Hundred (100) youth within the period of this second report. The number is broken down as follows: i. Twenty-Four (24) persons in the 69th Intake of the Nigerian Army. ii. Thirty-Two (32) in the 70th Intake of the Nigerian Army. iii. Fourteen (14) persons in the Nigerian Navy. iv. Seventeen (17) persons in the Nigerian Air Force. v. Two (2) persons in the Federal Road Safety Commission. vi. One (1) person in INEC. vii. Three (3) youth in the Police Academy. viii. Three (3) youth in Federal Universities of Lafia and Wukari. ix. One (1) youth in a Federal Parastatal. x. One (1) youth in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. xi. Two (2) youth in NYSC. Details of the employed persons can also be obtained from my Constituency Office in Jalingo. B. YOUTH COMPUTER TRAINING/EMPOWERMENT In line with the global trend where almost all transactions in all spheres of life are done digitally through ICT, the importance of our youth being computer literate cannot be over-emphasized. Being computer literate will also better their chances of getting employment since computer literacy is always an added advantage in the selection for employment. It is in the light of that, that l personally established a computer training centre where forty (40) unemployed youth who have a minimum of Diploma qualification are trained in computer Applications and Appreciation every Three (3) months free of charge. Nominations for training are made by the Stakeholders of every ward within my Constituency. Leaders of Interest groups/organisations like CAN, Muslim Council, NCWS, CAN Women Wing, FOMMAN, Traders Association, Congress of Non-Governmental Organisations, People living with disability (Disabled) etc etc. are also given slots to nominate youth from their Organisations. After the training, the graduates are empowered to be self-employed pending when they will get formal or white collar jobs. They are each given a take-off kit comprising of a branded (HP) computer set, a printer, a UPS, a computer table and a generator to power the system. So far, a total number of one Hundred and Twenty (120) youth (three sets of 40 youth) have been trained and empowered as at the time of releasing this Report Card. The programme started on the 15th of May 2013. Training of the fourth set of Forty (40) youth is now on at the Centre. C. YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE AND OTHER (NON-AGRICULTURE) SKILLS TRAINING/EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMES Under these programmes, a total of Sixty (60) youth were trained in farming and other skills within and outside Nigeria. I facilitated the Training/Empowerment Programmes through the Federal Ministries of youth Development, Agriculture, Women Affairs and Child Development and the ECOWAS Commission for the overseas training. Fifty-Eight (58) youth were trained in Nigeria as follows: i. Fifteen (15) in Dutse, Jigawa State. ii. Thirty-Nine (39) in Gombe, Gombe State and iii. Four (4) at the Women Development Centre in Abuja. Two (2) youth went for overseas training through the ECOWAS Commission. One (1) youth was trained in Port Novo in Benin Republic under the Youth in Agriculture Programme and another was trained as an Electrical/Electronic Technician in Burkina Faso. After the training, each of the youth was given either a start-up kit for the skill he or she acquired or a cash take-off grant for self-employment. I will continue trying to see that more of our youth benefit from these or similar programmes in future. Details of those that benefited from the programmes can also be obtained from my Constituency office. D. OTHER NON-SPECIALISED EMPOWERMENT FOR MY CONSTITUENTS (ELDERS/WOMEN/YOUTH INCLUDING THE DISABLED On the day this Report Card was released (in April 2014), the following items were distributed to empower some of my Constituents. 1. Two Hundred and Fifty (250) motor cycles. 2. One Hundred and Fifty (150) Tricycles (Kekenapep). 3. Twenty (20) Motor vehicles. 4. One Hundred and Twenty (120) Start-up kits (comprising of 120 HP Computers, 120 HP Printers, 120 UPS, 120 Computer tables and 120 generators) for the graduates (3 sets of 40 persons) of the Computer Training Centre. 5. Two Hundred (200) Sewing Machines. 6. Two Hundred (200) Grinding/Hulling mills (injin Surfe – 20, Injin Nikan tumatur – 40, injin nikan gari da kamu – 140). 7. Twenty (20) Deep Freezers with Twenty (20) generators to power them. 8. Four (4) Block Making Machines 9. Twenty (20) specially made quadri-cycles for the disabled persons. 10.Bags and Cartons of assorted food items for food retailing business. My very distinguished Constituents, above is the journey so far. While appreciating and thanking you very much for your patience, support and most especially your prayers for my success in representing you, please accept my assurances of a more effective and service oriented representation, best wishes and highest regards. I still need and please request for your continuous support and prayers. I also welcome useful advice, corrections and suggestions on how to represent you better. Likewise, objective criticisms are also welcome. Once again, thanks for giving me the opportunity to represent you in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. Long Live Taraba North Senatorial Zone! Long Live Taraba State!! Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!! Signed: Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan (Mrs.) 15th April, 2014.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 15:16:15 +0000
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