By Kamen Chuks Ogbonna
The story of representation in Anambra South Senatorial District took a different turn with the advent of Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah in the red chamber.
In his avowed determination to bring about a drastic change in the fortunes of the people of his zone, the distinguished Senator took off from day-one with a clear vision of what needs to be done in order to change the face of representation in the district.
This he commenced by throwing his doors wide open to the people of the senatorial zone in a classic case of “Open Door Representation.”
As opposed to what was obtainable in the past, Suite 101 in the National Assembly Abuja became a beehive of activity, a rallying point for stakeholders, job seekers, youths and women groups as well as every Nwa Anambra South Senatorial District.
Ndi Anambra, and indeed Ndigbo who are not from the senatorial zone, all took advantage of his Open-Door style to access solutions to their challenges.
An example was when the Igbo Freight Forwarders Association in Lagos came to him to assist them find a solution to the harsh and unfavourable conditions that they were then being subjected to by shipping companies on Nigeria-bound cargoes.
The Senator immediately rose to the occasion.
He did not just raise a motion on the urgent need to checkmate the exorbitant increase and unjustifiable shipping fees charged by shipping companies on Nigeria-bound cargoes, he also personally led delegations to the Maersk Line Company among others to successfully negotiate a downward review of then suffocating price regime.
It also did not take long before he came up with the groundbreaking motion on Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract, the PSC Bill. This was designed to deal with what was increasingly becoming a cesspit through which the country was losing billions of naira in accruable revenue to cabals in the petroleum industry.
This battle by the Senator led to the passage of the PSC Bill into an Act of the National Assembly. Needless to say that President Muhammadu Buhari promptly signed the Bill into law even while on a trip in far-away London, and apparently to underscore its importance.
Today, that singular move by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah is yielding billions of naira into the national coffers.
In fact, in accordance with the Whistle Blowers Act, Anambra South Senatorial District is supposed to be receiving a percentage of the revenue accruals from that Bill, given that it was their elected Senator that blew the lid off the sleaze through which the country was being fleeced of huge accruable revenue.
Apparently, Senator Ubah’s colleagues were so impressed that this first-timer could deliver what till date has remained the most economically significant landmark in the annals of the 9th Assembly. It did not come to many as a surprise when they unanimously named him the “Prince of the 9th Senate.”
Senator Ubah again took up the gauntlet in his pursuit of developmental strides by delivering two state-of-the-art hospitals (with a third one soon to join) to tackle especially the Covid-19 pandemic and stem its attendant high mortality rate.
This he achieved by deploying his wide network of contacts and rallying his friends to contribute towards the projects. Deploying his trademark leadership trait and galvanizing skill, Senator Ubah quickly raised half a billion to fund the construction of the hospitals which were built and equipped in a record 5 months.
While periodic medical outreaches seem to be the dominant mode of medical sector intervention, Senator Ubah’s state-of-the-art hospitals in Nnewi and Awka (Anambra State Capital) provide a more sustainable medical succour to thousands of our people on a daily basis.
This gigantic achievement by the Anambra Progressives and Development Association (APDA) – of which he is the Convener – has practically changed the face of the hitherto comatose medical sector in the state for the better. It remains unprecedented in the entire country.
In line with my desire to make this a weekend teaser and in order not to bore you with lengthy articles, I will stop here for today.
Permit me to leave you with this testimonial from a constituent, Ogbuefi Chinyelugo from Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area while expressing his unqualified joy and that of several others at the ongoing road rehabilitation traversing Ozubulu (Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area waits in excitement as the work come their way soon)
“In Senator Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, Anambra South Senatorial District hit the bulls eye.”
