By Lizzy Ejembi
A member of the House of Representatives, representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadigbo Federal Constituency in Benue State, otherwise known as Enone, Hon. Francis Ottah Agbo, has lamented the abandonment of his constituency by the Federal Government.
Hon. Agbo, who is spokesman of the Minority Caucus in the Green Chamber, noted that underdevelopment of his people has turned Enone to a laughing stock in Nigeria.
He pleaded with the Federal Government to address the neglect of Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency in the area of infrastructure and Federal appointments.
Besides, he announced a donation of his entire salaries for his first four years in office to his constituents particularly the poorest of the poorest widows and orphans to help ameliorate their plight.
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The legislator spoke, in Abuja, on Monday, during an interactive session with a delegation of Ari geo-political zone, comprising Ijigban/Ulayi/Ekile communities of Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, led by Hon. Emmanuel Ogaba.
Hon. Agbo regretted that though over one million of Ijigban/Ekile/Ulayi people were contributing immensely to the economy of the state, especially in the Agriculture sector, however, they remained the most neglected in terms of infrastructure and employment in the state and Federal Civil Service.
“I want to use this medium to tell the world, how marginalised the Enone people are and particularly the people of Ulayi, Ekile and Ijigban.
“I agree with the leader of the delegation who just said that the Nigerian state has forgotten the Ulayi, Ekile and Ijigban Community. I cannot agree less! My people are still in darkness.
“These communities are the only ones in the whole of Nigeria, without electricity, roads, water and development of any kind; there is no single person in this communities, employed in the Federal civil service, no officer in the Nigerian military, Police, the Customs, Immigration, Fire Service, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps,” he said.
The federal lawmaker also pleaded with the Federal Government to ‘intervene’ and save the people from ‘backwardness’.
He, however, commended Governor Samuel Ortom for appointing an Ijigban son, Mr. Sunday Agbaji, as Commissioner for Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC).
The federal lawmaker assured his guests that he had already lobbied for the inclusion in the 2020 budget, projects in Okpokwu, Ogbadibo and Ado local government areas, including the Rijo-Ekile road, hospital in Ijigban, and others, hoping that the government of President Buhari would release adequate funding for the projects to be executed.
While counting on the continuous support of the people, Hon. Agbo urged the Ari stakeholders to mobilise resources and embark on community projects, stressing that government alone cannot fix everything.
He said the visit of the delegation, will “spur him to do more” for his people.
Hon. Agbo, who is also the Chairman, Narcotic Drugs Committee in the House of Representatives, promised to effectively represent the 3 LGAs that make up his Federal Constituency, as he thanked the Constituents, for “freely voting me and for the unflinching support so far given me”, pledging not to let the people down.
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Earlier, Mr. Ogaba, the leader of the delegation, encouraged Hon. Agbo to lobby for the mass employment of his Constituents in the state and federal civil service, especially, the security agencies.
Ogaba regretted that, “You cannot find a single officer from this locality, either serving or retired or even dead.
“This is in spite of the numerous graduates that have been produced by these communities through their sweat.
“We, therefore, need deliberate urgent action that will produce officers in the forces from this area”.
