I think we can now get past the pretences, the very cancer which have eaten up our dear constituency and our beloved constituents for nearly 30 years. So far, silence did not help; half-truths or lies have failed. We must get over the defeating thoughts of intimidation and imprisonment, of mediocrity and sycophancy, of rejection and spiteful looks. If we must live, then we must resolve to face fear, to not be afraid to die.
- Ivo River Dam Saga: dirt facts show Ike Ekweremadu has more questions to answer
- Anayo Onwuegbu, Omex’s camps fight dirty as INFOWARS puts Ivo River Dam Project in front burner
It was my conviction, and not a pursuit of vendetta which drove me to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources. It was my faith – my faith in our troubled constituency – which inspired me to seek clarifications on Ivo River Dam contract.
We must not continue in bickerings, or in the social media banters that sadly divide us when we can easily lay all the rumours to rest by getting to the truth and knowing it.
The Burden of Representation
Regardless of how others in Enugu West may see it, I have read that certain Nigerian statues place certain responsibilities on the elected representatives such as the federal lawmakers. Unlike others, I do not see so many of these responsibilities as negotiable conveniences especially when a little neglect could mean a loss of life or any loss at all.
When, weeks ago, we heard the painful groanings of our people in Okpanku and Mpu communities due to the crushing flood, our representatives at the National Assembly reacted. Distinguished Senator Osita Ngwu made public calls, and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu, raised motions. Their voices resonated and were written in the papers; but they changed nothing.
Two constituents – real human beings with relatives like the rest of us – drown in that flood. In a twinkle of an eye, people’s years of labour, submerged in the waters, floated into nothingness through Ivo Rivers.
Livestocks and cash crops drown, too. While the press and the rescuing agencies have counted the losses visible to the eyes, would anyone be able measure the subtle emotional damages that are certain to linger for many more years to come? Sadly, it is obvious that more people would still perish due to those devastations
So it is clear what people want. At this time, we do not want theatrics and fruitless rhetorics. The sweet speeches, the motions at the plenary sessions, and viral press statements should be only a starting point. Yes, we commend their courage to have spoken out, but they are simply not enough.
If it is true that the Federal Government has allocated funds for construction of dams on other regions and excluded those in the Southeast, including Ivo River Dam, then I think those to blame are our own representatives, and not the Federal Government. Perhaps those who are representing us are not respected enough in the chambers. Or they do not understand how to play the politics of the National Assembly which, I heard, is the meanest of them all. You cannot just sit at the back and talk only when it is convenient, but refusing to lobby or to discover the thin lines of blocs of influences within the chambers. No matter how anyone may look at it, it is weakness. Otherwise, we want our lawmakers to be bold enough to tell us if there is tribalism in the National Assembly; or to tell us if they are inferior to their mates there.
We want real representation, and not excuses. It is our rights; we provided the mandate for a reason. It is utterly stupid to say that Federal Government has refused to release fund for Ivo River Dam Project after capturing it in the 2012 budget. It is an admission of defeat. And somebody has been there all these years? No, something is wrong! And I have applied for the Federal Ministry of Water Resources which awarded that contract to release the paperworks. Someone must be held accountable for the preventable losses and devastations that are killing our people and making them poorer.
I am Jude Ogbonna, the publisher of InfoWars Blog.