Ikot Edibon, the Council Secretariat of Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State stood still on Friday, December 13, 2013 as the people of the state converged in this community to honour the invitation of the youthful czar and exemplary legislator of the Fifth Assembly of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. (Barr.) Onofiok Akpan Luke, member representing Nsit Ubium State Constituency at his 2013 Constituency briefing.
The scene was more of an atmosphere of a political convention, a political rally, a meeting point for party chieftains, stakeholders in the Akwa Ibom State polity, the youths who came out in their thousands, the women who danced in praise for the Uncommon effective representation of their son, the clergy who extolled the qualities of a vibrant lawmaker and the traditional institution who beamed with smiles on the success story of a representative that had touched the lives of his constituents and of course, the media, who thronged the venue to celebrate the milestones of a close associate and strong supporter.
From the State party chairman of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party, Obong Paul Ekpo, Secretary to the State Government Udom Emmanuel, Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Samuel Ikon, Principal Officers and members of the state legislature, The Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Bassey Albert Akpan, Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Prince Enobong Uwah, Effiong Abia Esq, Commissioner for Rural Development, Council Chairmen, a former Senator representing Akwa Ibom North East, Senator Effiong Bob and former Secretary to the State Government, Obong Umana Umana, aides to the Speaker, House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and others, the atmosphere simply was glitz, colourful as the traffic jam stretched kilometres away from the venue a significant fact that this lawmaker has re-defined the concept of effective representation and his focus on his duties and faith in God has kept him on the side of the history with regards to his legacies.
The constituency briefing with the theme: Consolidating on the Gains of Robust Legislative Engagement: A midterm Report remains strategic especially as we access the performance and contributions of our lawmakers towards sustenance of the well being of the people through strategic and developmental legislation.
In the little over two years that Hon. (Barr.) Onofiok Luke has been in the legislature, the impact of his contributions has been strongly felt.
His campaign promises have been the bedrock of his representation so far as he has used effectively and successfully his position to attract more infrastructural and human empowerment projects into Nsit Ubium.
Some of the landmark projects which Hon. (Barr.) Onofiok Luke has duly completed and ready for use of his constituents include The Town Hall at Ikot Etobo, market stalls in Nung Obong, Primary School Block in Afia Nsit, Market Stalls in Ikot Eyo and Water Project in Ikot Enwana.
His visionary strides have ensured that other infrastructural and human capital development projects will be implemented in the second phase of his constituency projects which include, Water projects in Ikot Ede in Itreto ward, Obio Ekid in Ubium South Ward three, Atiamkpat in Ubium North two and Ikot Akpaotu in Ibiakpan Obotim one.
According to the lawmaker, the civic centre would be sited in Ntit Oton, Ibiakpan Obotim two, while market stalls have been earmarked for constituency in Ikot Ubo, Ubium South one.
As the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Onofiok Luke has with the committee of his colleagues passed the 2012 and 2013 appropriation and supplementary appropriation bills on time which has been the bedrock to the success story of the Uncommon Transformation in Akwa Ibom State.
He initiated the participatory budgetary system in the house as his committee have consistently invited stakeholders including the traditional rulers, women, the youths, students and civil societies for public hearing as witnessed at the first ever budget organised by the state legislature last year.
His sponsorship of five bills on the floor of the House remains pacesetting and outstanding and goes to show the vibrancy and commitment of the lawmakers of the Fifth Assembly in the state to propose bills that would be people oriented.
It further shows the quality of effective representation especially the contributions of private member bills which have remained significant in the Fifth Assembly.
Two of the bills have been passed into law which includes The Law for the Establishment of the Akwa Ibom State HIV/AIDS Control Agency, Functions of the Agency and for connected matters and The Law to Amend the Magistrate Court Laws 2000 And for Matters Connected therewith.
At the moment, in the core interest of his constituency, he has sponsored a bill to regulate sand mining and dredging in the state considering the fact that Nsit Ubium is one of the several Local Government areas in the state which is strongly affected by activities of sand miners and the bill for laws to provide for the safety of employees in the construction companies and industries in Akwa Ibom State and the bill for the law to protect the physically challenged against discrimination are some of his private member bills currently undergoing different stages of legislative processes.
During his first constituency briefing held last year, The Onofiok Luke Legislature Internship Programme (TOLLIP) was conceptualized to give the youths an opportunity to learn basic legislative roles in a democratic setting, a promise he has fulfilled successfully.
Today, TOLLIP Interns have been given a platform to hands-on learning of basic legislative engagements from a close range; receive trainings in community development and voluntarism, the entrepreneurship, talent discovery, peace building and conflict resolution, the first of its kind in Akwa Ibom State by any legislator and perhaps Nigeria. Yet,another milestone for this pride of the Nigerian youth.
The possibilities of the youths accessing this programme was not limited to youths from Nsit Ubium State Constituency as ten people were drawn from the various senatorial districts of the state as well as from voluntary youth organisations and the Nigeria Youth Parliament in addition to the five candidates selected from Nsit Ubium.
Hon. (Barr) Onofiok Luke has consistently emphasised that the social and economic enablement of people should at all times be the defining factor of every good leadership.
In his first constituency briefing last year through the Constituency Transport Scheme (CTS) and Seed Fund for Business Start-uo (SFBS), eleven brand new saloon cars were given to a number of persons across the local government area, an 18-seater bus provided to support the work of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Nsit Ubium Chapter and another bus to the Nigerian Youth Council in Nsit Ubium, while market women, youths, widows and the physically challenged number about 40 received seed funds to start their business.
Last Friday like I stated, history was once again re-written in gold as Hon. (Barr) Onofiok Luke empowered a record breath taking one hundred and seventy people from Nsit Ubium from the two categories of his empowerment schemes.
Ten brand new cars were given out to beneficiaries under the phase two of the Constituency Transport Schene, while a bus was given to the Traditional Rulers Council and the National Association of Nsit Ubium Students was given an eighteen seater bus to help facilitate their student union activities in the state and country.
Also, ten widows, fifteen other women, ten physically challenged people and thirty four men were given one hundred thousand naira as seed fund for business start up.
Ninety One youths were given One Hundred Thousand Naira each to start business as this empowerment programme was spread evenly and proportionally across the ten wards in Nsit Ubium State Constituency.
With about seventeen months to complete his first term in the legislature, Hon. (Barr) Onofiok Luke is far from exhausted. The adrenalin to drive his vision remains consistent.
His focus on the promotion of education and scholarship in the constituency, a tour of health and educational facilities in the constituency to draw government attention and the sustenance of sports as a tool to development through the Barrister Onofiok Luke Unity Cup are legacies for generations to study on the life of this God given, humble and friendly legislator determined to chart the path of a renaissance in his legislative functions in the development of his constituency.
For Onofiok Luke, you remain a pride to the youths of Nigeria, an inspiration, a leader, a bridge builder, a man of faith, a unifying factor and a shining star.
As you open a new chapter in your legislative experience, may your legacies be heralded across the nation and may your horizon always be lit with achievements.
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