24/09/2022
The Partnership
A BALANCED REPRESENTATIVE APPROACH TOWARDS ATTAINING
A BETTER AND GREATER YAKURR 1 STATE CONSTITUENCY
The ‘Partnership’ is a program that seeks to balance representation with the common needs of the constituents, by ensuring consultation and participation. It presents a well-researched process that captures and addresses the peculiar needs of our Constituency and is aimed at becoming a representative template that can be applied at all levels when fully unveiled. This particular document is a summary of activities and events that will restore confidence to our people after years of representation that have no impact and has left us without hope. It is evident that our Constituency has lost its voice and touch with the policy direction of the present administration. Hence, the need for a more robust and inclusive representation that can guarantee the peoples input and participation moving forward. It is common knowledge that, one of the fundamental roles of the Legislature or a Parliament outside making laws, balancing and acting as a check to other arms, is to address the needs and grievances of the people. The State House of Assembly is therefore an assembly of elected members, who are meant to represent matters arising from the unsatisfactory administrative, fiscal and social circumstances and a good representative is sort of a local or Constituency ombudsman a social service man, who is there to represent and to intervene on his people’s behalf. The process involves lobbying and creating good synergy with government departments, agencies and ministries, and a persistent orientation of the people to get them aligned to the government’s policy directions and as such, requires a certain level of dedication, transparency and consultation with the people.
In order to meet up with these responsibilities, the team has identified a series of activities that can help us achieve the task seamlessly by adopting the ‘challenge’ and ‘approach’ method, to enable us x-ray perceived challenges and suggest possible solutions.
The program is packaged by Mathias Owuna Egbe and his team and is unique to the Yakurr 1 State Constituency. Mathias is a young, savvy businessman from Usaja in Ajere Council Ward of Ekori, who has good leadership credentials, required grassroot and public service experience to deliver on the task. He has dedicated his time into his private ventures, social and voluntary services. He is very pragmatic and transparent, and stands out with an impeccable pedigree, combining competence, courage, capacity and collaboration for top results. He is seeking to represent the Yakurr 1 State Constituency at the State House of Assembly by 2023 under the platform of the LABOUR PARTY LP.
Mathias is also an advocate of youthful and competent leadership, very progressive and people oriented, charismatic and pushes to advance the interest of the common man. He and his team of young visionaries believe that they can turn things around for good when given the opportunity to serve.
Every four (4) years in our democracy individuals are elected to represent the specific interests of their constituents. The Cross River State House of Assembly was created to provide certain services for the good of the people of Cross River ranging from legislation, representation, appropriation of bills passed on the floor of the house, ensuring that estimates are critically analyzed, resources are distributed in such a way that those in need are put in priority while also ensuring that the budget is efficiently utilized judiciously. When it comes to law making, the law makers representing the constituency ensure that laws are passed with the positive interest of the people at heart and mindful of the fact that these laws must be practical and implementable over a long period of time and above all ensure that the rights of citizens are protected. Not forgetting the responsibility of overseeing the activities of ministries, departments and agencies (MDA's), through committees that inspect the books of MDAs in order to ensure they are complying with the rules and laws that have been put in place; any defiance of the law is punished accordingly.
I have highlighted the above first to demonstrate my understanding of the workings of the state House of Assembly and the duties and responsibilities I owe to you my constituents if voted in to represent you as I believe you will.
It is on this note I, Mathias Owuna Egbe, put forward my vision for the good people of Yakurr 1 constituency If elected. In addition to statutory legislative function, I will liaise with the executive arm to attract,
EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
I will look at existing legislations and see areas we can improve upon to incorporate new curriculum, new academic trends and best practices in the educational sector to give our wards a chance to compete with their peers from anywhere around the world, work closely with the executive to refurbish dilapidated structure and if necessary, establish new school. I will sponsor payments of registration fees for national and regional examination for wards in secondary schools.
HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT
I will liaise with the executive and ensure that our primary and secondary health facilities are well equipped and also have effective human resources to man our health facilities, making health care closer to the common man in our rural communities.
YOUTHS AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
I will promote youth involvement in sports through legislation and working hand in hand with the executive arm and private companies as this will have our Youths actively and positively engaged and this will reduce social vices.
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
I will work with the executive, private companies and individuals to provide storage facilities, modified seedlings, fertilizers, agricultural extension officers and facilitate available grants for individuals and cooperatives in Yakurr 1.
GENDER EQUALITY
I will look at legislation that borders on the girl child and see areas that we can improve upon and eradicate discrimination and violence against the girl and boy child within our communities.
POVERTY ELEVATION
Put efforts to attract government grants and intervention schemes to empower our people and help them to be resourceful, open a skill acquisition center in the communities within the constituency where our youths can acquire different skills in other to boost our economy.
SECURITY
There have been poor efforts by the present Council administration towards having a secured Yakurr 1 State Constituency. As a matter of fact, there have been several cases of violence and social unrest across the length and breadth of our Constituency. The increase rate of robberies on our roads, increased cult activities, ritual and many other social vices are fast becoming the norm in our communities and more efforts and engagements are required to be put in place to secure lives and properties in the constituency. Proper security mechanisms and structures will be put in place across the communities of the constituency to ensure proper security setup. I am therefore proposing a few steps we will adopt in achieving this task:
Having the right legislations and motions on the floor of the House will drive the process from the government’s angle and ensure a well-documented and gazette arrangement that can guarantee lasting peace in areas where we have land dispute.
Engaging the Traditional Rulers Council and other stakeholders will help drive the process from the community level. At this point I propose that the government, should restore full status to traditional rulers from communities that are considered as security flashpoints, by handing them their certificates. This serves as a way of encouraging their efforts so far, while we build more expectations on them.
Engaging the young people meaningfully will help eliminate unhealthy agitations that will give rise to more community crises. This is the bane of the matter and if properly handled as proposed in our youth programs, would help solve the security situation once and for all.
Promoting more traditional and cultural affiliations. Improvement on the traditional and cultural festivals across the constituency.
The existing cordiality that has been established by the peace agreements across the Constituency offers for once, the required opportunity to get our communities to work together. Our Partnership program will leverage on what is on ground, by putting commensurate efforts in ensuring lasting peace is achieved across the Constituency.
SEEKING LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY SOLUTIONS
Setting up Constituency Office and Service Centre at the various communities to enable regular drop-in surgeries and encouraging contributions and direct participation to the Constituency administration.
Planned legislations and oversight that will ensure lasting peace in our Constituency.
Planned legislations and oversight that will help develop the Constituency economy by providing targeted incentives to small and medium scale businesses, farmers and create more jobs. E.g., Legislations that can turn the agricultural practices into agro and tech hubs, to service our farmers and cushion for youth tech activities in the constituency and her catchment, thereby, reducing the financial burden on government in creating additional spaces for youth activities as well as helping to improve our Constituency’s local economy and engaging our young people meaningfully.
Generally, improve access to existing government programs, by ensuring transparency, that programs are people-friendly, and keeping bureaucracy to the minimum to enable participation. Also, we will reduce the gap between the funding (administration and partners) and beneficiaries.
Legislations and oversight to enable our communities develop ‘Self Help Commissions’ to meet up local upkeep of existing infrastructure and general community development.
Dedicate resources to help reach out for community services, funerals and other local ceremonies and engagements.
Create feedback channels to enable constituents express their views on constituency administration and performance.
The challenges are way too numerous. But we will start with the ones we have identified here and hope that with a collective and concerted effort, we can achieve even more in 4 years. The team intends to combine our local Constituency experience with the overwhelming people’s support that we are already enjoying. There is so much to be achieved through this partnership and a value networking process. The overall aim is to get everybody involved in the process of ensuring that we build a better and greater Yakurr 1 State Constituency.
With this vision and knowledge of services, I am uniquely qualified to mediate and help my constituents resolve their problems.
Vote Labour Party
Vote Mathias Owuna Egbe
Drop your comments and contributions on areas you think we should touch and be a part of this conversation and process. The team appreciates your contributions Let’s partner for a shared prosperity
Thank you!
