The Welfare of my Constituents is my Heartbeat – Anthony Elekeokwuri

Hon. Anthony Elekeokwuri member representing Ika North East State Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly has said that the improved welfare of School students and empowerment of his constituents are highly germane to his heart.

Elekeokwuri stated this on Friday, June 9, 2017 during a Media Chat with the Press stressing that all his achievements and projects within the past two years, have been geared towards improving the lives of his Constituents.

“In terms of Empowerment in this side of the World, I have been able to evenly empower the Women, Youths and Students in Ika North East Local Government Area through my various programmes such as, the Orphans, Widows and the Physically Challenged Welfare Scheme with over 100 beneficiaries of the programme; the Elekeokwuri Oversea Training Programme designed to train youths of my constituency to acquire basic skills in their various field of studies. 10 youths have so far been sent to India in the first phase of the programme with another 20 youths set to leave for the second phase. Women Empowerment Programme, a project that focuses on giving financial assistance to women in Ika North East constituency to start up their own businesses. Over 20 women have benefited from the programme so far and the Students Financial Assistance Scheme, a Go-back to School financial assistance scheme for students of higher institutions in the constituency, 42 students have benefited from the Scheme.”

“Youths Entrepreneurship Programme, a youth empowerment scheme established for persons who have successfully completed their skill training in various fields of life in the constituency. A total of 25 youths have benefited in this scheme; Youths Agricultural Scheme, a project designed to encourage youths to form and register co-operative societies which qualifies them to receive financial assistance to finance their farming projects. Over 20 youths are currently engaged in this programme.”

Ekekeokwuri further stated that he has undertaken the Grading of 27 Earth Roads, within his two years in office across Ika North East Constituency and also empowered Indigent Students with an Assistance Scheme which he introduced to provide financial assistance to undergraduates and postgraduates indigent students who cannot afford their school fees, “at present, 15 persons have benefited from this programme.”

The lawmaker disclosed that his constituency project was focused on providing desks and chairs for pupils and students in the schools in his constituency revealing that as part of the project for 2016, He has supplied hundreds of students’ desk and chairs, and Teacher’s furniture inclusive across his constituency.

“I promised my people that before I finish my tenure, that no Ika North East Student in the Primary and Secondary schools will be sitting on the floor. I discovered that most of our students either stand to write or sit on the bare floor. It was so painful when I discovered it and I made the promise. One thing that is germane in my heart is to make sure that these students sit down comfortably when they are studying or learning. In all, a total of 2085 Desk and Chairs will be made available for students while 300 Teachers will receive furniture in my 2016 constituency project.”

Hon. Elekeokwuri commended the state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for supporting this project noting that without the executive, legislators would not have been able to direct Constituency Projects to where they are really needed for their constituents.

He hinted that his 2017 Constituency Project will also focus on schools, “we cannot belittle the importance of Education to our people. So anything I can do within my power as a legislator, I will definitely do. I am focused on education in terms of enhancing learning in schools. The important thing is that, at the end of my tenure, I want to be able to monitor and evaluate what these provided furniture have done in terms of enhancing learning in secondary and primary school.”

“I want to be able to access the students in terms of the rate at which they pass their exams (SSCE, NECO and others). My specific goal is to make sure I provide these furniture to students but the overall goal is to make sure that in the long run, these students pass their exams because they have also been able to have comfort in the course of learning.”

Hon. Anthony Elekeokwuri who is very vibrant in the legislative business of the House has sponsored Four (4) bills, co-sponsored Eight (8) bills, and supported and debated Forty Four (44) bills. He has moved and supported many motions at plenary; one of such is the motion to include Ika nation among the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

He has engaged in several legislative Oversight Functions either as a Chairman or member. Hon. Elekeokwuri chaired the Joint Committee on Public Accounts/Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs that investigated the 25 local government councils in Delta State. He was the chairman of House committee on Public Account that worked on the Delta State Procurement Commission Bill 2016, that have since been passed into Law and also headed the joint committee of Public Account and Appropriation, that studied the account records of Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the State.