Make your home the best, consider possible areas of backward integration – Onuigbo tells Ikwuano Indigenes living abroad

The former Member that represented Ikwuano Umuahia North and South Federal Constituency in the 8th and 9th National Assembly Rep. Sam Onuigbo has called on Abians and Ikwuano Indigenes in particular in Diaspora to consider possible areas of backward integration through their well assessed investment in order to make their home the best it can be.

Onuigbo who made this known in his remarks at the Annual Convention of Ikwuano National Development Association (INDA) USA & Canada at the Igbo Center Dallas USA commended the organizers of the event for always putting up an event that promotes the unique culture of Ikwuano people as he called for continuous work on their part as well as all in attendance in giving their moral voice, expertise, wealth of knowledge, contacts, and encouragement for Ikwuano Local government to develop and take its pride of place in the comity of LGAs across Nigeria.

The former Rep. Member who was the 2023 All Progressives Congress APC Senatorial Candidate for Abia Central Senatorial Districts and a Special Guest of Honour at the event, noted that as a representative of the people of Ikwuano/Umuahia at the Green Chamber for two consecutive terms, he always brought honour, recognition, and visibility, and not disgrace, to his local government.

He added that while he may not have achieved everything he had hoped to achieve within the period, he at least , left as one of the five persons out of 469 National Assembly Members comprising 109 Senators and 360 Members of the House that served in the 9th Assembly who was inducted into the prestigious Most Valuable Parliamentarians Hall of Fame in recognition of his excellent performance in the three core areas of representation namely, legislation, oversight, and representation as a member’s character and integrity were also considered.

Chief Onuigbo who reeled out projects he attracted to include the Umuahia Ikwuano Ikot Ekpene road project pointed out that it was important that everyone advised themselves-:lawyers, journalists, engineers, politicians, leaders of development unions, etc. to desist from what he described as deliberately manufacturing and spreading falsehood as he urged them to cultivate the virtue of working together as a united team in the overall interest and benefit of the meople.

In his address, President of Ikwuano Development Union, Dallas-Fort Worth Prince Emeka Ifenwanta, noted that the Convention reiterates their hope of improving infrastructural development in their community and underlines the importance of parochial communities in diaspora.

He said Nde ikwuano in USA/Canada have resolved to assist in alleviating some of the sufferings of their people at home, by embarking on the rehabilitation of eight health centers (two from each Clan) adding that it is expected that the Convention will provide the platform and needed resources to embark and achieve the goal as he called for more support from Umu-ikwuano all over the world, friends, and well-wishers to raise funds for the project.

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REMARKS BY REP. SAM ONUIGBO FCIS, FNIM, FMR MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND 2023 APC SENATORIAL CANDIDATE FOR ABIA CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT DURING THE ANNUAL CONVENTION OF IKWUANO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION USA & CANADA ON SATURDAY, JULY 8, 2023, AT THE IGBO CENTRE, MESQUITE DALLAS, USA

[Protocol]
It gives me immense pleasure to be here again to honour your invitation to me as the Special Guest of Honour to this important annual event, which was put on hold since 2020 because of Covid-19 pandemic. For several years now, precisely since 2011, I have always ensured that I am part of this event especially as I’ve convinced myself that it represents a platform for us as brethren to come together to interact, brainstorm, and most important share ideas on the way forward in building our unity in a foreign land, and in bringing development to our people at home. Let me commend the organizers for always promoting our unique culture by bringing Ekperikpe war dance during our annual conventions.

Over the past eight years, I attended this event as the member representing the good people of great Ikwuano/Umuahia North and Umuahia South Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. On June 12 this year, I exited the National Assembly having been re-elected as the first two-time Member of the House of Representatives (2015-2019; 2019-2023) in our federal constituency since 1999.

While I may not have achieved everything I had hoped to achieve within this period, you must know that your son, at least, left as one of the five persons out of 469 National Assembly Members comprising 109 Senators and 360 Members of the House that served in the 9th Assembly who was inducted into the prestigious Most Valuable Parliamentarians Hall of Fame.

Indeed, the only Parliamentarian from the whole of Southern Nigeria to be Inducted. This was in recognition of my excellent performance in the three core areas of representation namely, legislation, oversight, and representation. A member’s character and integrity were also considered.At this juncture, it is also important to place on record that I sponsored Nigeria’s Climate.Change Act 2021, which has received national and global acclaim.

Service to my people is what brings me the utmost joy and I will never stop trying to be of service however I can. I have been involved in community development since the 1990s long before I joined politics in 2010. For instance, I attracted and completed the building of a block of three classrooms to my alma mater–Community Primary School, Obuohia Obi Ibere in 1999, through the US Embassy self-help project. The then US Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Howard Jeter commissioned the building with assistance from the then Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu.
In addition, I also founded the Ambassador’s College, Obuohia Obi-Ibere in 2001 .
Therefore, service to humanity is the natural tonic in my system.

In realization of the fact that government is a continuum, I want to assure you that I will continue to work with the current occupants of offices to follow up and use our contacts to ensure that some of the projects which I attracted but which have either not been completed or are awaiting award letters are fully executed for the benefit of our people.

These include the ongoing total reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot – Ekpene Federal Road. What used to be the worst sections of that road–Ndoro-Okwe axis–have been fully reconstructed and asphalted. It is important and in our collective interest that we advise ourselves-:lawyers, journalists, engineers, politicians, leaders of development unions, etc. to desist from deliberately manufacturing and spreading falsehood. I respectfully urge us to cultivate the virtue of working together as a united team in the overall interest and benefit of our people.

Another major project I facilitated is the 16km Umuahia-Umudike Dualization Project with a flyover from Amachara to Ossah at the Ahia Tower (the engineering design for this road has been completed and the contract is now awaiting to be awarded); the Federal Secretariat for Abia State, which will commence in a few months; and the Okwe-Obuohia-Nkari Federal Road (the design and Bill of Engineering Measurement have also been completed).

As a people, we will continue to collaborate as we journey towards making our place the best it can be. I urge you to continue to work together in love and unity because we need your moral voice, expertise arid wealth of knowledge, contacts, and encouragement for our local government to develop and take its pride of place. As we move forward, I would like to repeat what I said in 2011, we should consider possible areas of backward integration through your well assessed investments.

Before I conclude, let me thank you all for your love, support, prayers, and encouragement over the years as I represented this great Federal Constituency, and contested as its 2023 Senatorial Candidate. I want to thank God that I represented you well with verifiable, enduring, and outstanding accomplishments. In the same vein, we must always work assiduously to·prot3/ect, preserve, and promote our sons and daughters who have demonstrated proven capabilities to deliver in whatever responsibilities they are saddled with.

Right from when I worked at the US Embassy, Lagos for nearly 18 years; worked as Special Adviser to the Speaker of 6th House of Representatives; served as the Commissioner for Lands and Survey and later Commissioner for Finance, Abia State, before representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North and Umuahia South Federal Constituency, I have always brought honour, recognition, and visibility, and not disgrace, to our local government.

I would like to thank in a special way the leaders and members of the Dallas Chapter through your President, Prince Emeka Ifenwanta, for your doggedness and commitment. Similarly, I would also like to thank the National body and Chapter Presidents through your National President, Chief Fred Otuokere, for your effective collaboration in organizing this great lkwuano Annual Convention for 2023, especially when viewed against the background that what you have achieved today initially seemed impossible. I congratulate you all and pray to God to replenish your pockets and reward your other sacrifices.