The immediate past members of the Plateau State House of Assembly have narrated their experiences and achievements in the 9th Assembly.
While thanking God for seeing them through, the former Members Hon. Barrister Wallok Goma representing Kanke and member representing Bokkos Constituency, Engineer Amurudu Usaini recounted how 2 out of the 24 Members that started the 4 years journey died before the end of the tenure. They also thanked their families, constituents for their support and appreciated God for the moments they shared with colleagues and staff of the assembly.
The lawmakers who represented their constituencies in delivering legislative businesses of law making and oversight functions which are the primary responsibility of the elected representatives, said they also provided dividends of democracy to their people in areas of financial Empowerments and Equipments, Education, Water and Road network within their respective constituencies.
According to Barrister Wallok Goma who was also the Deputy Majority Leader, he represented his people well as he moved and supported motions to the benefits of his constituency and the state at large. And also sponsored bills that have direct bearing on the lives of the citizens some of which were passed into law and assented by the Governor.
Among the bills he personally sponsored and passed into law was the “Traditional Rulers Renumeration Law” apart from other bills he sponsored along with others. He also moved the motion that saw to the completion of the General Hospital in Kwall, which was initiated by the Dariye administration.
He noted that in terms of representation, he represented his Constituency well by always presenting their problems to the government and insuring that anything that is due for his constituents was given to them or captured in the budget.
Meanwhile in the area of constituency interventions, Wallok mentioned few to includes the construction of Golkung bridge in Shiwer, Schools in Goktok, Nemel and Garram which is under construction among others. He also carried out empowerments for the youths and women by providing Sewing, Grinding and Pumping Machines, and cash token of N10,000 each to about 500 beneficiaries.
On his part, the member representing Bokkos Constituency, Engineer Amurudu Usaini, said he believed that whatever he was able to do in his four years of representation was what God designed for him to achieved and those things he wish to do but was unable to, he said were not God’s plans for him to accomplish within the 4 years.
He said though execution of projects are primarily in the hands of the executive, but sometimes they cannot fold their hands when they see their people in need and not attended to by the executive, so they sometimes try to bridge the gap by intervening.
Amurudu said he build Primary Healthcare, Clinics and renovated some, he constructed 3 motorize boreholes, drilled 19 hand pump boreholes and fixed 46 broken boreholes, renovated 7 primary schools, constructed 11 primary school’s Examination Hall, Science Laboratory, and 1 Police outpost.
“Just recently I constructed a primary healthcare which is at 95 percent stage of completion and I’m trusting God to complete it. There were over 28,000 Textbooks and Exercise books that I also distributed, I distributed Wheelchairs for the physically challenge, there are Grinding Machines, Sawing Machines, Water pump for dry season farming, Fertilizer and so many other things.
“Even after office those I can do I hope to continue because people are my greatest assets” said Amurudu.
He said through the help of God he was able to secured job opportunities for his constituents both at the Federal and State civil service. And used the opportunity to advised the Governor of the state, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang to look into his pronouncement of suspending all employment made from 1st October, 2022 with wisdom because the workforce in Plateau State is in dare need of more hands.
Engr. Amurudu said his only regret in the House was not achieving the construction of Mbar-Mangar, Richa-Kamoi road which has been in the budget year in year out. He said though the road construction is beyond what he can do but he put up so much effort by lobbying for the road to be constructed by the executive but to no avail.
According to the former member, the road is key to the people of Bokkos, particularly Kulere because it connects 4 Districts, 4 State Wards and 3 Federal Wards and because of its importance, he embarked on safe help rural road maintenance by having 15 people from the communities in his payroll to be maintaining the road manually for the past 3 years.