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…Embarks on thank-you tour with the first fruit

By Dapo Akinrefon, CALABAR

THE lawmaker representing Ogoja/Yala constituency in the National Assembly, Mr Jude Ngaji, has promised to attract more dividends of democracy to his constituency just as he purchased medical equipment for five health care centres in Yala while also offsetting the medical bills of those in the health centres he visited.

The lawmaker said this when he commenced a solidarity and appropriation tour around his constituency to thank and appreciate his constituents for standing by him and voting him as their Member of Parliament during the last by-election in February 2022.

Ngaji, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the February 26, 2022, by-election scored 22,778 votes against Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, rival, Mike Usibe, who scored 20,590 votes.

The lawmaker, who demonstrated this love by using his first salary to attend to the needy and less privileged, also donated food items and cash to each of the patients in each of the health centres he visited.

The five health care centres are Comprehensive Health Centre Wanihem, Lutheran Health Care Centre, Wanikade, and Primary Health Care Centre, Wanokom, all located in North-Ukelle, Yala Local Government Area and Lutheran Hospital TBL unit, Ijiraga Health Care Centre, both in Yahe, Yala LGA.

When asked what motivated him to do the thank-you tour at health care centres, Ngaji said he was directed by God.

Asked if this was politically motivated the representative said no, adding “this is what I do every time.”

Speaking on some bad roads in his constituency, Ngaji said that once the recess was over he would bring the issue up on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Among his entourage were APC party members, chiefly among them were the chairman of Yala, Fabian Ogbeche, Dr Hippolatus Lukpata, Ambassador Asegem Emmanuel, the Emeritus Bishop of the Lutheran Church, Bishop Mathew Emmanuel Okata, and a host of others.

The clergyman extolled the virtue of Ngaji and also prayed for the patients, asking God to grant them quick recovery in each of the health centres visited. He described the parliamentarian as one who is down to earth and that has a big heart.

He also used the opportunity to endorse him for re-election in 2023, adding his kind of representation was rare to find, hence should be encouraged and supported.

“I’m seeing good things happening and also a great future for not just Ogoja/Yala federal constituency, but Jude Ngaji as a person.

“His kind gesture is something to write home about, you know leadership is not negotiable is God’s special gift, from God for both service to God and service to humanity and I’m seeing him exhibiting these good leadership qualities. God will continue to elevate him,” the cleric added.

One of the patients in Comprehensive Health Centre, Wanihem, Mr Ugban Monday, thanked the MP for his generosity and kind gesture and for remembering them within just one month in office.

He, however, cries out to the government to give keen attention to the health centres because there is no good health care delivery from the health personnel and no drugs in the centre.

A patient in the Lutheran Primary Healthcare, Mrs. Beatrice Paul, also commended the MP and prayed for God’s continuous blessings upon the MP for remembering them in their trying times.

Another beneficiary simply identified as Monday, said he was particularly grateful to the honourable member and said if the MP was to continue doing this he would go unopposed in the forthcoming election.

Yet, another patient, simply identified as Joy, said that the MP has brought what has never been in the constituency just within a short period in office.

Other patients were thankful to the lawmaker for his goodwill gesture towards them and prayed for him also.