By John Oghojafor
Frontline House of Representatives aspirant for Ethiope Federal Constituency, Mr. Godfrey Ishegbe has reeled out a full package of his plans on how he is going to turn around the lives of the people of Ethiope Federal Constituency for the better when he resumes lawmaking at the National Assembly in 2019. And top on the agenda of his plan for the people is the setting up of Ethiope Micro-Finance Bank to address the problem of lack of funds for small-scale businesses as well as providing buses for free transportation in the area.
Ishegbe who disclosed this during a consultation visit to Ethiope West PDP in Oghara Tuesday, also promised to set up functional constituency office across the federal constituency, adding that he would purchase buses tagged ‘Rescue Mission Shuttle Buses’ to facilitate transportation and movement of people in the area.
The Okpara-born politician whose track record and achievement in national politics are incomparable, also assured that he will introduce new ideas to solve old challenges in the federal constituency by setting up Elders Committees at the ward and local government levels who will identify and collate the developmental needs of the people at the grassroots which will be factored into national budget appropriation as constituency projects.
Addressing the Exco and members of Ethiope West PDP at the party secretariat at Oghara, Ishegbe said: “I’ve been in the party since 2003 but I’ve playing national politics because I was the first pioneering chairman of the PDP Young Professionals from 2003 to 2005. I’ve helped the party a lot. In the last national convention of the party, I discovered some injustices in the constitution of the Committee members. I was part of the PDP national convention. I looked at the list and I discover that there were only three members from Ethiope federal constituency. I went round, I lobbied and I was able to put 13 people in the Committee.
“So, we have done a lot for the party. There is no event that is happening in this party that I don’t send my support if I’m not around. Why am I here? I’m here to solicit your support to send me to the National Assembly to be your boy, to be your mouthpiece at the Green Chambers come 2019.
“I’m contesting this position for one simple reason – it is a divine mandate. God sent me that I should go and rescue my people. I’m like the shining light sent to rescue our people from darkness to physical and tangible development. The injustice that is going on in Abuja is so appalling that I cannot even stand it. If you go to ministries, agencies and parastatals of the federal government, you will discover that our people are not well represented. What type of injustice is this? At least, we are the fifth largest ethnic group in Nigeria but you will never see our people in strategic positions at the federal level. I say this cannot happen, we just have to do something about it. And by the grace of God I’ve been able to build my network over the years with people across all regions.
“You need somebody with that kind of wide network to be able to attract development to our people. I can confidently tell you that some of my class mates are members of the House of Representatives and it is through them that I get some little slots that I put our people in federal establishment. By the grace of God I have put about five people in federal establishment – Radio Nigeria among others.”
Ishegbe stressed the need for the people of Ethiope federal constituency to, “for once get it right”, and send someone that has the exposure, experience, articulate, vibrant and dynamic to represent our people. He assured that if voted to the National Assembly and he could not make reasonable impact for the first one year, he would resign.
Emphasizing that he was interested in teaching the people to fish rather than giving them fish, Ishegbe disclosed that he has already registered what he called Ethiope Micro-finance Bank to provide soft loans for the people to do their businesses, adding that he has earmarked N200 million to kick of the project.
“I will not give you fish but I will teach you how to fish. I’ve already registered Ethiope Micro-finance Bank because I discovered we don’t have micro-finance banks in most of our areas. This micro-finance bank is going to provide soft loans for our women, our elders and our youths to use to do their business and we have earmarked about N200 million for that project.
“One thing so unique about this micro-finance bank is that you could walk in there and get N100,000 to do your business with little or no interest. Even civil servants that are working. You can come if you have not been paid your salary and take an IOU. Once your salary comes, you return the money without interest.
He also spoke about his plan to set up what he called functional constituency offices which will include the procurement of buses to facilitate movement of people in the area. According to him, the buses will be tagged “Rescue Mission Shuttle Buses”, shall be used to “transport people from one location to another.”
He urged the people to support someone who can do the job, someone who can represent the people and someone who can negotiate to bring development to the constituency.
Responding, the PDP chairman for Ethiope West, Mr. Onome Ojo thanked the aspirant for his intelligent and assuring presentation, urging him to work hard and reach out to as many delegates as possible so that he could secure victory with ease.
At the Ethiope West Local Government Council Secretariat where he paid a courtesy visit on the chairman, Mr. Solomon Golley, the Vice chairman, Mr. Bunnex Obukohwo and members of the legislative arm of the Council, Mr. Ishegbe also unveiled his lofty plan for the development of Ethiope Federal Constituency if voted to represent the people in the Green Chambers of the National Assembly.
Just as he promised at the party secretariat earlier, Ishegbe spoke glowingly of his plant to address the infrastructural deficiency challenge in the constituency, adding that he has in stock new ideas to solve old challenges.
Earlier, he had intimated the Council chairman of his plans to contest for the position of the House of Representatives member for the federal constituency, lamenting that he is being driven by the passion to rescue the people of Ethiope Federal Constituency from injustice and imbalance in the sharing of positions and other entitlements at the federal level.
He reiterated that part of the challenge facing the Urhobo nation can be attributed to the absence of its influential people at the national level who have a wide reach and can attract development back home. He noted that without political power there is very little one can do to bring federal presence to the people.
Ishegbe solicited the support of the Council chairman and his Councillors to enable him have a smooth ride to the National Assembly just as he promised to consult him and other leaders on the needs of the people at the grassroots.
In his response, the Council chairman, Mr. Golley pledged his support for the aspirant just as he urged him to reach out to the leaders of the party from top to bottom.
Fielding questions from newsmen shortly after the meeting, the Solomon Golley stressed that Ishegbe’s plan for the establishing of Ethiope Micro-finance Bank was a very lofty one, adding that if implemented, it will go a long way to reduce poverty in the area.
Also speaking with newsmen at his residence in Oghara when Ishegbe came calling, Chief Isaac Iwe-ako, a frontline chieftain of the PDP Ethiope West, promised to do all within his power to deliver the aspirant in his ambition, adding that Ishegbe has the capacity and capability of providing efficient and effective representation for the people of Ethiope Federal Constituency.
