SPEECH BY RT. HON. UNYIME IDEM, MEMBER REPRESENTING UKANAFUN/ORUK ANAM FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ON THE OCCASION OF HIS FOURTH CONSTITUENCY BRIEFING / EMPOWERMENT OF 5000 YOUTHS HELD IN UKANAFUN ON WEDNESDAY 20TH DECEMBER 2023
Protocol,
With profound gratitude to God and all humility, I stand here today, as the member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, to present to you an account of my stewardship in the past four years and five months. This occasion will also feature the empowerment of the last batch of beneficiaries of the skill acquisition programme for 5000 youths of my constituency, which I initiated during my first term.
My journey from a humble beginning to this privileged position today as your representative in the green chambers of the National Assembly is a testament to the grace of the Almighty God and the unwavering support bestowed upon me by all of you, through the ballot box, during the last two elections. I remain deeply indebted to every one of you for your trust and belief in my ability to represent you effectively.
Please permit me to share a deeply personal journey that has shaped my vision for a better future for our constituency. You would recall that between 2016 and 2018, many communities in Ukanafun and Oruk Anam and part of Etim Ekpo were ravaged by criminal activities and vicious youth restiveness. It was a dark era, marked by social unrest, violent crimes of kidnapping, armed robbery, and cold-blooded murder of innocent people. Consequently, many citizens of the affected communities abandoned their homes and means of livelihood and fled to nearby towns for safety.
But amidst the prevailing chaos and uncertainty, I kindled a glimmer of hope. It was in those dark moments that I received inspiration and made a solemn promise to myself and the people of this constituency to the effect that if I am given the opportunity to represent them in the House of Representatives, I would dedicate myself to empowering our youths, by providing them with the skills and capacity to overcome poverty, hence be positioned to shun the temptation of indulging in criminal activities. Today, I stand before you, no longer as a candidate but as a man who has translated his vision into reality.
Shortly after my victory in the 2019 elections, I ceaselessly engaged with community leaders, stakeholders, youth organizations, and experts whom I charged to come up with a comprehensive idea- a kind of roadmap-on in to actualize my dream of empowering 5,000 youths in our constituency through skill acquisition and capacity development.
To implement the said road map, the distribution of more than 10,000 forms to youths in the federal constituency was launched by the immediate past deputy governor of our State, HE Obong Moses Ekpo, OFR, in 2020. After a rigorous screening process by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and SMEDAN, 5000 youths were selected as beneficiaries of the scheme. Today, as I said, moments ago, we will be witnessing the empowerment of the remaining 2,500 beneficiaries of the scheme ( the first 1000 and 1,500 beneficiaries having been empowered in 2020 and 2021 respectively ) and equipped with the necessary tools to function in their various fields.
That initiative, which is now a reality, will, as a beacon of hope, provide our young people with the resources they need to build a brighter future for themselves. The Vocational Training, Entrepreneurship Programmes, and Mentorship Schemes that they have passed through have equipped them with practical skills that will open doors to sustainable employment, economic independence, and financial freedom for them
I firmly believe that poverty should never be an excuse for criminal activities. By addressing the root causes of youth’s restiveness, which includes a lack of opportunities and hopelessness, we can build a society where our young people will grow into productive and law-abiding citizens. In doing so, we can break the cycle of poverty and pave the way for a prosperous future.
May I also state here that the main reason for my steadfast dedication to empowering our constituents instead of prioritizing my personal needs, in the past four years as your representative, is based on the depth of my vision as a leader. Thus, my vow to empower 5000 youths in my constituency was not just a political slogan but a sincere commitment to bring about real change in the lives of the younger generation. It was a promise that resonated deeply within me, and I knew that fulfilling it would require more than mere words or hollow gestures. I had to sacrifice personal comfort to achieve it.
This included the commitment of all my salaries and allowances as a House of Representatives member towards funding this initiative. I firmly believe that the role of a representative goes beyond personal gain. It is a sacred duty to serve and uplift the people who have placed their hope in me.
Therefore, the self-denial was driven by my unwavering belief that our youths are the bedrock of our society, hence investing in their future would yield immeasurable benefits, not only for them but also for our entire constituency. By channelling my financial resources towards their development.
In my capacity as a legislator, I have ardently championed your causes and aspirations through the sponsorship of important bills and motions in the hallowed chambers of the House. During the period in review, I have diligently endeavour to address the pressing issues plaguing our constituency and the country as a whole. I have made copious contributions to several Bills and Resolutions that have engendered tangible improvements in the lives of our constituents, some of which have been listed in today’s programme of event booklet.
Moreover, my dedicated focus on infrastructure development has yielded tangible results since you elected me into the House of Representatives. Recognizing the pivotal role that robust infrastructure plays in driving economic growth and enhancing the quality of life of every society, I have attracted numerous projects to our federal constituency through my strategic engagement of federal MDAs Such effort has translated into the construction of several kilometres of roads and bridges in different communities within the constituency.
I have also facilitated the provision of potable water, solar street lighting, and the augmentation of public facilities in some state government institutions. These are the construction of classroom blocks in more than 10 Primary/secondary schools, the construction of a lecture theater at Akwa Ibom State University, the establishment of E-Learning centers in selected secondary schools, the building and equipping of skill acquisition centers and several other projects too numerous to be captured on this address but have been listed in today’s programme event booklet.
These transformative projects have not only bolstered connectivity and transportation but have also engendered employment opportunities, invigorated economic activities within our constituency, and created a conducive learning environment for our students and pupils.
Securing gainful employment for our young people in key government agencies and Ministries has been one of my priorities. I am aware of the scourge of youth unemployment and, hence, have taken active steps to address the problem. Through deliberate engagements, I have effectively facilitated the employment of several youths into various positions within the state and federal MDAs. I have also taken it up as a challenge by resolving to work and bridge the apparent deficit and imbalance I have noticed in the Akwa Ibom quota in the federal civil service, to pave the way for more indigenes of our state to be employed at the federal level. This will provide a platform for our people to contribute their skills and expertise to the advancement of our great nation while growing their careers at the national level.
My dear constituents, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, even though we have come a long way in this journey, we still have a long way to go. In the remaining part of the journey, I promise to continue the fight for your interest and persistently pursue your cause with familiar zeal.
Thank you for your unflinching support, and may the Almighty God bless you abundantly.
