Genuine efforts needed to pull our people out of poverty and hunger – Abba Moro

 

BENUE, Nigeria – The Senator representing Benue South Senatorial District made up of the Idomas in Benue State, Comrade Patrick Abba Moro, has expressed concern over the numerous challenges confronting Nigeria.

Moro raised the concern in a speech delivered at the 2023 Idoma USA Convention and titled: “Leading Idoma Land In Today’s Nigeria: Problems and Prospects”.

Updating the Idomas resident in the USA on the situation of things back home in Nigeria, the astute parliamentarian said: “I am sure a great number of you are in touch daily with your kiths and kins back home in Nigeria.

With globalization, nothing that happens in even the remotest part of the globe can escape attention, not to talk of a large country such as Nigeria and specifically the Idoma nation in Benue State. You definitely must also be concerned about the security situation as well as the economic challenges in Nigeria, and invariably in Idoma land. There is no doubt that we are confronted by multi-dimensional challenges in Nigeria. For the Idomas, the issues of insecurity, youth unemployment and poverty, are prominent.

“My dear brothers and sisters, we are daily confronted with myriad of problems, as noted above, which are compounded by the near absence of an institutional framework to deal with them. It is the reason some of our brothers and sisters take their frustrations on the political class, even when one is making genuine efforts to address the prevailing challenges. Poverty and hunger are twin evils that have held our people captive.

“They have so affected our land in such a way that no matter the infrastructural strides you make as a leader, the fact that they do not provide direct money for the pockets and food for the stomach, you still have huge challenges to grapple with. It is this twin-evil that has been responsible for the rise of ‘vote-buying’ during elections in Nigeria. It is also the reason we all need to put our hands on deck as we make genuine efforts to pull our people out of the clutches of poverty and hunger.

“Nothing tests my inner equilibrium like the cases of the killing of farmers in our land by herdsmen and the rise in the activities of kidnap gangs in Idoma land. While I must note that it is such a difficult time to lead our people, I am hopeful that with sustained commitment of all of us at home and in the diaspora, to empower our youths, provide infrastructure and strengthen our security, we will once again be living in a peaceful and prosperous Idoma land.”

“Presenting his scorecard at the event, Moro who assumed office as Benue South Senator on June 11, 2019, enumerated the several projects and empowerment programmes he has attracted to every part of his constituency, the bills sponsored, motions moved and petitions laid on the floor of the Senate.

Some of the projects he mentioned include: Construction of a HEALTHCARE Center at Okwungaga, Ugbokolo; Construction of DRAINAGE SYSTEM in Ugbokolo Town; Construction of a BLOCK OF CLASSROOMS at Odessassa Primary School; Electrification of Olaidu/Ojigo communities; Procurement and installation of transformer in Ichama; Rehabilitation of Eke-Ugbokolo road; ; Construction of Block of Classrooms in Ogi; Procurement and installation of Solar Street Lights in Igumale; Electrification of Ikpemgbe community; Construction of Onyirada River Bridge in Udaburu; Procurement and installation of Electricity Transformer at Ukwo-Owukpa and Procurement and installation of Solar Streetlights in Orokam and Ukwo Owukpa.

Other are Construction of General Hospital road, Obarike-Ito; Procurement and installation of solar streetlights in Obarike-Ito; Rehabilitation of Odiapa Road; Rehabilitation of Uchuo-Okpoma road; Rehabilitation of Obusa-Adokpa road Construction of a block of classrooms in Oba community; Construction of a block of 3-classrooms at LGA Primary School, Ojantelle; Electrification of Auke community; Drilling of Boreholes in Obagaji, Okokolo, Odugbeho and Usha; Procurement and installation of solar-powered street lights in Okokolo; Rehabilitation of Ochoga Avenue; Rehabilitation of Jamaica Street; Procurement and installation of Transformer at Rice Mill Otukpo; Procurement and installation of Transformer at Anmoda Otukpo and Construction of Igaluwa-Ugboju road.

Some of his sponsored bills, according to him, are as follows: The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill, 2021; A Bill for an Act to establish the Federal University of Health Sciences, Akwete-Akpa, Otukpo, Benue State; A Bill for an Act to establish the Veteran Welfare Fund 2020; A Bill seeking the establishment of North Central Development Commission (NCDC) and A Bill for an Act seeking the establishment of Federal College of Agricultural Technology in Opialu-Ojapo, in Okpokwu LGA, Benue State.

Moro reminded the Idomas in Diaspora of the central role they have to play towards the development of Idoma land.