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Okey Sampson, Aba
It was a dream come true for residents of Uratta Road axis of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, when reconstruction work began on the road after 20 years of abandonment. The reconstruction work undertaken by the Ecological Fund Office of the Presidency was attracted by Prestige Ossy, member representing Abia North/Abia South in the House of Representatives.
Ossy, whose campaign slogan was: “Aba must surely be fixed … and in our own time,” had during the 2015 election campaings, promised the people of the area that he would cause the road to be fixed, if he was elected to represent them in Abuja.
There is no doubt that many had taken the statement as one of those empty promises associated with politicians from this clime.
Daily Sun gathered that, in order to fulfil his promise, immediately he won that year’s election, the lawmaker went cap-in-hand to the Presidency begging for the road to be reconstructed; he harped on its importance to his constituents, stressing that, if reconstructed, it would bolster economic activities in the area. His prayer was answered as the Presidency directed the Ecological Fund Office to reconstruct the road, thereby marking the beginning of the end of the people’s sufferings. Work on the road, which started before the end of the lawmaker’s first term in the National Assembly, is nearing completion and would soon be inaugurated.
This singular work by Ossy has continued to elicit joy among his constituents and they in no small measure expressed this when he held a thanksgiving service in Aba recently to thank God for His mercies and the people for being with him throughout his first term and also helping him secure victory in the 2019 polls, despite all odds.
Chief Goodluck Egwu Ibem, president-general, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), a resident of the area, spoke about the road after the thanksgiving service: “Hon. Ossy has done well by attracting the reconstruction of the road, which had remained unattended to for the past 20 years. Some persons have represented the area in the National Assembly over the years, none had done what Ossy is doing and that is why we are grateful to him and the Federal Government for acceding to his plea.”
However, Ibem asked the lawmaker to press it on the contractor handling the job to do a solid work on the road and also ensure that it gets to the Enugu/Port Harcourt Expressway to serve as by-pass, since the Port Harcourt Road is in a terrible condition.
Nwogu, another resident of the area, commended the lawmaker for making it possible for the road to be fixed, stressing that they have not had it so good in terms of dividends of democracy. He said the number of people that turned out for the thanksgiving went a long way to show that their representative was doing well and was loved by the people. At the event, Ossy said he decided to gather his constituents and friends alike to give God thanks after his inauguration for a second term because he “experienced a life-changing touch of God’s right hand of power over him.”
The lawmaker said he attracted the road and other projects in the constituency because, according to him, he was overwhelmed by their doggedness to defend the mandate given to him when the “agents of darkness” wanted to forcefully turn things around against him in 2015.
“I was humbled by your effusive show of love, apparently in appreciation of my little efforts at serving you conscientiously as I had pledged in 2015, when you first gave me your overwhelming mandate to represent you at the hallowed Green Chambers of the National Assembly.
“The trajectory of my service delivery would be maintained with increased determination and commitment to selflessly, as my antecedents would readily validate, work to bring in dividends of democracy that would impact and improve the lives of our people,” he said.
Pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Ogbor Hill parish, Aba, Rev. Akim Mbeh who officiated at the service, enjoined political leaders in the country to always lead with the fear of God for the good of the masses.
The cleric said it was because Ossy had the fear of God in him that he was able to do the much he did for his people in his first term, which culminated in his re-election for another term.
He postulated that Nigeria would have been better if the political leaders had treaded the path of the likes of Ossy in fearing and depending on God while carrying on the task of administering the country.
