ECHOCHO:
AS WE STEP INTO THE 4TH QUARTER –
LOOKING THROUGH 2024.
By ONOJA J. OKPANACHI
One of the beauties of democracy is accountability. Keeping and giving records of projects, engagements and participations in activities that translate to the common good of the people being represented is critical. So, for Senator Jibrin Isah (Echocho) the year 2024 has been an eventful one so far even as it is challenging. The Distinguished Senator representing the good people of Kogi East at the Red Chamber has been part of the people’s journey through this trying year. From the beginning of this year, he has not relented in meeting the people’s need in manners that will enable them to stand and grow to become self reliant.
So, as the 4th quarter of the year approaches, it’s only good to take a quick look through the last 3 quarters in order to make the last 3 months of 2024 more fruitful. The concern here are some of the key strategic supports, interventions, empowerments and trainings which were aimed at giving hope and to encourage the people to stand up for themselves economically. So, the parliamentary activities are on one side with lots to report from that end in view of the records of contributions to the activities of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
For Senator Jibrin Isah, the year 2024 took off with renewed mindset to do more. Coming from the end of the year’s engagements and interventions at that point of the year, he thought it necessary to engage the media. Through the media engagement, he was able to present his activities in the Senate and his projects across Kogi East. The method he promised to sustain so to keep the people of his district abreast of his activities as their Senator.
After the media engagement in February, many people who were until that period would always attack him wrongly had change of mind and began to follow his activities to know more. Some even apologized publicly for erroneously accusing him. Same month of February, he asked his team to go investigate some of the projects he brought to Kogi East. From the reports submitted, in March, he sent his team to deliver Ibaji Rice Mill, Omala Rice Mill and Acharu Oil Mill to the leadership of those areas and their local governments heads. During the handing over ceremonies, minor concern about the Ibaji Rice was raised, noted and progress was made.
The second quarter of the year started on a very good note as The Senator Jibrin Isah’s Kogi East Entrepreneurship Scheme took off with 20 beneficiaries selected from the 9 local government areas of Kogi East benefited from the Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000) grant designed for graduates with businesses to enable them scale up. The scheme is not a one off project and the first set of beneficiaries who are able to make progress, Senator Jibrin Isah pledged to train and link them up to other sources of funding to boost their businesses.
In May, he distributed fertilizers to farmers across the 9 local government areas to support famers efforts towards food security. And, in June, his team went round the 9 local for the Family Direct Intervention Initiative during which the less privileged were given cash directly.
In July, the NDLEA Area office was launched. The approval to establish an area office in Anyigba was secured by Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho May and he went ahead to provide a take office, fully furnished and handed over to the agency. During this ceremony, traditional and religious leaders from the area were present and they expressed their pleasure with the move.
Still in July, the senator trained artisans in Dekina/Bassa and Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro Federal Constituencies with hundreds taking home working tools/equipment and financial grants. Many of the youths who participated in this programmes expressed their gratitude to the Senator for bringing the government closer to them positively.
Swiftly , as the government announced a possibility of another season of farming when the rain returned, Senator Jibrin Isah started massive distribution of fertilizers again across the 9 local government in August. Also, during this time, he distributed rice and other grains to the people to cushion the effects of the biting economy.
August was very eventful with another round of training of artisans in the Dekina area where over 200 benefitted from the scheme which handed them financial grants and working tools. In the same month of August, he brought 5000 beneficiaries on board the the federal government’s household upliftment initiative where each beneficiary will take home Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) for 3 months consecutively.
The fertilizers distributions’ phase which commenced in August snowballed into September as it spread across the 9 local governments. In the same month of September, the Senator intervened in some community challenges like the Idah Erosion control amongst others.
So, heading for the last lap of the year’s journey, Senator Jibrin Isah is ensuring he covers more ground as God Almighty will enable him. His desire always is to bring succour to the people he represents.
