BETTER DEAL STEADILY ON COURSE: ONE YEAR OF REMARKABLE DIFFERENCE

                                   
1. INTRODUCTION
 Ladies and Gentlemen, it could be recalled that the 9th Senate was inaugurated on the 11th of June, 2019, exactly one year today. Distinguished Senator Akon Eyakenyi, Ph.D, was handed the red pen, assigned a seat at the Red Chambers of the national assembly and given an office space to conveniently relax, while discharging her duties. After a year of service, it is time for legislative stocktaking, reflection on the gains of her representation, and the accumulating expectations that she would certainly reach the collective destination of her people in Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District.

2. APPRECIATION
The Distinguished Senator acknowledges the unflinching fidelity and support of her constituents for their solidarity to the overall success of her representation in the last 12 months. Indeed, it has been a unique experience to speak on behalf of the great people of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District. She respectfully appreciates her number one constituent, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel and wife, Martha Udom Emmanuel, all stakeholders of the senatorial district and all her constituents for their support.

SEN. AKON EYAKENYI PHD

She is equally grateful for the contributions of the mainstream media and social media influencers, particularly of Eket Senatorial extraction for their friendship through timely and constructive criticisms. In fact, she reckons that without this friendliness via  criticisms, and persistent prayers of her supporters, her achievements would have remained unnoticed. Hence, her stewardship would best be assessed in line with her constitutional responsibilities of:

1. Effectively representing and enacting policies that better the lot of her Constituency;
2. Speaking boldly on their behalf on the floor of the red chamber; and
3. Rendering stewardship on a periodical basis.

Thus, having cursorily glance through the above, it is agreed that Senator Eyakenyi has always been a stabilizing factor in her God given capacity in every position she had held in the public space; and a bridge between the grassroots and the government in the past 20 years. This diligent service of benevolence to humanity has undoubtedly been replicated in her quintessential representation, ensuring that her constituency and the nation at large enjoy a "Better Deal".

Obviously, the legislative arm of government is an important institutional structure of modern democracy where legislative diligence, stewardship and accountability have always been an underlying secret of a robust and inclusive representation. The mass media on the other hand, is a strong force and the most common instrument of measuring the effectiveness of a parliamentarian, especially where impartial and independent press is a tool for adequate appraisal, thereby enabling our leaders to feel the pulse of the people.

In the last 12 months, She and her colleagues have collaboratively worked to ensure that the legislators restore the nation’s budget cycle to a desired and predictable January-December fiscal year, evidenced in the passage of 2020 appropriation Bill within two months, a feat achieved only four times in the last 20 years of our democracy.

It could also be recalled that during the electioneering; and at the inauguration of the 9th Assembly National precisely one year ago (11th June, 2019), Senator Akon Eyakenyi promised that her representation shall pay prime attention to issues of legislation and oversight in all ramifications, with special focus on her senatorial district. That, she has done with relentless effort and without laxity.

Of course, the Senator was confident when she articulated her vision of “Better Deal” and captured it under five cardinal programme templates:
i. Quality Representation;
ii. Economic & Political inclusiveness;
iii. Entrepreneurial and Human Resource Development;
iv. Education and;
v. Infrastructural Development.

Evidently, this effective spokeswomen, has in the 9th Senate, convincingly given good account of herself by making remarkable difference in giving her constituency the desired voice. It must be noted that Senator Eyakenyi is working assiduously in the interest of our nation to ensure, a detailed legislative process is considered in every issue contending for public importance. Thus, the following achievements ring the loudest bell in the hearts of her people.

1. ENTREPRENEURIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
In the area of Entrepreneurial and Human Resource Development, it is on record that our Distinguished Senator began her representation on a good note. In her 100 days in the red chamber, Senator Eyakenyi launched her first Youth Skills Acquisition Training Scheme which started off from Oron Federal Constituency in August, 2019. Eket and Ikot Abasi Federal Constituencies took their turns in September and October respectively. In all, the Senator trained over 400 youths of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in: Scaffolding, Industrial Safety and Rigging.

In her message to the trainees, the Senator pointed out the significance of the training in reducing youth restiveness, thuggery, cultism, drug abuse, among others. Her emphasis was that the trainees should grab the golden opportunity to engage in useful ventures that would improve their living standards and position them well in the society. Of course, the best way to help a man is not to give him fish, but to teach him how to fish. This way, Senator Eyakenyi was carrying the banner of "Better Deal" as a reminder to offer a representation with a remarkable difference.

2. EMPATHY TO CONDITIONED PEOPLE
Senator Eyakenyi has also sponsored a Football Tournament for inmates of Eket Correctional Centre, besides making donations to the Centre's management for the upkeep of the inmates. Also, the Senator, on February 24, 2020, celebrated her 60th birthday with over 250 widows selected from across the state. Each of them went back home with empowerment package from the Senator.

She has sponsored burials for many, taken care of medical bills of many, paid rents for several persons who were at the verge of being thrown out by their landlords, and empowered several individuals to start up businesses. During the last Christmas and Easter Celebrations,  Senator Eyakenyi reached out to hundreds individually and in groups both in kind and cash. In this manner, Senator Eyakenyi was carrying the banner of "Better Deal" as a reminder to offer a representation with a remarkable difference.

3. HEALTH
The axiomatic saying that health is wealth is one most unique philosophy associated with this woman of tremendous capacity. Senator Akon Eyakenyi is one individual that is quite concerned about the health status of her constituents. Hence, in November, 2019 she co-sponsored free medical services for the people of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District where several persons were treated. Over 600 eyeglasses were given out to people besides free drugs given to many. Lots of surgeries (major and minor) were performed during the outreach that lasted for more than 10 days. By so doing, Akon Eyakenyi was carrying the banner of "Better Deal" as a reminder to offer a representation with a remarkable difference.

4. STUDENTS' WELFARE
Again, that same month, Senator Eyakenyi reached out to students with grants, extended empowerment packages to women and the physically challenged within Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District. Many students have been supported, while many more are still drawing regular support from the Senator to further their education. In deed, this is a clear testimony that Senator Eyakenyi is carrying the banner of "Better Deal" as a reminder to offer a representation with a remarkable difference.

5. OUTSTANDING LEGISLATIVE DILIGENCE ON THE FLOOR OF THE RED CHAMBER AND BEYOND

On the floor of the Senator, it is important to note that Dame Senator Akon Eyakenyi PhD, has been very active.
∆) MOTIONS SO FAR  SPONSORED
In less than one month in the Senate, Senator Eyakenyi began putting her footprint in the senate, through lawmaking. Precisely on the 2nd of July, 2019, the pragmatic Senator presented her first motion on:
~ i.) “Urgent Need to Address the Sorry State of Computer Education by Providing Training for Teachers and Basic Computer Facilities in Public Schools.” The motion was well received and deferred till the setting up of Senate Committees. It was eventually referred to Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary), upon the setting up of Standing Committees of the Senate. The committee went to work and subsequently presented a very robust report which was adopted and forwarded to the relevant ministry, departments and agencies of government for implementation.

Senator Akon Eyakenyi further sponsored another motion on:
ii. “Urgent Need to Address The Menace of Banditry In The Gulf of Guinea And Nigerian Waters.” Again, this motion caught the attention of the Senate. It received a unanimous support across political divides and geopolitical spread. The motion which was referred to the Senate Committee on Maritime Transport, produced a far reaching report which was adopted and resolutions taken thereto.

∆.) MOTIONS CO-SPONSORED
Besides the above mentioned motions, Distinguished Senator Akon Eyakenyi has equally lent her voice to topical issues contending for citizens corporate attention as she co-sponsored the following motions:

I. Motion On The Need To Increase Funding To Primary Health-Care Centres;
2. Urgent Need To Ascertain The Status of Nigeria’s Extended Continental Shelf Project And The Constitution Of An Ocean Advisory Committee;
3. The Deplorable Conditions Of Ikot Ekpene-Umuahia Highway Linking Akwa Ibom State and Abia State;
4. Existing Petroleum Subsidy, Ensuring Self-Sufficiency In Domestic Refining of Petroleum Products;
5. Urgent Need To Look Into Incessant Loss of Commuter Lives on Our Waterways;
6. The Urgent Need To Establish A Medical School At Modibbo Adam University of Technology, Yola And To Upgrade The Federal Medical Centre, Yola, To A University Teaching Hospital;
7. Urgent Need To Review And Recover Additional Revenue Accruable To The Government of the Federation From Sharing Contracts Pursuant To Section 16 Of The Deep Offshore And Inland Basin Production Sharing Act Cap D3 LFN 2004; and
8. Urgent Need To Perform The Housing Mortgage Financing In Nigeria To Meet The Escalating Housing Demand In The Country.

iii) BILL SPONSORED
Senator Akon Eyakenyi  has also sponsored "A Bill To Repeal the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron Act And To Establish The University of Maritime Studies, Oron And Related Matters". The Bill has since been referred to Senate Committee on Maritime Transport and a public hearing was scheduled to hold for stakeholders to have the opportunity to contribute to the making of an acceptable law to establish a Maritime University in Oron before the lockdown occasioned by the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic. It is however certain that the public hearing shall go ahead soonest.

vi) OVERSIGHT FUNCTION
The Senator has given good account of herself with respect to oversight functions. Senator  Eyakenyi has virtually visited every part of Nigeria both onshore  and offshore. She has travelled to various countries in Africa and beyond in the course of her duties. Senator Akon Eyakenyi  has been inducted into Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians and other reputable organisations, and these further gives credence to the fact that, our Senator knows what she’s doing.

With this, one can simply say that in terms of representation, Senator  Eyakenyi has done creditably well by speaking up on the floor of the senate in favour of her constituency in particular, Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria in general. In all these, Senator Eyakenyi could clearly be seen to be carrying the banner of "Better Deal" as a reminder to offer a representation with a remarkable difference.

6. REGULAR INTERFACE WITH CONSTITUENTS
Dame Akon Eyakenyi is known for her regular progress reports to her constituency. She was the first amongst the first time senators who opened a Constituency Office so Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District constituents could have unrestricted access to her. In order to empower youths of her constituency, she engaged over 60 staff. While some work in the expansive and well furnished Constituency Office, others are serving within their respective Federal Constituencies as nexus between the constituents and the constituency office.

She has also facilitated the employment of some of the trained youths of the Senatorial District. Others have equally been assisted to secure employments in State and Federal Government agencies, departments and institutions. She has helped many to get enlisted in several paramilitary services, while many are awaiting enlistment. Equally, she has assisted over 500 of her constituents to get enlisted into the Federal Government Social Investment Schemes like N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfer and the likes. Dear reader, it is conspicuously convincing to admit that these initiatives truly show that Senator Eyakenyi is consciously carrying the banner of "Better Deal" as a reminder to offer a representation with a remarkable difference.

7. HER DUTIFUL ROLE IN THE CURRENT GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS.
It is no gain saying the fact that Covid-19 pandemic has threatened the existence of mankind and forced many businesses to close down, with many who depend on daily income for survival groaning in hardship. However, in Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, Senator Eyakenyi rose to help the situation when she supported more than 300 individuals with cash to help them cushion the adverse effects of the lockdown due largely to the pandemic. In fact, she has donated to groups within and outside the Senatorial District. To be very specific, there is hardly a day the Senator does not help one person or the other since the lockdown was ordered by the Akwa Ibom State Government. Of course, there are several other programmes designed to empower her constituents beyond the lockdown (Post COVID-19 Programme). She is always ready to attend to any and every call to serve the owners of the mandate she holds. This too, remains an incontestable testament to the avowed commitment of the Senator in deliberately carrying the banner of "Better Deal" as a reminder to offer a representation with a remarkable difference.

8) CONCLUSION
To infer from these indices of remarkable performance, it is safe to reason that the mandate willingly given to Distinguished Senator Akon Eyakenyi PhD, a year ago is not misplaced. She is steadily on course and divinely empowered to render her selfless service of effective representation. What more should practically be done by all good thinking and progress loving constituents of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District is the unshifted support to encourage her. This way, the Distinguished Senator would constantly be reminded to keep carrying the banner of "Better Deal" as a reminder to offer quality representation that produces a remarkable difference.

God Bless Senator Akon Eyakenyi... !
God Bless Akwa Ibom South... !!
God Bless Akwa Ibom State ... !!!

©Babson Eduno
SA, Media Abuja.