Hon. Andrew Uchendu: From
Quintessential Rep to Senator
By Eze
Chukwuemeka Eze
In my efforts to present and
highlight the capabilities of the candidates presented by All Progressives
Congress (APC) for the February,6th, 2016 re-run elections, permit me this time
to present before you a man described in some quarters as the Leader of leaders
and embodiment of what selfless services entails. HON. ANDREW IGBONULE
UCHENDU was a 1992 recipient of the Federal Government National
Productivity Merit Award, the highest honour that can be conferred on any
worker in the public service in Nigeria; he was in 1994 drafted into politics
by the Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation. He represented Emohua, Ikwerre
and Obio/Akpor LGAs at the 1994/1995 National Constitutional Conference.
One of the best members of
the House of Representatives, Hon. Uchendu has moved six crucial motions. These
include the motions on Ogbakiri crises, Rehabilitation of the East/West Expressway,
Establishment of the Oloibiri Oil Museum, Youth Unemployment and Youth
Restiveness in Nigeria, Insecurity in the Niger Delta, and the Invasion of the
Rivers State House of Assembly by Hoodlums. He has, in addition, sponsored
three fundamental Bills in the House. They are the Standard Tendering Procedure
for the Award of Contracts in the Public Service (popularly known as Due
Process), the National Youth Development Programme, and the Amendment to the
Petroleum Technology Development Fund Act.
THE MAN: RT. HON. ANDREW
UCHENDU
ANDREW IGBONULE UCHENDU was
born more than sixty three years ago to the Royal family of Uchendu Osi in
Mgbuitanwo, Emohua. He obtained his First School leaving Certificate in 1962,
West African School Certificate (Grade one) in 1971 and attended the Hope
Waddell Training Institute, Calabar, where he acquired his Higher School
Certificate (HSC) in 1973.
In 1973, he was admitted into
the prestigious University of Ibadan, where he graduated with B. Sc (Hons)
Second Class (Upper Division) in Agricultural Economics.
He worked in so many
Organizations including the Rivers State Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank Ltd, Kaduna and the Niger Delta
Basin Development Authority. In 1985, he applied to be the Secretary to
the Board of Risonpalm Ltd. After a very rigorous interview, he was appointed
the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer in March, 1985. In 1989, based upon
his performance, he was elevated to the position of Managing Director/Chief
Executive Officer, and thus became the first Managing Director of a Rivers
State-owned Company. During his tenure in Risonpalm, the Company made profits
in seven consecutive years. In consideration of this excellent performance, the
Federal Government conferred on him the 1992 National Productivity Merit Award.
This award is the highest honour that can be conferred on any Worker in the
Public Service in Nigeria. Andrew Uchendu disengaged from the services of
Risonpalm in September, 1993.
In 1994, the Ogbakor Ikwerre
Cultural Organization drafted him into politics, thus becoming the first
Ikwerre man to be so honoured by his people. He represented Emohua, Ikwerre and
Obio/Akpor LGAs in the 1994/1995 National Constitutional Conference. He fought
with other Compatriots in Ikwerre to ensure that the Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality
was not split into two separate proposed States during the Conference. He has
since then been in active politics. From 2003 to 28th May, 2015, he
represented the Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency. He is now the APC Flag
bearer for the Rivers East Senatorial District for the 2015 General Elections.
During his tenure as a Member
of the House of Representatives, Hon. Andrew Uchendu moved about six motions namely,
Ogbakiri crises, Rehabilitation of the East/West Expressway, the Establishment
of the Oloibiri Oil Museum, Youth Unemployment and Youth Restiveness in
Nigeria, Insecurity in the Niger Delta and the invasion of the Rivers State
House of Assembly by Hoodlums. This last motion led to the take-over of the
Legislative functions of the House by the National Assembly. It is worthy of
note to mention that the resolution taken by the House on the crises stemmed
the imminent mayhem and bloodletting that would have taken place.
He sponsored three
fundamental Bills in the House. They are: the Standard Tendering Procedure for
the Award of Contracts in the Public Service, (popularly known as Due Process),
the National Youth Development Programme and the Amendment to the Petroleum
Technology Development Fund Act. In 2007 – 2011 he served as the Chairman of
the South-South Parliamentary Caucus and is presently the Chairman, House
Committee on Public Service Matters.
In the course of his tenure
as a Member of House of Representatives, Uchendu attracted a number of Federal
and State Projects, namely;
Water projects at
Oduoha-Ogbakiri, Rumuche-Emohua, Ovogo and Rumuodogo II in Odegu.
Primary Schools at Mgbueto in
Emohua, Ipo and Omademe in Ikwerre LGA
National Skills Acquisition
Centre at Elele.
Youth Development Centre at
Emohua.
Solar Street Light at
Mgbuitanwo, Emohua.
Community Computer Centre at
Ndele and Emohua.
Distribution of Secondary
School furniture and books for Emohua and Ubima.
Distribution of Transformers for
Mgbuetor, Rumuche, Elele, Isiokpo, Aluu and Elele Army Barracks.
Community Town Hall at Aluu.
Scrap Metal Melting Plant at
Emohua.
Rumuche Internal Roads.
Influenced the Construction
of Mgbuitanwo General Hospital, Mgbuetor Road.
Rumuakwunde Internal Road
Influenced the Construction
of the East/West-Elibrada-Oduoha-East/West Road.
Okporowo-Ogbakiri Internal
Road.
Credit Assistance to 100
Widows
Skill acquisition for over 30
Youths
Financial support to 300
indigent Citizens of my Constituency
From his personal savings, he
embarked on the award of bursaries to indigent students in the Tertiary
institutions in his Constituency. In the first phase, he had 64 Beneficiaries,
two in each ward of the Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency. In the second
phase, he extended the Bursary to about 140 Beneficiaries, 5 students per ward
in his Federal Constituency. Already, payment for the first year has been
completed.
In addition, he has
facilitated the employment of over 15 Constituents into the Federal Public
Service and Parastatals.
During the period, Rt. Hon.
Andrew Uchendu was in the service of Risonpalm Ltd, he obtained the Masters of
Business Administration (MBA) in Management from the University of Port
Harcourt in 1987. And in the course of his years in the House of
Representatives, he attended a number of Leadership Development Programs at the
Universities of Florida, Oxford and Harvard in the United States of America.
As a grass roots Politician, Uchendu
is always in touch with his people. He is an active member of his Age Group,
Ikwerre Development Association (IDA) and Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural
Organization. As a result of his services to the Community, he was conferred
with the Chieftaincy Title of Ochi Aliri II of Emohua and only recently, he was
initiated into (Ohna), the highest Traditional Council in Emohua Kingdom.
It is in consideration of all
these that Rt. (Hon.) Andrew Uchendu was conferred with yet another Honour in
2008, the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
He is married with five
children. Rt. Hon. Andrew Uchendu is a man of the people, if he is in the
Senate, you are there. Please give him your vote.
Conclusion
Hon. Andrew Uchendu is not
only an embodiment of selfless services to humanity but also a promoter of
empowerment for anybody that comes across him. There is no stopping this
epitome of leadership on his march to the upper chamber of parliament, the
Senate.
Eze Chukwuemeka Eze is a
Media Consultant based in Port Harcourt
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