C’River: Senator Bassey presents scorecard to constituents
From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Senator Gershom Bassey, who represents the Southern Senatorial District in the outgoing 9th National Assembly, has presented his record of service to his constituents in the senatorial district.
The two-term Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker said during his tenure, he sponsored a total of 35 bills during his tenure (2015-2023) in the Senate.
He said that out of the 35 bills that successfully passed through the third reading, 18 were personal to him while 17 were co-sponsored.
In addition, the seasoned lawmaker had 55 motions to his credit which 13 were personal and 42 co-sponsored.
Giving further account of his stewardship, Senator Bassey said that a total of 318 of roads were constructed and rehabilitated in his senatorial district within the period under review.
Additionally, 20 classrooms were renovated just as 750 solar street lights and 35 transformers were installed as well as 20 solar powered boreholes constructed and 20 primary health centres fully equipped.
A further analysis of the details of his scorecard to the Southern Senatorial District shows that “3,409 persons benefited from various forms of empowerment and a breakdown shows that 400 bursary grants provided for undergraduates, 50 foreign and local scholarships provided for post graduates, 500 grants for market women beneficiaries, 1,000 youths & women trained in various trade skills, 300 youths trained in solar installation and maintenance, 300 youths trained in entrepreneurial skills and 20 youths trained and certified in international sub-sea underwater electrical & welding skills.
“100 mini buses donated to various groups, 100 tricycles donated to various groups, 200 motorcycles donated to women and youths, 300 modern vulcanizing machines donated to constituents, 20 brand new 18 &32 seater buses donated to various groups, 26 Senate ad-Hoc Committees’ membership, 18 Senate Standing Committees’ membership including Ecowas Parliament and the Nigeria-Morocco Alliance Committee, 60 youths employed in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), 15 resolutions and reinstatement to employment for aggrieved constituents through the petitions mechanism of the senate”.
He further disclosed that N350 million were disbursed to various constituents, 4,000 benefited from covid-19 grant of between N450,000 to N750,000 while 120 beneficiaries got AGSMEIS loans of N2.5million each and one ultra-modern world class oil and gas park facilitated by him is under construction.
He said some of the bills he sponsored include an act to amend the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency(establishment) act, cap .p43; a bill for an act to establish the Chartered Institute of Professional Secretarial Staff of Nigeria and for matters connected therewith; a bill for an act to establish the Nigerian Research Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Bakassi; a bill for an act to provide for mandatory public infrastructure maintenance and for other connected purposes, 2021.
Others are a bill for an act to make provisions for the receipt and utilization of donations, gifts, grants or aids by ministries, departments and agencies and for other related matters thereto; a bill on correction, reformation and re-integration centre (establishment, etc), 2016; a bill for an act to provide for biometric data security and protection for information relating to persons, including the receipt, storage, utilization or disclosure of such information and for matters connected therewith; a bill for National Boundary Commission act cap n10 lfn 2004 (amendment) bill, 2018 and few others.
Senator Bassey also sponsored motions like: urgent need to adopt value-addition and domestication strategies to ensure real and sustainable economic growth as well as motion on the deplorable state of Nigeria’s federal roads, among others.
