To mark his two years’ anniversary, the member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency in the 10th National Assembly, Rep. Unyime Idem has shattered glass ceiling of representation in Akwa Ibom State and beyond.
In an impactful scorecard published Friday, Idem who is also the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement, has reeled out a bagful of achievements in legislative and oversight functions.
These are:
Also read: How Gov Eno, others Adored Unyime Idem on his birthday
– Facilitation of employment of 1,000 Akwa Ibomites, which is ongoing, into strategic Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), military, paramilitary, and the Police Force.
– Sponsorship of 100 Akwa Ibom youths for overseas training (ongoing)
– Installation of thousands of solar-powered street lights across 200 communities in the federal constituency.
– Skill acquisition, ICT, entrepreneurship training, and distribution of equipment to over 8,000 constituents through the Unyime Idem mega empowerment scheme.
– Distribution of the first batch of 100 non-fuel, electric motorcycles to constituents.
– Payment of bursary and scholarship to thousands of students.
– Payment of business support grants to traders.
– Construction of 4km Ikot Akpan Essien – Ikot Obong – Ikot Ukpong Eren road in Oruk Anam LGA
– Construction of Ikot Ukpong Eren bridge in Oruk Anam LGA
– Construction of 1.2km Akpan Assiek Market road with street lights and drainage facilities in Ukanafun LGA
– Construction of 2.8km Ikot Akpa Nkuk – Nyak Ibah – Usung Atiat – Ikot Akpa Idem – Ikot Udo Mbang road in Ukanafun LGA (ongoing).
– Construction of 1.4km Barracks road, Ikot Udo Obobo, Ukanafun LGA (ongoing).
– Construction of over 40 units of classroom blocks across schools in Akwa Ibom state (ongoing).
– Construction and equipping of 14 ICT, e-learning centres, fitted with solar panels and 20KVA generators across the federal constituency (ongoing).
– Construction of 1000-seater capacity State-of-the-art Vocational Skills centres in both Ukanafun and Oruk Anam LGAs.
– Construction and furnishing of administrative block at Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR Substation) Oruk Anam LGA
– Donation of lecture seats to Akwa Ibom State University, Obio Akpa Campus, Oruk Anam LGA
– Installation of solar-powered borehole across 7 communities in Ukanafun and Oruk Anam LGAs.
– Construction of digital learning Centre for Persons Living with Disabilities in Ukanafun LGA
– Construction of a two-bedroom bungalow for a blind widow in Ukanafun LGA
– Construction of Community Civic Centre in Ukanafun LGA
– Digital Entrepreneurship training and empowerment programme for youths of the federal constituency.
– Distribution of over 10,000 bags of rice, cash, and other items to several groups across the constituency.
– Donation of cars, buses, and motorcycles to constituents.
– Sponsorship of free medical outreach for thousands of constituents in Ukanafun and Oruk Anam local government areas.
Legislative Engagements
– Chairman, Public Procurement Committee
– Leader, Akwa Ibom Caucus in the 10th House of Representatives.
– Deputy Chairman, Ad hoc committee to investigate alleged abuse of ₦2.3 trillion TETFUND.
– Delegate to International Telecoms Conference in Hungary
– Sponsored 22 bills so far
– Sponsored 32 motions so far.
As earlier stated, Rt. Hon. Unyime Idem’s achievements are not limited to these, as he has recorded many more life-changing projects, programmes, and legislative engagements.
More interesting is the fact that these people-oriented programmes and projects are not limited to just Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency but spread across the length and breadth of Akwa Ibom state.
With clear targets set for the year 2025, Rep. Idem has continued to work tirelessly to meet them.
On facilitating jobs for citizens, Rep. Idem believes that in the next 10 to 15 years, more Akwa Ibomites will climb up the Civil and Public Service ladder to becoming Directors, Permanent Secretaries, while others will attain top management positions in the federal government.
“This way, we’ll be able to attract federal presence such as projects and programmes to Akwa Ibom state and lessen the burden on the state government.”
“We will also be able to close the quota gap where only a few Akwa Ibomites are in managerial positions in federal MDAs,” Idem notes.
On sponsoring young Akwa Ibomites on foreign trainings, Rep. Idem believes very strongly that equipping a young person with skills to stay relevant in today’s competitive world means empowering a community, a ward, a local government, a state, and generations to come.
One would bother to ask why the “China man,” a name given by Governor Umo Eno, in acknowledgement of his trajectory of sponsoring young state citizens to the Asian country for trainings, is continuing on his newfound path without bating an eyelid?
The answer is not far-fetched. In a world where global skills are in high demand, Rep. Idem is building human capacity in that direction, and China, a leading world technological hub, presents that ready technology laboratory for learning and skills acquisition. Therefore, the experience, exposure, and training equip the beneficiaries to compete favourably with their peers globally. It is a lifetime experience.
A good number of the beneficiaries, upon return, are already adding value to themselves and the state, having been equipped with knowledge and connection. Direct connections and access to factories and manufacturers are a testament to the essence of the course.
Some trainees have already taken delivery of tranches of products, including electronic and solar-powered items, for their businesses, while others are still expecting their packages, depending on the line of training they acquired. This further emphasizes the fact that the technology transfer idea of the federal lawmaker is on course and will only get better.
Rt. Hon. Unyime Idem’s empowerment model serves as a benchmark for leaders to prioritize constituency development, foster human capital, promote economic empowerment, and encourage community participation. His transparent and accountable processes, coupled with sustainable programme designs, ensure that the benefits of his initiatives endure long into the future, impacting generations to come.
