By: Prince Richard Richard
It is no longer news that Barrister Mrs. Orezi Edna Jane Esievo has indicated her interest to run for the seat of Isoko South Constituency I in the Delta State House of Assembly, (DTHA) come 2015, a dream that the Isoko South constituency 1 must back considering her antecedents in past and present governments where she served the entire state particularly her people with a dedicated and unwavering commitment to development and empowerment.
A lawyer by training who was called to the Nigerian Bar 24 years ago, she shown herself approved as a work man that needed not to be ashamed but she rightly divided the works of truth as a Media Relations Supervisor, and member, Stake Holders Workshop Organizing Committee for Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and a Community Relations Officer for Isoko, also in same company.
As a former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, a onetime Commissioner in charge of Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and Commissioner Special Infrastructure, Delta State.
Barrister Esievo’s track records made the government at that time to fully involve her as commissioner and was also retained by the Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s government until barely about two months ago when she voluntarily resigned to pursue a dream she believed would better give her more opportunities to better the lives of her people at the grassroots.
A God fearing woman whom has been tried, tested and trusted and married with three children is determined to put smiles on the faces of her constituents by fostering bills that would better the lots of her people, an opportunity that the Constituency must not allowed to slip out of their hands either by mistake, by imposition of candidate or by a consensus candidate order than her if the constituency truly needs democratic dividends.
By privilege, it is understood that a House of Assembly member has two constituency projects allotted to him/her in a year and this she will never afford to disappoint her constituents.
Without mincing words, with her pasts as a commissioner and previous portfolios that she has held, no doubt she was able to bring government closer to the people and attracted several developmental projects to the area and if given the opportunity to represent her people in the legislature, it’s a known fact that you would do more.
To achieve this, the Isoko South constituency 1 must as a matter of urgency and importance rally round her, give her the needed support not only to clinch the ticket but to emerge as the member representing them come 2015, then the constituency would have put silver spoons in the mouth of their children and generations yet unborn would know and tell the story.
As a team player, Barrister Esievo, helped to developed, built and sustained media and community relations with host communities in Isoko, facilitated the safe return of artifacts to the Nana Living History Museum in Koko from Benin-City in 2006. Expedite the successful hosting of “World Tourism Day”2006, in Delta state. Handled 114 projects under the Directorate of Infrastructure with more than 78% of them completed and empowered men, women and youths in various capacities.
With all these success stories of Barrister Esievor, we can easily see that she is most qualified for the job, who else does the constituency needs than this very person who have done the undoable within the short period of time she assumed office in the above responsibilities given to her? A question that is not begging but is demanding for an answer.
It is a common assertion that when a writer puts his/her pen down to put together a piece of this nature, the question that readily comes to mind is how much was this writer paid to do this? However, the next lines of this feature will answer the question as the best way to access a politician is to critically look, evaluate, scrutinize and criticize his/her manifestos.
That is, much reason why, when persons like Barrister Esievo are given the opportunity to represent her people they will rejoice because when the righteous are on the throne, they say the people rejoice.
Let me take you people through Barrister Esievo’s blueprint for Isoko South Constituency I if voted into office as the member representing the constituency in the house. I have had times without number when Barrister Esievo said that, if given the opportunity she will never disappoint her people of Isoko South constituency 1 in the Delta state House of Assembly, vowing that she will teach her constituents how to fish but not to continuously beg for fish as according to her, her top most priority for her people is nothing but sustainable empowerment and the only way to go about that is teaching them how to fish.
Barrister Esievo, is an epitome of development, empowerment and love for her people and she recently vowed to give the following to her people, qualitative and effective representation, effective policy formulation and advocacy skills, healthcare, education, decent and affordable shelter, affordable transport, climate change awareness campaign, effective lobby of members of the Legislature/Executive/Private Sector to; encourage and promote micro/small/medium enterprises (MSMEs) to grow (through tax rebates, access to businesses and mortgage loans with minimal or zero interest rates), encourage setting up of manufacturing industries, job and wealth creation and encourage public and private sector partnership among others.
During an interview with Journalists recently at the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) state secretariat in Asaba after she came to submit her nomination and expression of interest form, the immediate past commissioner for Special Duties (Special Infrastructure), said that her intention to contest the seat of Isoko South 1, in the state House of Assembly was to give her people effective and qualitative representation at the grassroots level.
She lauded Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for giving women in the state the platform to serve, noting that the Governor’s gender friendly disposition is amply demonstrated by the relative high number appointment in his cabinet by which she is a beneficiary.
My intention to represent the people of Isoko South Constituency I, at State House of Assembly, come 2015, is to touch base with my people at the grassroots in order to attract the dividends of democracy to them. My track records as a onetime Commissioner for Culture and Tourism; Commissioner, Special Duties, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), and lately that of Special Duties (Special Infrastructure) has made me eminently qualified to represent the people of Isoko South Constituency I, in the State Legislature.” She stated.
Barrister Esievo is one person who does not believe in publicizing whatever goodwill, empowerment and assistance rendered in one way or the other to put bread on the table of her people but it is of note without mentioning names that this woman of substance and God sent, has been able to personally individuals with 15 cars, 130 motor cycles, doled out cash gifts of various amounts, employed 48 persons, paid school fees for 54 persons, some to graduate level, paid hospital bills for numerous persons and her contract value for jobs given out to several people in both Isoko south and north local government areas is put at N2.8 billion.
Not only that, she was able to attract the following projects which are spread across the Isoko nation and beyond, Emede Grammar School, Emede, Arts and Craft Centre (Delta South) located at Emede, St Michael’s College, Oleh, Anglican Girls Grammar School Ozoro, Isoko Central School, Oleh and duly completed while Ozaha Model Primary School, Oleh, Emore Grammar School, Oleh, Igbonine Primary School, Ozoro, Uruogbe Primary School, Urie Primary School, Emede, Aradhe Grammar School, Aradhe and Umeh Primary School, Umeh are all on-going projects.
Also of note, before taking a bow from office as the commissioner for special infrastructures, she awarded Omode Primary School, Irri and Okpolo Enwhe Primary School Enwhe and the Urie Primary School Owodokpokpo which are in progress.
As at the time Barrister Esievo was taking a bow from office through voluntary resignation, the total value of school projects in her time was put at N3, 095,135,076.00 (three billion, ninety five million, one hundred and thirty five thousand seventy six naira only).
Barrister (Mrs.) Orezi Esievo, a versatile and erudite woman will make not only her constituency proud but the entire Isoko Nation with the kind of bills she will sponsor, the nature of contracts that will be awarded and the capability of investors she will attract to the constituency if given the chance with her wealth of know-how that she has gathered over the years as the sky will not only be the limit of Isoko South Constituency I but the beginning.
What a man cannot do, Barrister Orezi Esievo has proven that woman can do even much more better. It is said that if you empower a woman, you empower a nation. Isoko South constituencies 1, make the right choice for a better and guaranteed future of your children yet unborn.
Prince Richard Richard, is a social commentator and Journalist – wrote in from Asaba, Delta state.
