*as member plans empowerment, free medical for 150,000 local, overseas-based constituents
*to give out cars, buses, keke, bikes, wheelchairs to about 2000 constituents
–
As the ravaging effects of erosion and landslide continues to eat away farm lands, cash crops and economic trees and homes of distraught citizens in Anambra, one of the victims and member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Anaocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA), Hon Dozie Nwankwo, has raised alarm, inviting the House Committee on Environment to visit the constituency for an on the spot assessment of the environmental degradation menace.
It would be recalled that a team of erosion control experts from the Federal Ministry of Environment, European Union and the World Bank had in the past taken tour and assessment of the extent of the menace in the area with nothing to show for it so far.
The House was apparently jolted by a save-our-soul alarm raised on the floor of the Green Chamber of the National Assembly by Hon Nwankwo on the damages to his premises and many other families within his constituency, some weeks ago.
According to him, the mind blowing multiple gully erosion have destroyed many lives, families, churches, schools, markets and other public utilities in the area, including his country home which he said was presently hanging gingerly on the cliff of one of the gullies in Enugwu ukwu, Njikoka council area of Anambra state.
He admitted that the planned visit by the lawmakers would help them make better input in that regards in the 2017 national appropriation bill and beyond, with a view to making appropriate and adequate logistical provision for the control.
He confirmed that all these gullies locations have remained active, both during rainy and dry seasons respectively and that as a result more than 80 families have lost their homes, hence become refugees in their native lands, while more were under daily intense threats for their lives and their valuables.
Nwankwo whose popular multi- million Naira annual free medical mission for citizens especially his constituents under the aegis of Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo Foundation (FEDOZ)comes up this weekend would benefit even citizens in the diaspora.
The programme which has lasted for 25years now has been scheduled to climax his weeklong activities lined up to appreciate and thank his people for their years of support includes a special thanksgiving church service, and a gale of empowerment scheme for the supporters.
The free medical programme has run for more than two and half decades . It principally covers all the communities within the three councils of Anaocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia.
The chairman of the planning committee, Chief Sam Oraegbunam told journalists that the activities have become an annual calendar event for the people so they always anxiously look up to it. He confirmed that above one hundred and fifty thousand (150,000)beneficiaries have been slated to benefit from the medical program this year.
This year’s empowerment event which comes up this weekend would see the lawmaker give out wheelchairs, cars, buses, tricycles(Keke), motor cycles, scholarships, skill acquisition trainings, hairdressing/barbing salon equipment, welding/auto mechanic tools and cash for businesses to about two thousand beneficiaries.
He also scheduled to attend a special thanksgiving church service in his Enugwu ukwu community Sunday while the one week intensive free medical treatment for which many citizens of the state who flew into the country for the Yuletide celebrations would benefit would commence Monday at the Obu Enugwu ukwu civic centre, Njikoka council area. The program is in its 25th year this year.
It was Hon Nwankwo’s humanitarian activities that made the people of the constituency appeal to him to come out to contest the last election which he won, to represent them in the National Assembly.
Though he has been there for only ten months, the constituents have been praising his efforts so far.
