Elumelu Presents Appointment Letters To 125 PAs

Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives and member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon Ndudi Elumelu has issued appointment letters to a total of 125 women and youths, as Personal Assistants and political aides to the lawmaker in their various, units and wards across the constituency.

The official presentation of appointment letters to the selected women and youths, which took place at Onicha-Uku, the country home of Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, on Friday October 25, 2019.

The appointments was in fulfillment of his campaign pledge to ensure the even and equitable distribution of democracy dividends across the length and breadth of Aniocha/Federal constituency.

Addressing the newly engaged appointees during the presentation of letters ceremony, Hon. Elumelu charged the political aides to carry out specific roles on his behalf, which included interfacing with communities and identifying their most pressing needs for onward transmission to the leadership of the Federal House of Representatives.

According to him: “Your duty will be to be my voice in your community. You don’t need to call me, you are to collate whatever is happening and needed in your community and forward to our office in Abuja. We now decide what to do in such matters.

“On infrastructural development, if the roads are bad, markets are bad and you fail to shout out, you will be held responsible. We want government to be close to the people.

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“People, who are less privileged and not able to pay their school fees, tell us about them and everything happening in your area. I don’t want people to be calling every time and sending text messages, you should be the ones receiving the messages and sending such to us.

“On employment, let them come through you, collect their CVs and send them to us. Those that need recommendation letters, let them come through you. They don’t need to come to me but you. Airforce, Navy, police, customs, any job they need, we will give them based on their qualifications.

“The day anybody sends me text message from your community, complaining of any need, or that their son or daughter needs job or that we have such problem in my area, when you are there, your appointment is immediately terminated.

“You should be committed to your work. Disturb us with pressure of requests. Let’s have a change of mindset in the manner we approach issues. This is the first time money meant for constituency people are given to them. Nothing in the community must escape your attention. If anything is coming to your constituency, you must ensure your people get their own portion,” he charged them, while saying that his office will provide them with identity cards.

Hon. Elumelu further explained that the appointment is for a period of two years which is subject to renewal, subject to the performance of the appointee, even as he assured that there is a lot coming for the constituency; hence they must be ready to carry out the huge task assigned to them.

He said: “If motorcycles are to be given out and your people do not have, you will answer for it. A lot is coming. If people are in prison and do not have money to bail themselves, you should go to the prison and find out the issues and report to us. We don’t want any complain from any community, we want every community to be carried along in all we are doing.”

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Fielding questions with newsmen shortly after the presentation of appointment letters, Hon. Elumelu shed more light on the rationale behind the appointment of the 125 political aides to be his eyes and mouthpiece in the over 58 communities in the federal constituency.

“My people voted me into office and it is expected that their votes in getting me there is their investment. Their return on investment is for me to make sure they have good dividends of democracy.

“In trying to get that I must be sure that I’m doing it in consonance with their own belief and their desire. And there is no better way to achieve that than engaging them. And given that we have over 58 communities in the four local governments, it now became very necessary that I must appoint some political aides to do that on my behalf.

“Their job involves going to the people and finding out what they want and that will form part of the input which the House of Reps is geared towards achieving in the yearly preparation of the budget.

“We held a public hearing on the budget two days ago and part of what we said was that we now want Nigerians to be part of our budget preparation processes. I cannot just on my own go to the House of Reps, sit down and put things for my people without hearing from them.

“These are my aides, and between now and November that we will be passing the budget, their duty will be to get back to me on what my people desire most and that will begin the way towards giving them those returns on investment that is called dividends of democracy

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“And the ingredients are critical infrastructures, good roads, electricity, potable boreholes that will ensure access to quality water and areas where you can assist people who cannot afford to train their kids, then you provide for them. And that will be very useful and meaningful to them.”

Elumelu said the appointees which comprise 62 youths and 63 women will get their salaries on 27th of every month, adding that in December, they will be paid double, first week and 27 of December every year.

Responding, some of the appointees expressed appreciation to Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu for finding them fit for the appointment. Stephen Abah from ward 10 Ezi in Aniocha North expressed joy for the appointment, saying that this was the first time he had been privileged to get an appointment and benefit from an elected member in any position since he joined the party many years ago.