Ending underperformance in Ukelle politics

By James Eddelukpa

Ukelle, the Yala II State Constituency, has endured decades of neglect and abandonment—from the Local Government Area to the national level—due to ineffective and poor representation.

From the era of Hon. Gilbert Ilom to the current member of parliament, Ukelle has little to show for its existence as a constituency. There are no motorable roads, no reliable power supply, no general hospital; the existing health centres are in a deplorable state. Basic social amenities are entirely absent.

The situation is further worsened by rising unemployment, teenage pregnancy, rural-urban migration, and a high number of out-of-school children. Despite the population explosion, little has changed in terms of development. The empowerment efforts by state House members have been trivial—mainly the distribution of motorcycles, solar-powered boreholes, rice, sachets of table salt, and other petty gifts.

None of the representatives has demonstrated capacity or leadership. Not a single transformer has been installed across the six major political wards. In contrast, other State Assembly members across Nigeria have made impactful contributions, including providing transformers to their communities.

For example:

• Hon. Solomon Yakubu Akwashiki of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly supplied a transformer for the Akassa community.

  
  
  

• Hon. Ahmed Adidas of the Katsina State House of Assembly handed over three 300 KVA transformers to boost power supply.

• Hon. Lukman Adeleye, Minority Leader of the Ogun State House of Assembly, donated a 500 KVA transformer to the Ikoto community, fulfilling a campaign promise at a cost of over ₦8 million to end long-standing blackouts.

While such projects may be costly, a proactive MP should collaborate with the state government, members of the House of Representatives, and senators representing the area to leverage federal opportunities and fulfil campaign promises.

Unfortunately, the current State Assembly member representing Ukelle in Cross River State, Hon. Dr. Martins Achadu, continues to ignore the concerns of his constituents, limiting his influence to solar-powered boreholes, school buildings, and health centre renovations.

It is disheartening that constituents rarely ask aspiring MPs what they will do differently to foster development. Instead of spending time attending funerals and weddings for publicity, MPs should prioritise legislative work and service to the people.

The time has come for Ukelle to demand more accountability and meaningful development from its representatives. Only then can the cycle of underperformance and neglect be broken.