Ex-legislator scores sixth Assembly high

….Urges successors to be focused

THE immediate past member who represented Nnewi South 1 Constituency at the six Anambra State House of Assembly,  Kingsley Chukwuma Iruba has hailed the performance of the last assembly.
He however urged the newly inaugurated 7th Assembly to be focused. In an interview with our reporter in Awka the state capital, the ex-legislator explained how he felt as he bowed out   of the chambers.
According to him, “the achievement of the 6th Assembly cannot be quantified because they are not only things you can see. They are service oriented. They can be accessed based on the cardinal functions which are lawmaking, oversight function and representation.
In terms of law making, Iruba who is a lawyer by training said “the sixth Assembly made good laws. The ones that were dear to me are the security right law which I sponsored, health insurance law and so on.
Speaking about representation, the former legislator said, “I brought the need of my constituent (Nnewi South 1) to the appropriate agencies and quaters. My people were being taken care of in terms of road construction, employment and healthcare.
He noted in his achievements that he  empowered widows and the downtrodden in the society. “I trained many people where they acquired basic skills that can help them survive. Many were trained on hair making, tailoring, shoe making, soap making, bakery and so on”.
Continuing, Iruba said, “I paid school fees for those who could not afford to pay school fees, and hospital bills for the downtrodden in the society. I thank God for the grace and enablement he gave me to actualise all these things.”
Speaking on the challenges legislators face, he stated, “there are many needs in the society. Too many people are looking for help in one way or the other but unfortunately, we cannot meet all the needs of the people and its a challenge to me as an individual.
I feel bad when people come to me for help and I can’t help them. So many people are looking for job but there is no job to give them. Many are looking for money to sort their problems but there is not enough to go round. All these are challenges we face on  daily bases.
On the expectations of the 7th Assembly, the outspoken lawyer said, “they should be focused. They should make laws that are people oriented. Laws that will benefit Ndi-Anambra in their oversight function  should be their priority.
It is very important that tax payers money is not wasted. When government allocate money for a particular project, they should supervise it and make sure the monies are used properly.
On his assessment on the sixth Assembly, “we performed beyond our imagination and grading. I wouldn’t say that we satisfied everybody because there is always room for improvement.”
Speaking on his next move, Iruba said “I still have the desire to serve my people. I might contest for the House of Representative in the next election. When you have the desire to serve your people, God will give you the vision, wisdom, knowledge, understanding and the enablement to follow it.”
“With my knowledge as a lawyer, I always bring it to bear through my relationship with people.
“I have gone back to my profession. From the day I became a legislator, I have always been prepared for the day I will leave the red chambers. Everything that has a beginning must have an end. I have always known that I will go back to the court as a barrister. Me being a politician does not mean am no longer a lawyer. I keep myself updated with what is happening in the court.