What Manner of Man is Orji?
Ever since his induction into the eight Senate in June 2015, Senator Theodore Orji has proved to be one of the most active and productive legislators in the upper chamber, writes Solomon Elusoji
There are few senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the eight Senate who can rival the exploits of Senator Theodore Orji, representing Abia Central Senatorial District. In less than two years, he has taken his eight years experience of successfully governing a major state in the country and brought them to bear on the business of lawmaking.
The three major functions of a legislator are law making, representation and oversight and Orji has performed creditably well in all aspects. On law-making, Orji has acquitted himself so well that he was in June 2016 rated the third most productive Senator of the Federal Republic, sponsoring three solid motions which resulted in resolutions of the Senate.
One of the resolutions, which was made on January 30, 2016, mandated the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), to publish reports of its investigations into the causes of air accidents in the country. The second resolution was made on January 13, 2016, and it caused the Senate to pass a resolution calling on the Federal Government to immediately set up the Public Procurement Council in accordance with the 2009 Public Procurement Act. The third resolution, which was made on October 4, 2016, was on the need to check indiscriminate rock blasting in the FCT and other parts of the country, in accordance with international best practices.
Still on law making, Orji is the sponsor of nine bills, one of which has already been passed into an Act by the National Assembly while others are at various stages of passage. The first of the bills is SB. 71, “A Bill For An Act To Make Provision For Freedom From Hunger And The Right To Adequate Food Of Acceptable Quality, Right Of Every Child To Basic Nutrition And For Connected Purposes”. This bill is now an Act. It was passed into an Act on the floor of the Senate on Thursday, October 13, 2016. It is awaiting Presidential assent.
Another one is SB. 72, “A Bill For An Act To Repeal The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission Act, Cap 117 Laws Of The Federation Of Nigeria And Re-Enact The Nigerian Investment Commission To Provide For The Creation Of An Attractive Incentive Framework And A Transparent Predictable And Facilitating Environment For Investment In Nigeria And Related Matters”. This bill is now for Second reading/debate stage.
The third bill is SB. 73 “A Bill For An Act To Provide For National Planning Process And For Other Matters Connected Therewith”. This is also in the second reading stage. The forth is SB. 79, “A Bill For An Act To Provide For The Management And Conservation Of Nigeria’s Biodiversity, The Protection Of Species And Ecosystems That Warrant National Protection, The Sustainable And Equitable Sharing Of Benefits Arising From Bio-prospecting Involving Indigenous Biological Resources, The Establishment And Function Of The National Biodiversity Institute And For Matters Connected Therewith”. This is also in at the second reading stage.
Orji’s fifth bill is SB. 119 “A Bill For An Act To Amend The Deep Offshore And Inland Basin Sharing Contract , Cap D3 LFN 2004 And For Other Matters Connected Thereto”. This bill has long passed through first and second reading or debate stage. It was given to the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources since the first quarter of 2016 but the Committee, for reasons known to them, decided not to report back to Senate.
The sixth bill is SB. 129, “A Bill For An Act To Alter The Provision Of The Constitution Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) To Enable The President And State Governors To Designate And Assign Portfolios To Persons Nominated As Ministers Or Commissioners Before Confirmation By The Senate Or The State House Of Assembly. This bill was married to many other bills on amendment of the constitution and they all will be handled together.
Orji’s seventh bill is SB. 256, “A Bill For An Act To Provide For The Establishment Of The Nigerian Centre For Disease Control And Prevention (NCDC) And For Matters Connected Therewith”. This bill passed the second reading on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, March 14, 2017.
The eight bill is SB. 259“A Bill For An Act To Regulate The Manufacture, Importation, Distribution And Quality Control Of Fertilizer In Nigeria And For Related Matters”. This bill is at the second reading. And the ninth bill is SB. 260 “A Bill For An Act To Provide For The Regulation And Effective Monitoring Of Metallurgical Inspection And Raw Material Development In Nigeria And For Related Matters”. This is also at the second reading.
“At this point, His Excellency is not a senator that anybody can overlook,” former deputy Speaker Abia State House of Assembly and Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Orji, Hon. Chidiebere Nwoke says. “Having been an executive governor of a state for eight years, he is quite experienced and very outspoken. And he is quick to learn.”
On representation, Orji has given the people of Abia Central quality and unprecedented representation by the delivery of ample democracy dividends to them. Within two years of his stay in the Senate, Orji has surpassed every achievement his predecessors put together ever recorded. In education, more than 200 students have benefited from the Senator’s scholarship scheme.
He has also undertaken numerous infrastructure projects, some of which include: the electrification of Umuhute Azueke Autonomous Community, Umuahia North L.G.A.; the electrification of Ahiaba Okpuala Community, Isiala Ngwa North L.G.A.; the electrification of Nvosi I, Amaku Community in Isiala Ngwa South L.G.A. of Abia State; the delivery of 500/11/KVA transformer to residents of Uwalaka Street, Enugu road, Awkuzu Street, Awolowo Street, Chidiebere Nwoke Street, Amuzukwu layout, etc. Umuahia North L. G. A.; the delivery of 500/11/KVA transformer to the people of Okpu ancient kingdom in Osisioma – Ngwa L.G.A. of Abia State.
Owing to the legislative sagacity of Orji, he is the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture and was able to attract some other projects through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. These include: the construction of Attah – Emede Nkpuru – Umuakanu Road, Emede Ibeku Autonomous Community, Umuahia North L.G.A.; the reconstruction/rehabilitation of Umuire – Udide – Umuodudu – Agbo Road, Emede Autonomous Community.
Legislators perform their oversight functions through committee duties. Orji is the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture; member, Senate Committees on Police Affairs, Marine Transport, and Health. He participates effectively in the oversight activities of all these committees as a very prominent and important member.