The member representing Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Abuja, Dr. Patrick Umoh, has been commended by the Center for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN) for distributing presidential palliative rice to his constituents on Friday, March 1, 2024.
The commendation, which was contained in a press release dated Monday, March 4, 2024, was signed by CHRAN’s Director and Secretary, Otuekong Franklyn Isong and Barr. Christopher Ekpo, respectively, and made available to newsmen in Uyo.
The CHRAN stated that Patrick Umoh’s gesture to his constituents in Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency came amid refutations on the issue by some of his colleagues of Akwa Ibom extraction in the National Assembly.
The advocacy group vowed to continue to track the presidential palliative rice even as it monitored the distribution of the palliative by Hon. Umoh.
The Centre noted that the Hon. Umoh palliatives distribution exercise, which took place on Friday, March 1, 2024, at Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency, was peaceful and successful.
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The Centre stated that the rice, packed in bags, was distributed to constituents within the three (3) local government areas constituting the federal constituency.
The group noted that apart from the palliative rice, the Federal Lawmaker also met with the family heads (Mbong Ekpuk), youths, and persons living with disabilities (PLWD) from the three local government areas and shared a happy moment with them.
The CHRAN stated that 510 bags of rice and a total of N2.3 million were distributed to the people.
The CHRAN recalled that Hon. Patrick Umoh had in December 2023 celebrated Christmas with his constituents and had presented to them 300 bags of rice, 3 cows, and the sum of four million naira (N4m).
The CHRAN urged other National Assembly members from the state who are yet to distribute palliative rice and other items to borrow a leaf from Dr. Patrick Umoh and be transparent and accountable to their constituents.
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The CHRAN further stated that it was sanguine that the President Tinubu Palliatives had been received by all the National Assembly members on behalf of their constituents, and so urged them to distribute the same to their constituents without further delay.
The CHRAN maintained that it will soon organise a press conference to name and shame the National Assembly members who have not distributed the palliatives to their constituents.
The CHRAN stated that it has reliable information to the effect that palliatives worth N57.8 billion had been approved for members of the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for onward distribution to their constituents and that the same had been released and shared with all members of the National Assembly.
The CHRAN also stated that it has been reliably informed that N200 million worth of rice was given to senators as palliatives for their constituents, while N100 million worth of rice was given to members of the House of Representatives as palliatives for constituents.
It would be recalled that the Presidency while showcasing Tinubu’s scorecard in palliatives disbursement to Nigerians, revealed that each senator got N200 million worth of palliatives for their constituents, while each member of the House of Representatives received N100 million worth of palliatives for their constituents.
