•••preaches against tokenism
•••calls for stronger youth engagement
In a rare, frank and far-reaching engagement with youths and community stakeholders, the Member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ngozi Okolie, has reaffirmed his commitment to people-centred governance, highlighting his legislative achievements, constituency interventions and the realities influencing project execution at the federal level.
The federal lawmaker spoke on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, during a stakeholders’ meeting with youth leaders and community representatives drawn from across the constituency, held at his residence in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
Okolie said his guiding philosophy since assuming office has remained clear and consistent: reaching as many communities as possible while prioritising projects with lasting, collective impact.
Legislative Footprints with National Impact
He disclosed that since his inauguration, he has sponsored and supported no fewer than nine bills, alongside several motions addressing pressing national and constituency concerns.
Among the key bills is a proposed legislation aimed at curbing arbitrary increases in loan interest rates, particularly to protect Nigerians who obtained loans before sudden policy shifts that pushed rates as high as 18 per cent.
Also highlighted was an ongoing bill seeking to upgrade the Asaba Federal College of Education (Technical) to a full-fledged university, a move expected to expand access to tertiary education, create jobs and stimulate economic growth in the area.
In addition, Okolie revealed legislative efforts to attract Toyota to establish an assembly plant in Nigeria, rather than limiting the country to being only a consumer market. He noted that if realised, the initiative could unlock thousands of employment opportunities.
Infrastructure over Tokenism
Rejecting what he described as “short-term empowerment optics,” the lawmaker explained his preference for infrastructure-driven interventions over one-off distributions of motorcycles or tricycles that benefit only a few individuals.
“It is better to build hospitals, classrooms, roads and water projects that serve entire communities than to empower a handful of people and offend many others,” he said.
He listed several constituency interventions to include the construction and furnishing of classroom blocks in multiple communities, provision of desks, chairs and learning materials to public schools, ongoing water projects—most notably the Ogwashi-Uku water scheme—as well as the construction of pavilion structures and other community facilities.
He also disclosed plans for community hospital projects, noting that host communities had already provided land for the proposed facilities.
Youth Empowerment and Human Capital Development
On youth development, Okolie said over 200 youths from across the constituency have benefited from skills acquisition programmes covering catering, baking, soap making and small-scale enterprise development.
According to him, beneficiaries were also supported with starter funds to help them become self-reliant.
He further confirmed that more than 300 students had benefited from scholarship support in previous years, while farmers received fertiliser support as part of agricultural interventions aimed at boosting food production and rural livelihoods.
Constituency Projects: Clearing the Air
Addressing concerns over delays in constituency projects, the lawmaker clarified that constituency funds are not paid directly to legislators.
He explained that such projects are embedded in the national budget and executed through federal ministries and agencies, which also handle contract awards and payments.
Okolie noted that several projects approved before the current Assembly were inherited, limiting lawmakers to putting pressure on contractors to return to site.
He attributed delays experienced during the 2024 budget cycle largely to non-payment of contractors, a challenge that affected projects nationwide. However, he expressed optimism that with recent assurances on outstanding payments, abandoned and pending projects would soon resume across the constituency.
The interactive session provided room for candid feedback from youth leaders, many of whom commended the lawmaker’s outreach across communities but called for more frequent engagement, improved communication and stronger inclusion of youth leadership structures in project nomination and empowerment processes.
In response, Okolie welcomed the feedback, noting that the meeting marked his first large-scale engagement with youth leaders as a collective. He pledged to institutionalise regular consultations going forward.
“Modern politics demands constant engagement. Youth leaders are the bridge to the grassroots, and we must work together,” he assured.
Looking Ahead
Concluding the session, the lawmaker reiterated that his doors remain open, promising to visit any local government or community with just two days’ notice, preferably on weekends.
He urged stakeholders to assess his performance based on verifiable projects and policies rather than rumours.
As the meeting ended, participants agreed on one clear takeaway: while the journey of representation may be challenging, the resolve to connect policy with people remains firm—and for many in attendance, the conversation had only just begun.