Daily Independent (Lagos)
29 December 2008
interview
Scepticism now trails the recent probes undertaken by the House of Representatives, because despite the public interest it generated, the power probe was mired in controversy. But DORIS UBOH, representing Ika Federal Constituency of Delta State in the House of Representatives, thinks otherwise. To her, the probes were leading the country somewhere.
Uboh, a practising engineer before she was elected last year under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was at Agbor to commission some self-sponsored projects. She is chairman of the House sub-committee on Pipelines and Product Marketing. Some reporters who were at the event attended by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, took her on a wide range of issues. Senior Correspondent, TUNKE AYE-BISINIA was there.
You just commissioned your constituency projects. Can we say that those projects were what your constituents needed?
Let me correct you, they were not constituency projects, they were self-sponsored projects. My constituency projects are still coming to be implemented.
To answer your questions now, they were projects that my constituency needed and still needs. The projects are water boreholes in five communities and science laboratory equipments to secondary schools; drugs and some health care equipment to health centres. All these are services that are needed at the grassroots, not only at the grassroots but nationally. I'm sure every community is crying out for us and my community happens to be one of them. I took it upon myself to do that because - see where I come from - we are poor. We don't have easy access to such things, not that we can't access state government, but just like any other state, there are usually some small communities that I wouldn't say forgotten, but things don't get there easily. Either because they are not easily accessible or because they just don't get there. But some of those communities are the ones who benefited.
No doubt the water projects are key to the people of this area in view of the topography, but did you put mechanisms in place for their maintenance and sustainability?
I intend to do that because we even considered that before we did the water projects. I have to appeal to the communities first to preserve those equipments, especially the pumping machines and the generating sets. Let them not vandalise them and let them not do away with them or steal them. If they can assure me of that, I will do my part of finding a way to sustain them, maybe, on a weekly basis for fuelling of the generators.
What do the projects add up to in momentary terms?
I try not to add value to them because when you give gifts it comes from your hearts. Once you start thinking about the cost, then the added value that is supposed to be derived from it is gone. To answer your question, I put it in the range between N80 to N100 million.
You are an engineer by training and profession. What must have motivated you to leave your profession to seek elective office, considering that engineering and law making are two different worlds that do not have correlation?
First you are right. I'm a professional engineer and a practising one. Being that I practice my field, I have my company that does engineering works. When I was still active in the private sector, I relate very well with companies that give out these sorts of projects by virtue of being an engineer we've done water schemes, we've done road constructions. We've done most of these things. I will say that my background kind of prepared me for where I am today. Lawmaking is not for a particular profession. It is for every right-thinking committed, focused individual who wants to contribute to nation-building.
Number two is I get the drive to serve. I don't believe that we should all be asking things from Nigeria. I think we all make up the country and Nigeria will not grow itself. We all have to put our hands together to take this country where it should be. There is no better time. So, I chose just out of share conviction to do this.
Having spent about one and half years in the National Assembly, besides these self-sponsored projects, what can you say have been your impact and input at the National Assembly?
I'm doing the best I can. Being a member of some vital committees, it affords me the opportunity to participate in bills that impact directly on our daily lives. For instance, being part of petroleum downstream and as Chairman of the sub-committee on PPMC (Pipelines and Product Marketing Company), obviously when there is a discussion within the society about petroleum pricing, I have to participate. At the Marine Transport Committee, we talk about port concession and cabotage laws and all that. I have participated in my own little way in sponsoring or co-sponsoring or supporting bills that deal with issues of the average Nigerian man.
Can you be specific on some of the bills and motions that you have sponsored?
Within three months of coming into the National Assembly, the first motion I moved was on alternative source of energy to reduce our over dependency on NEPA and the national grid that is not even enough to carry half of the nation. Right now I have a bill on the floor of the house that is going for second reading that has to do with review of minimum wage. I have another bill that has to do with reviewing the pipeline act to stipulate punishment for those who violate right of way. Everything I tend to do in the House is influenced by what is going on in the society. The bill on the Pipeline Act, for instance, was born after we visited the Ijegun fire. I looked at it and decided if the pipeline act is revisited and proper penalties are put into the Act, it would correct and would have saved the lives of about 200 people that died in the fire.
On the Minimum Wage Act, I felt it should be reviewed. If you look at the average Nigerian, what is the minimum wage may be with other packages N7,500; at the most N8,000. Yet, everyday, cost of living is going up. Transport is not what it used to be in 2001, which was the last time the minimum wage was increased by President Obasanjo when he came in. Who can really live well no matter the barest level of living and live on N8,000 a month. You cloth your children, feed them and give them healthcare. It is impossible. We have to face reality. If we want the society to stop corruption and stop this lackadaisical attitude towards work, then you have to pay them well. Those are examples of some of the things I have done.
As chairman of the Sub-committee on PPMC, what steps is your committee taking to ensure that the failing prices of crude at the international market translate to low cost of domestic fuel, since the argument has been that the former dictates the price of the latter?
While the price was high, we were dealing with one issue, and that is the excess that comes into excess crude account, the plan that Federal Government has for it. I can tell you till today we have not got anything. Now that prices have come down, I can tell you that we have met as a committee. We have made recommendations to leadership (House of Representatives), because leadership deals with the Federal Government, advising that prices have to come down, it would be wise based on calculations, we don't just make sentimental recommendations. We make recommendations backed by facts, by calculations. We say based on calculations, logically and if you are a businessman, the price should be at this.
Secondly, President Musa Yar'Adua is living exactly what he says he is: leadership by rule of law and there is nothing more important than showcasing your rule of law than restoring the faith of the society in you. Ours is to make recommendations, we cannot force the Executive. But we will continue to press on them.
I read recently that the Federal Government is now thinking towards that line. I think by January, hopefully, let's keep our fingers crossed, they will make that announcement gearing towards the recommendation we had given to leadership.
Goods that ought to come through our ports are still being diverted to other countries because of the high landing costs. As a member of the Committee on Marine Transport, what have been the reasons for this state of affairs?
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