On February 27, 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared distinguished Senator Dr. Victor Umeh OFR, KSS, KSJI, FNIVS (Ohamadike Ndigbo) winner of the February 25 Senatorial Election in Anambra Central Senatorial District with a total of 103,608 votes, under the Labour Party—LP.
Consequently, Senator Umeh joined other elected lawmakers from across the country in the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly held on the 13th of June 2023 in Abuja ( exactly one year ago). He was sworn in as Senator representing the good people of Anambra Central Senatorial District.
In keeping with his campaign promises, Senator Umeh resumed office as ranking Member of the 10th Senate, retaining his ideologies and advocacy for equity and fairness in governance, justice for all, and honesty and transparency in public service.
Recognizing his rare and unique potentials in driving positive initiatives towards achieving good results, and his wealth of experience, he was enlisted into 14 Adhoc Committees in the Senate namely:
(1) Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) – Chairman
(2) Housing and Urban Development – Vice Chairman
(3) Air Force
(4) Establishment and Public Services
(5) Agriculture Production, Services and Rural Development
(6) Education
(7) Employment and Productivity
(8) FCT
(9) Industry
(10) Land Transport
(11) National Security and Intelligence
(12) Rules And Business
(13) Agriculture Colleges and Institution
(14) Ecology and Climate change
Senator Victor Umeh was on March 13, 2024, elected as Vice Chairman of Southern Senators Forum together with Senator Adetokunbo Abiru representing Lagos East who is the Chairman.
Nevertheless, he on February 7, 2024, received the notice of his Nomination by the President of the Senate as Member of the Standing Delegation of Nigerian Parliaments to the Pan-African Parliament.
PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW:
Motions and Contributions:
As courageous, indomitable and eloquent as he always is, Senator Umeh without further ado, started making salient contributions in the Senate mainly focusing on bridging the gap between the government and the people, ensuring equal democratic dividends get to every part of the country without discrimination; making strategic efforts to mitigate the rising economic challenges, hunger and insecurity in the country as well as bringing to the awareness of the Senate (and the Federal Government by extension) the plight of the citizens both home and in diaspora.
On Thursday July 20, 2023, he moved a Motion on “Urgent Need To Protect Local Meter Manufacturers In The Ongoing National Mass Metering Programme Of The Federal Government” following the approval of a $155 million loan from the World Bank for the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP). Similarly, he moved the motion on “Urgent Need to Upgrade the Eastern Rail Line (traversing Port Harcourt to Maiduguri) from Narrow Gauge Rail to Standard Gauge Rail” on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. The motion was made to modernize and standardize the Nigerian railway system, including the Eastern Rail Line. The Motion co-sponsored by thirty four other Senators was scored high by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and described as patriotic and of national importance.
Furthermore, on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, Senator Umeh also moved the motion on “Need to Investigate the National Social Investment Programme Cash Transfer during the last administration.” The motion sought to investigate the transparency and effectiveness of the cash transfer program, which was a flagship social welfare scheme of the previous administration.
Nevertheless, he has remained punctual to plenary and very vocal on almost all critical issues brought to the Senate for debate for instance: with a sterling contribution, he graced the Motion on “Urgent need to Reconstruct/Rehabilitate the Onitsha-33-Otuocha-Adani Roads Boundary to Enugu State” presented by Senator Tony Nwoye. Affected by the sufferings of road users, he visited Oba Erosion/Landslide Site Along Onitsha-Owerri Road and called For Emergency Intervention. Consequently, he made a persuasive outcry in the Senate with a Motion on “Urgent need to control the erosion ravaging Onitsha-Oba section of the Onitsha-Owerri Federal Highway in Anambra State.”
Other interventions by the Senator include:
1. Additional prayer calling on the Inspector General of Police to punish Police Officers involved in Harassment & Abuse of Commuters & Travellers.
2. Sought Justice for embattled Igwe Chukwuemeka Cyprian, a final year student of University of Abuja from Ichida, Anambra State who was at the risk of losing his admission in the school.
3. Resolution of the dispute in the Abule Ado area of Festac, Lagos state where 677 houses were marked for complete demolition and 744 houses marked for partial demolition. However, with his interventions at the national headquarters of the Federal Housing Authority—FHA, and encounters with the Federal Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development as well as his strategic engagements in the Senate through the Senate Committee on Housing and Urban Development where he is the Vice Chairman, the disputes were resolved and demolitions suspended.
4. Visitation of the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa, on March 26, 2024, where the Consul General, Andrew Idi, received him, and he met and interacted with Nigerian representatives from South Africa and Swaziland discussing their challenges particularly immigration issues.
5. Unprecedented increment in the budget allocation for the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission ( NIDCOM): Considering the high number of tasks to be executed through NIDCOM for the welfare of Nigerians in Diaspora, and bothered over the paltry sum being allocated hitherto to the Agency, Senator Umeh deployed his wisdom in upgrading the budget of the Commission which used to be one of the least funded agencies of the federal government.
6. Concerned over the incarceration of Nigerian citizens in Ethiopian Prisons, Senator Umeh has made concerted efforts in the Senate, through the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs which he is the Chairman, and in collaboration with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission—NIDCOM to facilitate their freedom or repatriation.
7. With an open door policy, he has continued to welcome constituents seeking job opportunities and has been using his office to facilitate lots of employment opportunities for many graduates within Anambra Central.
8. Facilitated Conditional Cash Transfer of ₦50,000 to 1400 Beneficiaries from Anambra Central. A project sponsored by the federal government.
9. Called for ban on migrant grazing: concerned over the killing of innocent people by armed herdsmen, he called for an enactment of Migrant Grazing Prohibition Law to compel livestock farmers/herders to adopt ranching against open grazing in order to save lives and property.
10. Supported A Bill To Establish Federal Polytechnic In Ebonyi State (South East).
Oversight Functions:
* Senator Victor Umeh on Friday July 7, 2023 visited the dreaded Oba Erosion Site which nearly splitted the Onitsha-Owerri expressway where he urged the federal government to declare a state of emergency on the erosion menace ravaging many communities in the south east especially in Anambra state. A gesture that yielded quick results as the fast spreading erosion was quickly contained and repressed.
* On January 18, 2024, Senator Umeh distributed over 124 metric tons of rice totaling 129,000 kilogram of rice (surpassing the 124000kilogram provided by the federal government by 5,000 kilogram), and this happened after he had shared 40milion naira worth of rice (626 bags of 50kg and over 600 bags of 25kg) and matched it with cash support as palliatives to cushion the effects of the economic recession on the good people of Anambra Central Senatorial District.
CONSTITUENCY PROJECT:
Scholarship/Student Support Programme:
There’s no gainsaying Senator Victor Umeh’s love for education among the Youth as he has created a template for education support initiatives through his over a decade of sole sponsorship via VUMEF (Victor Umeh Education Foundation). However, sustaining the Student Scholarship Programme which was his initiative while in the 8th Senate, 223 students have been selected from all the communities in Anambra Central as beneficiaries of the scheme whose tuition in their tertiary institution of choice shall be the prerogative of the Senator, through the Anambra Central Scholarship Scheme.
Human capacity and infrastructural development;
Senator Victor Umeh has earmarked several strategic projects allotted to various communities in the seven Local Government Areas in Anambra Central under the 2024 constituency project and zonal intervention project appropriation. The Senator has also outlined skill acquisition programmes and financial empowerment exercises for women and youths within the Constituency.
Finally, it is adequate to say that Senator Victor Umeh is working hard to surpass his campaign promises. He is not resting on is oars in ensuring that the people of Anambra Central are perfectly represented in the 10th Senate and that all their entitlements are brought to them.
It is just one year largely affected by litigations and post-election activities, down the line, ndị Anambra Central will have more Causes to be proud of voting for Senator Victor Umeh and Labour Party on February 25, 2023.
