Giving back to society in the form of democracy dividends


In keeping with his campaign  promises, a lawmaker recently embarked on free medical outreach in his constituency including the healing of a 24-year-old boy who received his sight after being blind for 21 years.  MUAZU ABARI writes. 


The beauty of democracy lies in the ability of electorates to vote for worthy representatives that would champion their cause and live up to their yearnings as promised during electioneering campaigns. Unfortunately, this type of people-centred representation had eluded Adamawa South Senatorial District for years; fortunately the 2019 election provided yet another opportunity for them to correct their mistakes by staging a political revolution that ushered in Senator Binos Yaroe to represent the district in the 9th National Assembly. Although, he is not a new face in the political battlefield of the state and the senatorial contest of the district having contested for the same seat in the past without success, but his election victory has rekindled the hopes of his people who look forward to him with high hope and optimism to give them effective representation and champion their cause for justice, equity and fairness. Little wonder, since his election into the National Assembly, he has continued to endear himself to the hearts of his people with brilliance performance that gas earned him their trust and confidence. The medical outreach in furtherance of his passion for his people, he recently embarked on a free medical outreach, the first of its kind in the history of Adamawa South since the restoration of democracy in 1999 which was targeted at 10,000 people across the nine local governments that make up the zone. During the outreach, people with various  ailments ranging from general body illness, fibroid, appendicitis, cataract  and dental cases, among others, were treated. Speaking at the flagging off, the team leader, Dr Kalimu Wycliffe, had said most of the ailments like infectitious  diseases would be diagnosed and treated with laboratory testing while those with surgical cases would be operated upon and those with eyes problems would be attended to, adding that a total number of 8,000 to 10,000 people were to benefit from the exercise. “We would attend to between 8,000 to 10,000 beneficiaries on this medical outreach and we hope to operate between 4,000 to 5,000 persons and distribute no fewer than 500 reading glasses and also solve cataract problems among many other health challenges.”He further explained that the medical outreach is at the instance and benevolence of Sen Binos who deemed it fit to come to the rescue of his constituents especially the less-privileged whose financial positions make it impossible for them to access medical care. He urged the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture by cooperating with the medical personnel to ensure a hitch- free exercise.

On his part, Sen Binos said the intervation is not part of his constituency project but his own little contributions to rescue his people who elected him into office from diseases and so many health challenges bedevilling them. He further expressed concerned over the state of  health sector in the country, saying it should not be left in the hands of government alone hence the need for all hands to be on deck.He advocated for more budgetary allocations to the health sector assuring his constituents of effective representation and more dividends of democracy.Blindness of 21 years old treatedThe highpoint of the outreach was the recovery of sight for 24 year-old Edmond Eli who lost his sight at the age of three but has been living with blindness for 21 years. He got cured during this intervention which enabled him to set his eyes on his parents after 21 years of complete blindness. 


Speaking to journalists in an emotion-laden voice with tears of joy, his father, Mr Eli Humoshe of kpasham village in Demsa Local Government Area said his son’s travails started when he was three years old after returning home one day where he said some boys mistakenly threw sands into his eyes. 
According to the father, they took him to a local clinic and Numan General Hospital and later referred to an eye centre in Kano but could not go because they could not afford to pay for the treatment; therefore, continued to managed the situation; unfortunately, instead of healing, his son completely went blind and had remained so until they heard about the intervation by the senator where his sight was restored.”As you can see, he is still quiet and just starring at things. I am highly excited and lack words to appreciate God, my senator and doctors for this miracle. My plan for my son after he fully recovers is to enrol in adult education. The condition robbed him of the opportunity to get early education making him a reserved person who hardly talks but all the same we thank God for this healing.”


Also speaking, the head of the eyes unit at the medical outreach Dr Ugochukwu Anunwa, said the operation was carried out by a consultant who identified the problem to be juvenile cataract stressing that at the end of the exercise, about 2,000 successful eyes surgery were carried out mostly for cataract. Intervention in area of floodingAlso, following the flood disaster that ravaged some parts of the state leading to loss of lives, property and displacement of communities who were rendered homeless, Sen Binos in his charecteristic manner raised alarm on the floor of the Senate during prenary under matter of urgent public interest by drawing the Senate’s attention to the pathetic situation of his people who were affected by the flood.He specifically accused the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) of deliberately sidelining Adamawa South in the distribution of relief materials to Adamawa flood victims and urged the Senate to prevail on NEMA to change its strategy.”The Senate knows that a major flood disaster occurred in October 2019 as a result of the release of excess water from Cameroon. NEMA distributed relief materials to victims in Furore, Yola South, Yola North and Gerei but did not extend the same intervation to the local governments along River Benue equally affected by the disaster in my senatorial district.”The Senate drew the attention of the director general of NEMA to provide relief materials to the four affected local governments in the southern zone but nothing has been done to date. I wish to urge the Senate to as a matter of urgency carry out its resolution on NEMA on the matter and to direct the Senate Committee on Special Duties, Ecology and Environment to investigate the effectiveness of NEMA in disaster responce.”After exhaustive debates on this issue raised by the senator, the Senate passed a resolution directing the agency to immediately provide relief materials to the flood victims in adamawa South of which the agency complied with few weeks after. Speaking at the flag off, NEMA director general represented by the agency’s head of operation in Adamawa/Taraba states, Mr Abani Garki, explained that 700 household would benefits from the relief package across the five affected local governments which includes shelleng, Demsa, Numan, Mayo Belwa, Ganye and Jada adding that similar gesture was carried out to 644 household in some communities of Kondumun, old Demsa, Kadia, among others. 

On his part, the Murun Mbula, Dr Jerome Fwa, represented by Chief Johnson Ajayi  applauded the gesture and commended the efforts of those who contributed in one way or the other to ensure that the relief materials were extended to their people. He called for more intervention going by the magnitude of the damage and the casualties figures.
Also speaking, Sen Binos represented by Tinah Thomas commended NEMA for listening to the cries of their people and assured his constituents of his commitments to always champion their cause above his personal interest at all times with a promise to be loyal to his people and give them dividends of democracy that is second to none in the history of Adamawa South. 


Some of the items distributed includes 418 bags of rice, 400 bags of maize, 1,500 mats, 800 mattresses, 250 bundles of zinc, 1,500 brocade materials, 650 bags of cement, 800 blankets, 462 bags of nails, 700 ceiling board, 800 mosquitoes nets, among others. Most of the beneficiaries interview by blueprint commended the senator for this humanitarian gesture, describing it as the best that has ever happened to the people of Adamawa South. 

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