GOVERNMENT PROVIDE ROBUST PALLIATIVE TO CUSHION THE HARDSHIP OF SUBSIDY REMOVAL- HON. JONATHAN.

GOVERNMENT PROVIDE ROBUST PALLIATIVE TO CUSHION THE HARDSHIP OF SUBSIDY REMOVAL- HON. JONATHAN.
– Engage more with people.

By: lucky kenedy ose

Mr. Jonathan Ukodhiko is a visionary leader with core engineering competence and business management skills in the oil and gas sector. As the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Joeny, he brings a mix of valuable skills that have propelled the company towards the part of success. As a coren registered engineer his technical skill and competence is invaluable.
He holds a B.Eng. in Mechanical/Production Engineering. He has worked with Adadrill Nig. Ltd and International Oilfields Services where he gained significant experience in Wellhead, Valves and Facilities Maintenance, and other engineering core areas in the industry including business development. It is the vision of Mr. Jonathan Ukodikho to build Joeny Holdings into an international brand with core emphasis on the company’s unique approach to quality assurance and service delivery to clients. Mr Ukodhiko jonathan Ajiirioghene is now representing the good people of Isoko North/Isoko South federal constituency of Delta state in the 10th of House of Representative. He had a chat with one of our correspondents in person of Prince Adeboye Omoboye in his office in National Assembly.

Nassnews: For the sake of our Readers, can you briefly describe yourself sir.
Hon. Jonathan: My name is Honourable Ukodhiko jonathan Ajiirioghene representing the good people of Isoko North/Isoko South federal constituency of Delta state in the 10th of House of Representative
Nassnews: As a member of the opposition party PDP how will you describe the election that brought you into the House of Representatives.
Hon. Jonathan: As you know, the election was not an easy thing, there was a very awakening of the mass. Nigerians want a change and because of that everybody came out en-mass to vote and base on that whoever won election in the last election must be popular within his place. Our election was not eas , there were lots of people that contested the election with us by God’s grace we became victorious because of our track record , because of who we are and because of our popularity, because we gave the people message they want to hear.
Nassnews: how was growing up like and how did you become a politician ?
Hon. Jonathan: I started from a humble beginning I was in a village they called Irawa Oweh Local government area. I was not born with a silver spoon I was brought by a parent that knows the important of education. They sent me to school, I studied engineering, I went to serve our country after service I went to Port-Harcourt like any other young man growing in the village sector and went to the city for a greener pasture and I went to Port-Harcourt to pick up a job worked for about 4-5yrs precisely and from there, I set up a business in the oil and gas which happened to grow, to become a very big oil and gas service company as far as this country is concern today.
Nassnews: What brought you into politics?
Hon. Jonathan: what brought me into politics is the drive to do more for my people, the passion to impact more on humanity because we have been of great help to humanity. Check my antecedents we have been doing social services for our people, we have been taking care of the less privileged, we have been doing a lot for our people and we feel that if all of us continue to sit back and say politics is not good for us, we will find out that it is people that are not supposed to come there that will come there. Politics will allow you to do more for your people. No matter how rich you are, you can’t be using your money all the time bought with government instrumentality we will be able to do more, impact positively to the life of our people. We came into politics to extent ourselves to humanity that is exactly what brought us into politics.
Nassnews: Let’s progress a little, politics or business, which one is easier.
Hon. Jonathan: Business is easier than politics because, in business you know what you are expecting. In business, everybody keeps to terms. But in politics somebody will discuss with you here and go and do a different thing entirely.
In politics, somebody will come up with a lot of propaganda to pull you down. Terrible thing happens in politics, you’ll always find people who are not sincere in politics, when they tell you that something is right it is left, when they tell you to look front, you better look back. Even with all that politics offers we will always do what is right, we will not play that kind of politics but will play the one that will have meaningful impact on our people.
Nassnews: how will you score the ruling party as an opposition party.
Hon. Jonathan: it is not perfect everybody knows the ruling party APC has run this country at good level for 8yrs and everybody needs a change, if you look at the last election, every Nigerian is tired, the country is bankrupt , nothing is working so many of our youths are out of jobs even those that have jobs are not earning good wages, those that have what they are doing, it cannot take care of them so everybody is tired and really need a change before election came in the people went out and vote and Ahmed Bola Tinubu won according to (INEC).

Nassnews: At this junction if I may say, you are in support of the fuel subsidy removal.

Hon. Jonathan: Sometimes the truth is bitter but you will need to say it. For me I don’t believe there was subsidy initially. For instance, the government through the NNPC approve some companies that are supposed to lift crude we call it crude (swap) and they take the crude out of this country, they are supposed to refine it and bring it back to the country as a refined product. so what subsidy are you paying besides, even if they say they are paying subsidy which most Nigerians don’t believe in, who were they paying the subsidy to, the poor masses are not benefiting from the subsidy they claim to be paying. Because it was not transparent enough for people to know. At a point they were doing smuggling out of the country, it was the fuel marketers that were benefiting from the subsidy so it doesn’t have an impact in the life of a common man, then there is no point for us to keep subsidy and that is why some of us will support the removal of the subsidy. When you remove subsidy there will be more money to pump into the economy and more money for other projects, and to do things for our people. And the removal is overdue. During the time of PDP regime, President Goodluck Jonathan wanted to remove subsidy, it was this same APC that went against it then, but today when they came in and they find out that there is need to pay a subsidy that will not have impact in the life of the people, they remove it. So the removal is the best decision this government will take because you need to take the bull by the horn to solve that problem once and for all. 

Nassnews: Are you of the opinion that the 10th Assembly should have investigate the activities of subsidy payments in past?

Hon. Jonathan: There is nothing wrong in investigating subsidy and it is our responsibility in the National Assembly, the people’s parliament to investigate subsidy regime as far as I am concerned. If it was transparent nobody should kick against investigating the regime of the subsidy. So for me, there is need for the parliament to look for it. Another thing I will say Is that, the government at each level should provide a robust palliative to cushion the hardship of subsidy removal on the masses. Let them come out with a program that will have a positive impact on our people. Very soon, everything will normalize I strongly believe this if the government is sincere in implementing the palliative, it will cushion the effect of the subsidy.

Nassnews: What are you plans and program for your people now that you’re representing them.

Hon. Jonathan: The greatest problem we are facing now as a nation is how to reduce poverty because our people are poor and if you don’t know we are an oil producing constituency we are not supposed to live the way we are living, we are living in poverty because the oil production is not having impact in the life of our people.

Nassnews: What do you think government should do to reduce poverty.

Hon. Jonathan: I told you I am a business man before coming into politics, no country Can develop without power, we must get power right, we must provide 24hrs power supply for our people in other for us to set up industries, for production, the government must encourage and reduce taxes for investor that are ready to build factories for our people to work in this country, the government must do everything to encourage free Enterprises in other for us to create wealth and employment for our people. When people have work to do they’ll be able to have a positive impact in the community and able to provide for their families.

The challenge that we are having and why poverty is increasing is that people don’t have Job. And that is why there is high rate of people leaving the country, even if you want to work there’s no work to do. And one of the things that is leading to it, is that we are not producing in this nation we are only consuming because we don’t have power. There is no country that can survive without power, Thank God power has been removed from exclusive list to concurrent list we need to open it up in other for our people to benefit from it and to generate enough power for our people. We also need to develop the steel sector because no nation can develop without developing their steel. 

Nassnews: How will you score the achievement of the 10th assembly so far?

Hon. Jonathan: In very new system it takes time for the system to stabilize, I believe that with National Assembly in the right direction, irrespective of whatever anybody thinks, we have gotten our leadership, our principal officers, the next thing now is the standing committees constituted to hit the ground running and I believe the house will take off as quickly as possible and everything will normalize.

Nassnews: As a business man, do you feel disappointed on arrival on parliament?

Hon. Jonathan: I don’t feel disappointed leaving my business because I have somethings to offer within the shortest time, I’ll have a lot to impact into the life of my people.

Nassnews: What will you do differently from your predecessor.

Hon. Jonathan: I will engage more with my people to know what their needs are. I will build on what my predecessor has done. Because if you know him, I am the one replacing retired Hon. Leo Ogor, he was an institution in this National Assembly, he did very well both here and back home. To me I am stepping into a shoe that is so big and wide, I can’t do less. My constituent Will expect the best from me. I must do better because every father will pray for his son to do better than him.

Nassnews: What is your advice for Nigerians especially at this point in time.

Hon. Jonathan: Nigerians are very delusional right now, life is hard and difficult for both the rich and the poor but the only advice I will give is to be patient.
They should give the government time to settle down and the put the program they have in place. As you know I am an opposition, if they are not doing the right thing we are going to criticize them. It is our duty to checkmate whatever they might have done. I strongly advice that Nigerians should not lose hope and if they would excise patient with the parliament we have today we will surely do our best.