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This was the first town hall meeting in this legislative period, as KAS and NOSAD decided to give the newly elected Members enough time to settle down in office.
About 400 participants attended the town hall meeting, amongst whom were HRH Otu Fredaline Akandu, the paramount ruler of Boki, clergy men, ward Councilors, students and youth leaders, women groups, public servants, teachers, artisans, politicians as well as community based organizations and NGO leaders from the constituency.
Hon. Hillary Bisong, Member representing Boki II in Cross River State House of Assembly, has six wards in his constituency. He presented his constituency action plan for 2015-2019 (the fifth Legislature) in line with his campaign promises for the peoples inputs; the proposed activities include setting up a constituency office with staff who will be trained; conduct regular town hall meetings; entrepreneurship development for women and youths; scholarship scheme for indigent students; collaboration with other elected and appointed officials at national, state and local levels of government; and to establish Boki 2 Special Advisory council and seek audience with the forest management.
Hon. Bisong in his legislative duties in the House of assembly said he had sponsored four private and co-sponsored eight bills and two motions. Also, he chaired the Citizen’s Legislative Agency Project (CLAP) in the house, coordinated young parliamentarians forum south-south geopolitical zone and Cross River House of Assembly Democracy Club. He further stated some of the projects executed as follows: establishment of a branch of University of Calabar Microfinance Bank (UMFB) in collaboration with Council Chairman, Hon. Abubakar Ewa and Managing Director, UMFB, Mr. Joe Abang to ease the burden of the constituents travelling as far as Ogoja and Ikom for Banking transactions.
The participants were quite grateful and wish that more town hall meetings follow soon. One participant noted that for the past 16 years, they have never had such a town hall meeting in their constituency, while another participant advised the town hall meetings be held at least once a year. Many agreed to organize town hall meeting at ward levels in the constituency.
The meeting was finally brought to an end with a closing remark by Nneoyi Ofem, NOSAD programme officer, in which he read out the agreements reached between the people and Hon. Bisong for confirmation and handed copies to the constituency office for documentation and Boki II Constituency Special Advisory Committee for action.
Reached Agreements are as follows:
• Inauguration of Boki II Constituency Advisory committee
• Establishment of Boki Constituency office and employment of six management team representing the six council wards and an executive secretary.
• Provision of the sum of One Million Naira (N1,000,000) only to be deposited in UMFB Okundi Branch for SME’s starts-up for 20 constituents.
• Opening a digital photo lab attached to constituency office.
• Selection of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) beneficiaries.
• Collaboration of Hon. Bisong with the civil society, professionals, political leaders at the local, state, national to attract development to the area.
• Organizing step-down town hall meetings at ward levels using Clan Heads as focal points to widen participation.
• Training of Constituency Management Team for effective service delivery.
