RANDOLPH IWO ORUENE BROWN: PARLIAMENTARIAN WITH A DIFFERENCE

Hon. Randolph Iwo Oruene Brown, member representing Degema/Bonny federal constituency, House of Representatives

When he was elected to represent Degema/Bonny federal constituency at the House of Representatives many were optimistic that he will bring his wealth of experience to bear in bring home the dividends of democracy. Experience he had garnered in business, community development and other aspects of life wherein he had made significant strides.  

Over time, it appears he had deliberately aligned himself with these expectations by working assiduously to meet them as his performance, though muted, has shown. He told Kristina Reports, “I don’t like making anoise over every little thing I do”. Understandably, he works quietly and views every achievement no matter how big as “little’.

 

Hon. Randolph Brown with amiable wife, Mrs. Esther Ibinye Randolph Brown

Among the “small things” he does include the working with fellow stalwarts to stabilize and promote his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bonny and Degema LGAs and the state. He has also been making strong inputs into synergizing with the top echelon of the PDP to support the leadership being provided by the state governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who has virtually become the bulwark upon which the party, nationally has been leaning to forge ahead.

Back home, he has been a resilient resource base of ideas, leadership and support in his community, Finima, and Bonny Kingdom, in general where he holds the revered title of “Amaopusenibo” (lit. senior community elder). Almost every strata of the Bonny society has felt his impact in different ways. No wonder his political support base, though strongest in Finima, cuts across the 12 wards of the LGA.  

Another sterling aspect of his character is the seamless synergy between him and his kinsman, Abinye Blessing Pepple, who represents Bonny constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly. Both have sustained a harmonious drive to attract positive dividends to their constituency from the electioneering period to the present. And this has to no small extent helped promote the democratic fortunes of the area they represent. 

Randolph Brown’s performance narrative encompasses legislative functions, drive for constituency projects, and social interventions. Aside bills, motions, and oversight activities, he has made interventions in the education, health, and economic aspects of his constituency. These strides have positively impacted several lives across Degema and Bonny Local Government Areas and beyond.  

Outlined below are some of his achievements in terms of constituency deliverables.

  

Hon. Randolph Brown during a visit to his constituents

Constituency projects and programmes by the member representing Degema/Bonny federal constituency: Hon. Randolph Iwo Oruene Brown.

Education

In the education sector he made the following strides:

·         Construction of teachers quarters in Bakana and the old consulate in Degema, both in Degema LGA, respectively.

·         Randolph Education Support Scheme has placed more than 50 students on scholarship for over two years and still running, cutting across nursery, primary, and secondary schools.  

·         Tertiary Education Support Program has over 45 students drawn across various institutions of higher learning across the country from Degema and Bonny LGAs currently benefitting from this scheme.

·         Distribution of 15,000 text books and notebooks to various secondary schools in Bonny and Degema LGAs.

Health

His forays in the health sector include:

·         Sponsorship of free medical exercise in conjunction with the OB Lulu Briggs Foundation in November, 2017 that touched over 5,000 lives with over 150 surgical operations in Bonny Island.

·         Hi-tech hospital equipments for the General Hospital, Bonny to be unveiled, commissioned and handed over to the hospital management in a few days.

·         Medical Support Program: A medical outreach program targeted at his constituent through various health institutions in Bonny LGA, namely St. Charles Hospital, Channels Clinic, St. Peter’s Clinic, and General Hospital, Bonny. This program has positively impacted the lives of over a hundred individuals across his constituency, so far.  

Economy

He has also economically impacted the lives of through the following avenues:

Youth and Women Empowerment Program (YAWEP). A skills training program that has captured over 350 individuals (women and youths) cutting across various skills sets including:  Catering and Hospitality Management, Fashion and Designs, Shoe and Bag Making, Carpentry and Furniture Making, Driving, Beadmaking, Paint Production, Entrepreneurial Studies, Soap and Bleach Production, Cosmetology, Scaffolding, Videography and Photography, and Welding and Fabrication. 

Agro Scheme: Modeled into two broad categories (fishery and poultry), this program, billed to start in a few days, has about 50 persons shortlisted from Degema and Bonny LGA to benefit from it.

Business Support Scheme: Targeted at small scale businesses across Degema and Bonny LGAs, this scheme, expected to go live in the coming days, seeks to empower startups and also sustaining those already on by providing them with small financial aids to enable them maximize new and existing opportunities and grow their businesses. A total of 283 persons would benefit from this scheme.

It is imperative to buttress that starter packs would be given to all the graduands in the various skills acquisition programmes upon completion of the training.  

Social Interventions 

As part of his social intervention efforts, aside financial assistance to the countless number of less privileged persons across his constituency, Brown has reached out to the federal ministry of Information to redeem the Bonny Post Office which had been in a dilapidated and embarrassing condition over the years. He has eventually succeeded with this and the reconstruction of the edifice is currently ongoing.