Beyond the Borehole: What They Never Told You About Hon. A.M. Lauya"

By  Aaron Artimas

In the run-up to the just concluded reinvigorated Yandang Annual Carnival, now named, "Sungki", the organizing Committee led by Hon Irmiya Hammanjulde had impressed on me to moderate the event. I vehemently protested, saying that I was now getting too old to handle such task, until my sister, Lydia Wilson, a Director in the state Ministry of Information, Jalingo, stormed my house to "show cause" as to why I must avail myself.

 

However, I least expected to come face to face with Hon Lauya, who was the father of the day at the event. I was never acquainted with him but he immediately struck me as a vibrant, easy going and highly humorous or amazing personality. There at the podium he proceeded to tell me a little about himself. He was born in Sunkani, Ardo-kola Local Government, at the Yandang quarters and was actually weaned by Yandang woman as a child. Hon Lauya proudly told me that, at a stage during those early beginnings, he was widely known as Audu Yandang. This confession had an immediate impact on me, as I a contemplated the idea that he could also be my brother. He proceeded to name several Yandang neighbours in Sunkani including my late uncle, Gabriel Damisa, whose house still sits on its place at the Yandang quarters.

Perhaps, I may have been struck by the Wurkum tribal moniker, "keko ma keko, a walam ma keko" a clarion call to brotherhood. Without hesitation, I told him that his records of performance as reported in the social media, was very miserable. Infact I reminded him of a pictorial report which showed that, he was fencing a borehole he did not drill in one of the communities. It was a gory tale for a politician of his caliber.

Hon Lauya said, he understood and indeed had been following this salacious or fictitious stories of his failure. Nevertheless, at the end of the event, Lauya handed to me a seven paged tabulated compendium  of hiss achievements. The report, detailed telephone numbers and locations of projects, incase I need to follow up.

I was perplexed or confused considering the farrago of lies, innuendos and indicting falsehoods, spew out daily on his current tenure of office, as the member representing the people of Karim-Lamido/Lau/Ardo-kola in the National Assembly.

The list showed that, Hon Lauya had facilitated the employment of thirty one (31) young men into the Nigerian Army, Police and Federal Fire Service. Their Local Government Areas and phone numbers were provided. In addition, eight (8) people have been assisted and employed to four federal establishments, like, Army (Direct Entry) Federal Medical Centre, Federal College of Education, the National Assembly, NASS and Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.

The federal law maker, has also successfully installed street lights in twenty four (24) locations across the three Local Government Areas of his constituency, while various Blocks of classrooms have been completed in Zailani Secondary School, in Karim-Lamido Local Government, Skills Acquisition Centre and Orphanage in Sunkani. Other projects are on-going in Marraba Kunini, Lau, Mutum Daya, Karim-lamido and Ardo-kola respectively. Hon Lauya has completed the construction of a borehole at the Taraba State University Jalingo, and has also facilitated the allocation of one hundred million naira in the 2025 Federal Government Budget for the construction of toilets and other sanitary facilities at both Taraba State University and College of Agriculture and Science Technology, Jalingo.

During his visit to the two institutions, Hon Lauya insisted that since they are located in his constituency of Ardo-kola he will do everything possible to assist them to provide more infrastructure. He instructed them to submit lists of their infrastructural requirements for inclusion in the 2026 Federal Government Budget. Hon Lauya also promised to assist student indigents of the Karim-lamido, Lau and Ardo-kola to ameliorate their tuition problems.

As for the case of the physically challenged which had been reported in bad light, Alhaji A. M. Lauya, had distributed motorized bikes, and crutches, as well as humanitarian assistance to them. Eighty (80) women have also been empowered across the three Local Government Areas, while eighty others from Karim-lamido, Lau and Ardo-kola Local Government Area have received the Federal Government grant of fifty thousand Naira each through his efforts.

Hon A. M. Lauya spoke glowingly of his desire to assit the Government of Dr Agbu Kefas to effectively execute the state free Education Programme. In this connection, he had distributed Notebooks, Chalks, Biros and other instructional materials to forty seven (47) primary schools across the federal constituency.

The issue that struck me much in those Facebook bashing is of course the alleged fencing of a borehole. Even after Hon Lauya explained the infamous story, I demanded to speak to the villagers concerned. And the telephone number of Joshua Danjuma Kasuwa, village Head of Salaminkala was given to me. He explained that their only source of drinking water was an open hand dug dam which they shared with animals. To safeguard the water source and ensure cleanliness, they appealed to one of the personal staff of the Member and he responded swiftly by securing the place. He had also reported their request for a better source of drinking water to the Honourable Member of the National Assembly. Malam Joshua Kasuwa emphasized that although the provision was not a borehole, the community highly appreciated the effort because others did not come to their aid when they called. Hon Lauya on his part stated that while the gesture was interim, his personal staff were driven by serious concerns raised by the community, to provide an immediate remedy. The report handed to me by Hon A. M. Lauya indicated that he has successfully rehabilitated/restored seventeen boreholes in the Local Government Areas. Most of the boreholes are located in Karim-lamido and Lau Local Government Areas as well as the Taraba State University, Jalingo.

The report shows that palliatives have been consistently distributed to all the Wards, Stakeholders, Party Executives and religious organizations especially during religious festivities. Palliatives have also been sent to conflict zones in Karim-lamido as well as food items and farm implements to the three Local Government Areas, including water pumps and grinding machines.

However, his star project is the construction of the road from Mararaba Kunini into Kunini town. It is clearly one of the longest road project in the state and will bring huge relief to the people in the area up to Jen, across the river Benue, and Donadda ward in Lau Local Government Area.

Whatever it is, the primary responsibility of a legislator is law making. Law makers are expected to contribute maximally to shaping policies and programmes that may improve and impact the whole country, as well as participate in oversight function within and outside the country.

Hon A. M. Lauya is among the highly considered law makers in the country, but perhaps because of the deficiency of informing his constituents on his stewardship his rating has been unjustifiable low. Federal law makers have now been reduced to a biting competition among themselves for the execution of projects, which otherwise should be the responsibility of the executive arms of government. Now with the lesson of poor communication, Hon A M. Lauya will now have to improve not only his personal service to his constituents but also improve his capacity of showcasing them.

Hon Aaron Artimas is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress APC in Taraba State