The Man Jones Onyereri And His Last Bill Before Leaving Office

In the contemporary era of democratic practice, legislation regulates and strengthens the system as the legislature is the chief source of law. It is the legislature which formulates the will of the state into laws and gives it a legal character.  The Legislature, no doubt, transforms the demands of the people into authoritative laws and statutes.

Therefore, if the basic criteria  of measuring an effective representative or a good  legislator apart from oversight ,  is by the number of bills and motions he sponsored and moved then, count Rt. Hon. Jones Onyereri, the immediate past member that represented Nkwerre|Isu|Nwangele|Njaba Federal Constituency as a super star in quality and robust legislative function; with practical empowerment programmes that dotted the political landscape across the 43 wards under his leadership watch when he held sway.

He is sound, cerebral, articulate, outspoken, and was a very strong voice in the 8th National Assembly. He made his mark as a Federal lawmaker as his presence was completely felt by Nigerians across ethnic divides and geo -political  zones. He was not just a lawmaker for Nkwerre people or his immediate Federal  constituency, but a beacon of hope in the Nigerian financial system. 

Before leaving office, Rt. Hon. Jones Onyereri proposed a ‘New Foreign Exchange Bill’.

A Bill which seeks to promote the effective regulation of the Nigeria financial industry with a view to promoting financial system stability under the CBN Act 2007, and entrenching the deepening of financial markets, which requires the necessary legal framework to ensure that the goals of stability and growth are achieved.

A graduate of Harvard Business School, USA, Sir Jones Onyereri,  the then Chairman, House Committee on Banking and Currency, also used his background as a trained  Management Consultant, financial expert and astute administrator  to negotiate for Nigeria’s debt cancellation, played a prominent role alongside the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Lamido Sanusi, to consolidate Nigerian banks as more reliable, trusted and formidable financial institutions with strong capital base.

Jones Onyereri, it was, who used his good office as the Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Banking and Currency to stop the arbitrary charges effected on Automated Teller Machine, ATM, cards and other services rendered by banks that were identified as a possible factor that may hinder Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive.

An absurd, but a bitter experience of undue charges on customers withdrawal limit by banks. It took a man with in-depth knowledge about the workings of Nigeria’s  financial institution and legal framework for such urgent interventionist approach.

Regrettably, since after he left office that particular Committee seems to have been relegated from ‘Grade A level Committee’   to ‘Grade E level Committee’ in the National Assembly. I stand to be corrected!

While we had a media chat with this respected member of the 8th National Assembly and immediate past Special Adviser to the former Imo State Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon.  Emeka Ihedioha, on Political Matters, we set the stage where he x-rayed his contributions as a Federal legislator, his remarkable  legislative impacts and his sustained passion to  touch as many lives as possible through the Jones Onyereri Foundation.

Indeed, it’s a breathtaking, endearing and attention captivating session with the man Jones Onyereri. Wait for the video interview.

– Njoku MacDonald Obinna
Media Consultant|PR-ExpertPublisher,
4thestatereporters.com