Chief Sam Onwuteaka
By David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
A security expert and senatorial aspirant for Anambra North, Chief Sam Onwuteaka (Jnr), has declared that his ambition to represent the district in the National Assembly in 2027 is driven by a strong desire to provide quality representation for his constituents and Nigerians at large.
Onwuteaka, a product of the Air Force Military School, Jos, and Imo State University, Owerri, is aspiring on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Speaking during a media briefing in Awka on Friday, he said one of the key motivations for his aspiration is the urgent need to address the devastating erosion menace across the South East, particularly in Anambra State.
According to him, legislation compelling the Federal Government to take special interest in tackling the over 5,000 erosion sites across the South East and the more than 2,000 sites scattered across Anambra State would significantly help in mitigating the environmental disaster.
He noted that Anambra has become severely degraded environmentally, with major erosion sites ravaging communities such as Nanka, Ekwulobia, Oko, Ogidi, Nnewi, Nnobi, and several others, describing the situation as a “raging environmental war.”
He lamented that despite several visits by delegations from the Federal Ministry of Environment to some of the affected areas over the years, the devastated communities in Anambra and the wider South East have received little concrete assistance.
According to him, the scale of the environmental challenge is far beyond the capacity of individual states in the region and requires urgent and sustained intervention from the Federal Government.
“It is not something we should continue to gloss over. It is a raging war. Anambra, for instance, has become a huge centre of environmental degradation, with deep gullies everywhere, swallowing homes, farmlands and public buildings.
“It is not something any state government can handle alone because of the enormous resources required to control it. It is simply beyond the capacity of the states, ”he said.
On youth development, Onwuteaka promised that he would pursue and support legislation aimed at youth empowerment through technology-driven innovation programmes that equip young people with sustainable skills.
He noted that empowerment initiatives such as distributing motorcycles or bags of rice only provide temporary relief and do not address the real challenges facing the youth.
“Those are temporary palliatives that do not solve any long-term problems. I believe strongly that teaching a person how to fish is far better than giving him fish,” he said.
The former Senior Special Assistant on Security to ex-Governor Willie Obiano also disclosed that he intends to sponsor a bill aimed at improving the welfare of security personnel across the country.
Drawing a comparison with the United States, Onwuteaka said the strong loyalty and patriotism displayed by security personnel there are largely driven by robust welfare packages and insurance benefits available to them and their families.
“In America, the welfare packages for security personnel are so attractive that even when they die in active service, the insurance benefits that go to their families are unimaginable.
“Such provisions are largely absent here, and I intend to push for legislation that will address this, ”he added.
He further said that poorly motivated security personnel cannot effectively confront security threats, warning that depressed soldiers or police officers could easily become vulnerable to manipulation or sabotage.
According to him, the fear that their families may be left uncared for if they die in active service has discouraged many young Nigerians from joining the armed forces and the police.
“That is why some security personnel shy away from confronting dangerous threats. They know that if anything happens to them, their families may be left without adequate support.
“And that is also one of the reasons many young men and women are no longer motivated to enlist in the armed forces or the police, ”he concluded.
