Rt. Hon. Mrs. Dorothy Mato, the member of the House of Representatives for Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency of Benue made significant impact on Kyan constituency in Vandeikya Local Government Council when she was at the Benue State House of Assembly from 2011 to 2015.
She was elected in 2011 on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to represent Kyan constituency at the Benue State House of Assembly.
From June 3, 2011 to July 2011, Hon Mato toured the six wards of Kyan and donated knapsack sprayers and Agro-chemicals to each ward to boost agriculture and rounded it up with fertilizers to Kyan women at a public forum at Ihugh, in Vandeikya on September 27, 2011.
In her bid to reduce poverty, the Lawmaker reportedly made fertilizer distribution a yearly affair and made history as the first to flag-off fertilizer distribution to Kyan people on April 26, 2013.
She also introduced passion fruit, a German farming Grape Vine, very rich in multi-vitamin and highly medicinal. It is now sold in Kilograms (KG). More on agriculture was the free distribution of groundnut and beniseed to women for cultivation. The beniseed was aimed to be exported as well as yam tubers through her channel of business connections.
In the area of education, the Lawmaker channeled her first allowance from the Assembly for the construction of a block and head-teacher’s office at LGEA school, Gube which was completed and commissioned.
She brought scholarship scheme for the registration of WAEC/NECO examinations for students of Kyan with a private scholarship scheme for disadvantaged and girl-child, outside her constituency.
She renovated an examination hall at Ute Community Secondary School, Kotiyough and also built a 4 classroom block at Mbera Community Secondary School, Ihugh.
To encourage computer literacy, the lawmaker floated a computer training institute in Ihugh for her constituents to be computer compliant and donated computers to Tordue P. K. Children’s Academy, Tyakpo in Vandeikya Township.
Rep Mato constructed a bridge across War-Cham stream and another bridge across Ngohol Ape in Tsambe ward.
She rehabilitated about 12 KM Mbaakon-Mede road, alongside control channels and culverts including a box culvert across Utyen in Mbagbam council ward.
For the fact that health is wealth, she in collaboration with NAF Hospital, Makurdi sponsored free medical treatment of constituents in all 6 council wards of Kyan. In addition, individuals were treated at various hospitals.
In the area of human development, many youths gained employment in various establishments through her.
Hon Mato democratised the appointment of her legislative aides by zoning the positions in order to give all segment of her constituency a sense of belonging.
Less privileged women got Mato’s gifts of cloths and money at community and church levels while some got cars and motorcycles.
Since Rep Mato was sworn in on Oct 3, 2017 when she won her case against Rt. Hon Herman Hembe, she has made commendable impact on her constituency. On her one year anniversary in office on Wednesday Oct. 3, 2018, a special report will be written which will highlight her achievements within her one year at the National Assembly.
She deserves to be re-elected in 2019 so that she will continue with her good work on a wider horizon and trajectory of effective representation.