Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa on Saturday 15th May, 2021 flagged off the distribution of empowerment items worth over 300 Million Naira to 456 beneficiaries drawn from Anioha/Oshimili Federal Constituency of the State.
The empowerment items, sponsored by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and member representing Aniocha/Oshimili in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu was distributed to the beneficiaries in an event attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamili at the Cenotaph, Asaba.
Items distributed included; tricycles, motorcycles, electricity generating sets and Deep Freezers geared towards assisting the beneficiaries engage in some form of independent, lucrative enterprise.
In his remarks, Governor Okowa commended Elumelu for keeping in torch, not only with the people of Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, but also with the Government and the entire people of Delta State, describing him as a true representative of the People in the area of empowerment and legislation and added that the lawmaker has remained a vibrant voice for the PDP and the country as a whole.
While charging elected and appointed politicians to maintain and sustain intimacy with their people by contributing to their socio-economic wellbeing, Governor Okowa said the empowerment of 456 beneficiaries in small and medium scale enterprises was an enviable feat, stressing that other representatives at the federal and state levels should toe the line of Hon. Elumelu as such would help significantly in the fight against poverty and unemployment in the society.
The Governor said that he was impressed with the giant strides of the Minority Leader in the area of sponsorship of Bills, human capital development and even in the distribution of basic amenities in Aniocha/ Oshimili federal constituency.
He equally thanked the leadership and stakeholders in Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency for their sustained support and urged them not to relent as unity was needed to surmount challenges bedevilling the area.
“I truly must thank God for what I am witnessing here this morning. There is no doubt that what we are witnessing here this morning is something to talk about.
“Many times our people are elected into offices and we find it difficult to reach out to them, especially when they are in Abuja, but for Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, he is different.
“He is very active in the House of Representative and we have seen it through the number of Bills and motions he has sponsored and co-sponsored. We have seen him rise to speak for the PDP in national matters at the House.
“Today, we are witnessing another aspect of that representative democracy because he remembers that he has a covenant with the people.
“It is important that we politicians play our individual roles in order to help uplift one another in our society.
“One thing that has endeared Ndudi Elumelu to us is that he has constantly been in touch with us. It is important that when you are in Abuja, you should keep in touch with the state government so as to know which direction the state is going.
“Ndudi Elumelu has done a lot as a Representative. Starting from his 150 personal Assistants to helping with the capacity building programmes for newly elected council chairmen and 80 councilors, helping to obtain CBN loan for about 300 of our people and many more,” the governor said.
Earlier in his Address, Hon. Elumelu stated that the idea of the Empowerment programme was to make the beneficiaries small business owners who will eventually help in creating jobs and reducing poverty in their immediate communities.
He said the event was another opportunity for him to demonstrate the essence of representative democracy by adding value and putting smiles on the faces of the people in Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, through the distribution of the dividends of democracy.
“This is the formal presentation and distribution of items geared towards uplifting the standard of living of our people in Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, in line with the Human Capital Development component of our own dear Governor Okowa’s Stronger Delta mantra”. He added.
The eloquent House of Representatives Minority Leader said “Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, through the grace and mercy of God and by the mandate of the good people of Aniocha/ Oshimili, a total number of one hundred and eleven (111) electricity generating sets, ninety (90) deep freezers, one hundred and forty-eight (148) motorcycles and one hundred and seven (107) tricycles are already here, waiting for His Excellency’s blessings before they will be formally presented to these 456 beneficiaries.
“I urge the beneficiaries to be passionate in putting these items into proper use and to see this as an opportunity to climb to an enviable level of prosperity which is before you today.
“Though, it appears insignificant, it is my expectation that from this small beginning, with determination, focus and fear of God, you will be able to record amazing testimonies, not only as employers of labour in our communities but also providers of essential social services to meet some of the existential needs of our people”.
Elumelu noted that it was his belief that the empowerment of his people was a critical element in the effort to improve on their standard of living as well as to fight against poverty, restiveness and their associated criminal tendencies.
Adding, he said “Our people can only be happy and fulfilled when value is being added to their lives by way of providing self-sustaining incentives to boost their productivity, to at least, enable them meet their basic needs and those of their immediate relations.
“Your Excellency, as a representative of the people in the House of Representatives, made possible by their cherished mandate, I have continued to strive towards making our people feel the impact of representative democracy, thereby putting smiles on their faces”.
While thanking God Almighty, who he noted that for about two years now, His Divine Grace, has been leading him to fulfill his campaign promises to his people, the astute lawmaker disclosed that the people have remained the focal point in all his activities and actions as their representative; saying that with all sense of responsibility, he has been committed to empowering, developing and uplifting the standard of living of his people through robust representation.
Enumerating some of his two years achievements in the 9th National Assembly, Elumelu said “I have remained resolute and passionate in the implementation of the social contract I entered with my people. To this end, I have employed over 150 Personal Assistants (PAs) on youth and women matters. Apart from the over 15 bills and more than 25 motions I sponsored and co-sponsored in the 9th legislative Assembly of the House of Representatives, I have been able to also influence projects that have directly impacted on the wellbeing of our constituents.
“These projects and initiatives include: Facilitation of ICT centers in Ogwashi Uku and Akukwu-Igbo, Facilitation of vocational centers in Ubulu-Unor and Asaba, facilitation of civic centers for Ogwuashi- uku, Ubulu-uku, Obomkpa and Ibusa, facilitation of Town Halls for Obior, Ubulu-Okiti, Ewulu and Ugbodu, facilitation of the constructions of Bishop Dibie Road in Agbor, drainage in Ogboli Road Ibusa and the facilitation of the construction of the Onicha-uku-Idumuje-Unor Road, amongst others. Construction of staff quarters are on-going at FMC Asaba Annex and will very soon be commissioned”.
“Your Excellency, distinguished guests, we have been able to facilitate and provide Eight Hundred and Twenty (820) stands of solar street lights which were distributed across communities in the Four Local Government Areas within Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency. We have also facilitated the construction of new staff quarters for the DSS in Asaba as well as the renovation of the DSS compound in Issele-Uku and converted the former DSS head office in asaba to DSS clinic which is now functional.
“Let me also state that provisions have been made in the 2021 budget to rehabilitate the police stations across my Federal Constituency and the CP has been duly notified.
“We also facilitated the rehabilitation of the government hospital at Onicha-Olona; facilitated the employment of over 40 persons in different federal ministries, agencies and parastatals and recommended over 200 candidates for employment.
“During the lockdown occasioned by the global COVID-19 pandemic, we provided palliatives comprehensively to our people and also facilitated the CBN sponsored monetary empowerment programme.
“It is also on record that we facilitated the rehabilitation of flood victims in Oko and sponsored a two-day capacity training programme for 200 youths and women in cassava and rice production, after which starter packs were given to them at the end of the training.
“In our determination to help in enthroning a proactive and efficient leadership in the local Government councils across our Federal Constituency, we sponsored a four-day capacity training programme in Abuja, for our newly elected and inaugurated Chairmen and their Vice, alongside the newly elected 80 councilors in Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency.
“The training was geared towards deepening the drive for administrative competence and synergy towards achieving a Stronger Delta in line with your Excellency’s Stronger Delta Agenda.
“It is also pertinent to report that within a period of less than two years, we were able to facilitate a CBN Special loan for 150 persons in the first batch, 196 persons in the second batch making a total of 346 persons and worthy of mention in this regard is Rt. Hon. Victor Nwaokolo, Chairman, House of Representative Committee on Banking and Currency, who assisted in facilitating this for all members.
“We have also achieved the conditional Cash transfer scheme for 337 persons; the Npower program for 251 persons; a Federal Ministry of Water Resources empowerment programme for 79 persons; 335 beneficiaries for the Household feeding programme as well as 30 persons benefiting from Ministry of Humanitarian and Poverty alleviation scheme,” Elumelu stated, even as he commended Gov Okowa, for being a hardworking Governor and sustained efforts in reducing poverty through his administration’s various empowerment programs.
“Your passionate effort has brought, in no small measure, prosperity to a very good number of our youths and people in Delta State.
“We will continue to join and support Your Excellency, in bringing joy, peace and progress to our people, even as I restate my resolve, never to allow what is due our people elude them so long as I remain their representative in the House of Representatives”. He noted.
In his goodwill message, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila who was represented by the Deputy Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, Hon. Tobi Okechukwu, said Hon. Elumelu was a good ambassador of his people and the PDP that he represents, even as he enjoined him not to relent in contributing to the employment generation and wealth creation efforts of Governor Okowa.
Gbajabiamila implored beneficiaries to put the empowerment items donated to them by the federal law maker into good use to enable them overcome the challenges of poverty and unemployment.
