2 months ago
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Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, said he directed the caretaker committee chairmen of the 23 Local Government Areas of the state to embark on massive empowerment to help alleviate the hardship and suffering being experienced, occasioned by the economic situation in the country.
Fubara stated this while speaking at the second phase of the economic empowerment programme held in Ngo town in Andoni Local Government Area of the state.
Represented by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Victor Oko-Jumbo, Fubara said the government is not unaware of the suffering of the people occasioned by the economic crunch.
He commended the Andoni CTC chairman, Reginald Ekaan, for the work been done so far and urged him to do more.
Oko-Jumbo said, “His Excellency, the executive governor, gave a marching order, a directive to the entire 23 local government caretaker committee chairmen to go and empower their people.
“And the caretaker committee chairman is in line with that directive given by His Excellency, the executive governor.
“However, as the voice of the people, I am a legislator, I was elected to speak on behalf of the people and today, I consider myself a representative of Andoni constituency.
“Therefore, I’m going to encourage the caretaker committee chairman, to whom much is given, so much more is expected. Chairman, we know that you are outperforming.
“We have seen the programmes that you have rolled out for Andoni people. People-oriented programmes, programmes that touch the lives of everyone in Andoni.”
The governor added, “Continue to empower your people. Let this not be the end of empowerment in Andoni Local Government.
“Let your people continue to feel the presence of governance in Andoni Local Government. Write your name in gold, so that by the end of your service, even you can walk with your shoulders held up high.
“And as for the leadership of both the Peoples Democratic Party in Andoni and the Simplified Movement, I can only but say thank you for doing a very wonderful job in Andoni Local Government.’’
“Thank you for piloting the vision of His Excellency, the executive governor and bringing that vision down to every nook and cranny of Andoni Local Government.”
Fubara further said with such quality leadership for our people who are in dire need of development, the state will continue to remain connected to the government at the centre.
He said, “So that will further encourage His Excellency, the governor to do more for Andoni people because our people in every part of the state need development, development and development.
Earlier, a member of the House of Representatives representing the Andoni/ Opobo-Nkoro federal constituency, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, urged the beneficiaries not to trade the items given for monetary gains, as experienced in the past, but utilize them adequately.
He said, “And to my brothers and sisters, beneficiaries, I want to beg of all of you, the items you are collecting today, they are not commodities for trade.
“We have been victims of similar things in the past. As we were gathered, thinking that we were providing items to enable the economic advancement of our people, outside of the gate, they were being sold for peanuts.
“Please, I beg of you, as you collect it, if you can not utilize it, give it to your brother, give it to your sister who knows the value. It is only in so doing that we will encourage those in government to continue in this direction of expanding the economic space.”
The CTC chairman of Andoni local council, Reginald Ekaan, said the empowerment was born out of the desire to ensure development for the people of the area in tandem with the directive of the governor to impact lives positively.
“What inspired us to purchase vehicles for our people is to utilize the goodwill of His Excellency who is providing for the people of Andoni a new road. Your Excellency, the road today we have in Andoni is second to none in Rivers State, out of your benevolence.”
He listed the empowerment items as 12 mini-buses, six official vehicles for committee members, 12 pieces of grinding machines, 12 pieces of sewing machine, 12 power-generating sets, 12 pieces hair barbing clippers, saying, “All to ensure that our youths and our people are not idle.”
Also gifted were 899 bags of 25-kilogramme rice, 450 bags of maize, and 99 bags of garri to the people as well as the presentation of N50,000 cash to 10 persons from each of the 11 wards in Andoni local council.
Ekaan reiterated Andoni people’s resolve to support the state governor and work with him.
He told the Speaker, “Convey our goodwill messages to His Excellency to thank him for what he has done for the people of Andoni and that the people of Andoni will continue to support his administration and work with him. We are ready to go with him.”
