—- as Oyebanji, Odii Enjoin Beneficiaries On Judicious Use Of Items
In a carnival like atmosphere, the Senate Leader, representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele has splashed out multi billion Naira mega empowerment programme in which no less than 5,000 People from Ekiti State benefited from the project.
Speaking at the event held on Thursday, April 3rd, at Ekiti pavilion in Ado Ekiti, Bamidele said what he is doing is to appreciate the people for giving him the privilege to serve them at the National Assembly.
“This is simply my way of giving back to the system and also another opportunity to say a big thank you to our Excellency, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who has consistently, deliberately and intentionally provided for me a conducive atmosphere to do my job not only in Ekiti but also at the Federal level in the National Assembly.
“The essence of what we are doing here today is to ensure that over 5,000 People benefit from this empowerment programme. Let me also say that this empowerment programme is what I should have done since December last year for the year 2024, so, 2025 empowerment programme is still on the way.” He said.
He said further that a total of 1,900 people will get a grant of N100,000 each, payiable directly to their accounts. This 1,900 people according to him, include eight hundred people who are market women from Ijero Local Government, Efon Local Government, Ekiti West Local Government, Ado Local Government and Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government.
He added, “We also have students whose cheques are also ready to be collected but because of time, i will only appeal that His Excellency, the Governor to make a symbolic presentation of the cheques to some of them.
“We also have traders who are also going to benefit from the various items, one hundred and eighty motorcycles, tthree hundred and thirty-three sewing machines, one hundred and sixty-five tricycles. We have over four hundred pepper and cassava grinding machines, we also have mouer and land tillers for our farmers. We have cutlasses and hoes just as we have tractors for a big time farmers which would be handed over to them through their various cooperatives and farmers association in Ekiti Central Senatorial District under the Honourable Commisioner for Agriculture in Ekiti State who knows the relevant stakeholders.
“We have a total of seven ambulances that will be given to various hospitals including the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, College of Health Technology, Ijero-Ekiti and the Intensive care Unit, Iyin-Ekiti, and some other Institutions. We also have a total of twenty mini buses that will be given to relevant entrepreneurs and stakeholders.
“I stand as an elected representative of our people representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District to say thank you to everyone of you”. He explained.
The Senate Leader explained that the empowerment wasn’t done on the basis of political parties or religious affiliations, saying he went through various associations to get the lists of potential beneficiaries and that the items on display were not even up to the half of what they would benefit adding that the ones on ground were just for ceremonial aspect of the programme.
In his remark, the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji appreciated the Leader of the Senate for being a worthy representative of his people as he also congratulated the beneficiaries
Oyebanji described the empowerment as such that is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf.
“What is happening here today is what is possible when there’s unity among political leaders”. He pleaded with all the beneficiaries to make good use the items given to them in a way that would bring prosperity to all.
The Governor urged them not to sell any of the items but use it as a form of wealth creation for themselves and for their families.
The Director General and CEO of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, Mr. Charles Odii, in a separate interview said the empowerment was the later part of the training done for over two thousand people who have identified small businesses across Ekiti Central Senatorial District.
Odii said the empowerment would be impactful noting that the trainees have promised to employ at least two people as a result of the empowerment.
“Imagine two thousand people employ two people each. That’s approximately four thousand people that are reducing from high rates of unemployment”. Said the Director.
He therefire urged the beneficiaries to put into practice what they have learnt in the course of the training emphasising that they shouldn’t sell the items.
According to him, this is the real way to create job and eradicate poverty. He encouraged them to use the items to increase their productivity and employ more people.
