The number of the unemployed keeps increasing, even as white-collar jobs are hard to come by. Those in position of authority encourage the jobless to be self-reliant through the provision of empowerment items. THE INK reports that the lawmaker representing Itu State Constituency in the State House of Assembly has given empowerment items worth over Seven Million Naira to some of his constituents in the riverine area of Mbiabo/Ayadeghe even as the people shed tears of joy.
As the country grapples with the challenge of unemployment as a result of lack of white-collar jobs, wealthy individuals and those in position of authority have been encouraging individuals, especially young school leavers and graduates to redirect their attention from being job-seekers to job-creators and employers of labour.
Lawmakers are not left out in the quest to empower members of their constituency through skill acquisition programmes and empowerment items. In the circumstances, the countrified suburb of Mbaibo/Ayadeghe on Saturday, 20th February, 2016, sparkled as residents shirked all their commercial and other activities to converge near the popular head bridge, about Five metres away from the Itu/Calabar River. They gathered to join several distinguished guests who came from far and near to witness a unique moment when many constituents, mainly fishermen and farmers were empowered with various items to make them self-reliant and, possibly employers of labour.
For the people of Mbiabo/Ayadeghe, it was a rare opportunity to witness such an event which, they said, was the first in the area since the return of democracy in 1999.
Great crowd of members of his constituency witnessed the event which was described by a respondent as being unprecedented.
However, what made the exercise remarkable was that some members of his constituency went home with Engine boats, and other fishing tools, manual boats, even as 50 women smiled home with the sum of Twenty Thousand Naira each to invest in their farming business.
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Skill Acquisition and Development Project, Dr Mrs Marjorie Abasiodiong, who represented the wife of the State Governor at the event, lauded the lawmaker for keying into the Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Programme (FEYREP), the pet project of Mrs Martha Udom Emmanuel, the programme she said has empowered thousands of families in the State.
Mrs Abasiodiong, who described the gesture of the lawmaker as a replica of what democracy stands urged other representatives to follow suit.
The Governor’s aide who noted that without skill development, the industrialization agenda of the State Governor would be in vain, charged the women of the area to go back to the farm and increase their produce while youths should learn trade to better their lots.
Mr Awakessien who hinted that the State government has invested huge amount into cocoa and rice farming urged the people to form cooperative organizations to benefit from government financial support to be self-reliant
Speaker after Speaker including Hon Ita Uwat, Hon Ability Ema, Mr Edem Ukutt,Hon Christopher Daniel, Bishop Utip, Hon Samuel, Hon Mbeke, Apostle John Demson, Mrs Rose Ansa Pastor Asibong Okon and the Clan Head of Oku Iboku, took ample time to pour encomiums on their lawmaker even as they appreciated Prince Idongesit Ituen, for the uncommon love and affection towards them.
The elated donor and mouthpiece of the people of Itu in the State House of Assembly, Prince Idongesit Ituen, told the gathering that the empowerment, which he described as the icing on the cake, was only the first-phase of his plans for them in that part of the Local Government Area.
He hinted that the magnanimity was compelled by the sad stories, penury and anguish he heard by the people of Mbiabo/Ayadeghe when he visited them during the electioneering. For the youths of the Constituency, Ituen promised to flag-off sustainable programs for them revealing that he would soon launch internship program for graduates of Itu State Constituency.
Highpoint of the event was the official presentation of 2 engine boats, 6 manual boats and the sum of 1 Million Naira to 50 women of the riverine area to support their farming business.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker had promised to donate a total of 20 engine boats within his first term in the house of Assembly to the fishermen.
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