As part of measures to mitigate the effect of hardship in the country, a member representing Edu/Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr Ahmed Adamu Saba, has distributed empowerment items of over N300million to the people of his constituency.
The items including bags of rice, beans, maize, mattresses, standing fans, sewing machines, cartons of noodles, kegs of groundnut oil, refrigerators, seasoning cubes generators, executive chairs and bags of cement among others were handed over to the people at the flag-off ceremony held in Shonga, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Some of the beneficiaries were also presented with cash to neutralize the hardship imposed on them, arising from inadequate cash in circulation.
This medium reports that the items were facilitated through National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Federal Polytechnic, Ukana.
Speaking at the flag-off event, Saba, who is the Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Kwara State, explained that the materials such as bags of rice were distributed to serve as palliatives for his constituents.
He disclosed that the bags of rice were sourced, de-stoned, bagged and assembled locally, saying that the quality of the grains resemble the imported ones.
The lawmaker told Journalists on the sidelines of the event that the items were facilitated and distributed to the people so as to demonstrate his commitment to the welfare and well being of the people of his constituency.
He noted that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in spite of the impact of fuel subsidy removal, has made it clear that public office holders have a responsibility to ensure that people they represent do not suffer.
Saba explained further that the items distributed were meant to alleviate the pain people in local communities have had to endure due to the recent policies of government aimed at strengthening and safeguarding the nation’s economy from imminent collapse.
He expressed gratitude to the people of Edu, Moro and Patigi Federal Constituency for the opportunity accorded him to represent them in the green chamber of the National Assembly and promised to always prioritize issues that concerned them.
The lawmaker maintained that the empowerment items were in fulfillment of the campaign promises for the people to be self-reliant to be able to help in building the economy.
“What we are doing here is to show the people of our constituency that they matter and we will not rest in making sure that they are catered for. The items being distributed are just tips of the iceberg.
“Before now, we have done a lot within the period that we were elected into the House of Representatives. All the items you are seeing here worth over N300million. That is to tell you that people elected need to be responsible and responsive”, he said.
Saba disclosed that names of many of the constituents have also been penciled down to benefit from conditional cash transfer and other grants that the federal government would be rolling out soon.
Also speaking, a member representing Edu Constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Saba Yisa Gideon, applauded the federal lawmaker for giving back to the people, admonishing the beneficiaries to utilize the items given to them judiciously.
A beneficiary of the empowerment items, Fatimah Taku, from Edu Local Government Area, thanked Saba for bringing dividends of democracy to the people of the area.
Mrs Funmilayo Isiaka, who also spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, said the House of Representatives member has preoccupied himself with helping women through regular cash support to boost and grow their businesses.
