Senator Saliu Mustapha on Friday empowered over 2,500 constituents with empowerment tools in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State.
The gesture by Mustapha who represents Kwara Central in the Senate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), elicited praises from the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari who attended the empowerment programme.
They described the empowerment programme carried out by Mustapha as being in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agriculture and food security agenda.
The event tagged: “Alubarika 1.0 Agricultural and Human Capital Development Empowerment Programme” was held on the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority’s premises in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Apparently moved by the kind-heartedness of Mustapha and realizing the share number of people being assisted economically, Barau announced a donation of 200 sewing machines so that more people could benefit.
Barau said: “We have all decided to come here and share this moment with our brother, Senator Saliu Mustapha, because of this great empowerment programme for constituents in the area of agriculture and human capital development.
“These are key areas that are very important to our national development because we don’t need to waste much time talking about the importance of agriculture in every society.
“Agriculture is sine qua non to the survival of every society because without food, there is no life.
“This is a cardinal programme of this administration and the renewed Hope of Mr. President to provide food for all.
“No wonder the constituents decided to pick Saliu Mustapha, who is an outstanding person and party leader in this country.
“He is a very friendly human being, industrious and peaceful, who connects with everybody in the Senate. In fact, you’ve done the right thing by electing him.
“All the time he’s going to speak on the floor of the Senate, it’s about what is going to come to Kwara.”
On his part, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Kyari lauded Mustapha for implementing projects that promote food security in the country in line with the objectives of the present administration.
Kyari said: “You are doing well on the floor of the Senate. Tinubu’s food security initiative is working. Food isn’t only becoming affordable but available. Tinubu is working to promote agriculture.
“I am happy that the Chairman of the Senate Committee oversighting me is also promoting Tinubu’s agenda. I pray to Almighty Allah to protect and guide us.”
Mustapha said the empowerment was meant to make the beneficiaries, which included market women, farmers, artisans, and trade associations, become self-reliant.
He said that apart from the physical empowerment materials, the beneficiaries had been trained and certificated on how to use the tools and carry out their trade as entrepreneurs.
Mustapha said: “Today’s programme is just a symbolic one to flag off what we intend to do with most of our people we have trained.
“This time round, we decided that it is not only about giving out sewing machines or giving out things to people, and they will not value it.
“We decided to put them through a series of programmes and trainings. In fact, we are missing out one vital aspect. Everywhere you go now, you’ll see solar streetlights.
“We took time to train our indigenes who are interested in learning to maintain, to repair, and install solar panels.
“The most fascinating part was when I came during a training exercise and I saw a lot of women who were part of it and I asked, ‘in our community here that I thought was conservative for women to climb roof and poles?’
“I saw them in their overall. They are fully trained now on how to install, repair, and maintain solar inverters. All of them are here too, and they will get their working tools.
“Most of the people you see here under the canopies are not just political spectators. These are carefully chosen beneficiaries who have gotten through training. We are not holding a political rally or jamboree here.”
Items shared among the beneficiaries included 1,000 bags of fertilisers, Tractors (20), brand new Sienna vehicles – (30) tricycles (55), Truck Tricycle – 52, Complete Industrial Rice Milling equipment – 30, transformers – 25, Complete Garri Processing machines – 25, Pumping machines – 400, Industrial Baking Oven – 50, Fish Smoking Oven – 50, Cows – 100, grinding machines – 500, Freezers – 400, Generators – 200, Butterfly Sewing Machines – 200, Industrial Sewing Machine – 55 Rewire Tools Box – 100, Mechanic Tools Box – 100, Gas Powered Pressing Iron – 100, Big bags of Watermelon – 100, Big Cartons Apple – 100, Complete Solar Installation equipment – 200 and Aso Oke Weaving equipment – 60.
Others were bags of coconut – 100, Bags of Pineapple fruits – 150, Bags of Oranges – 200, Bags of Cabbage – 100, Bunches of Banana – 200, Bags of Cucumber – 200, Baskets of Pepper – 200, Baskets of Tomatoes – 200, Bags of Onion – 200, Yam tubers – 2000, Bags of Beans – 200, Bags of Garri – 200, Bags of Maize – 200, Bags of Brocoli – 50Basket of Okro – 50, Basket of Sweet Potatoes – 100, Cartons of Fish – 400 and Umbrellas – 1000.
Apart from Senator Barau and Senator Kyari, others dignitaries were the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South), Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Chairman Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other financial institutions, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Ajibola Basiru, Chief Imam of Ilorin, Muhammadu Bashir, Emir of Ilorin, Sulu Gambari represented by Modibo Sulu Gambari and Senator Aminu Iyal Abass, among others.
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