Subsidy: Rivers LG Boss Empowers 50 Farmers

Mr Erastus Awortu, Chairman Andoni Local Government Area in Rivers, has empowered 50 female farmers in the area, to cushion the impact of the removal of oil subsidy by the Federal Government.

Awortu made the disbursement to two categories of beneficiaries – Seafoods and Cassava farmers on Wednesday at Ngo, the council’s headquarters.

Hardship

He said that his administration would continue to prioritise women empowerment, especially considering the level of hardship posed by the fuel subsidy removal.

The council chairman also noted that the essence of government was basically welfare and security of the people.

“Having extensively enthroned peace in Andoni, our target in the last phase of our administration is to enhance local economy in the area council.

“We believe that women empowerment is critical to poverty eradication which is the reason the council has conciously selected 50 persons across the 11 wards who are into seafoods and Cassava farming.

“These women at the various wards also supported me two years ago during my election and in the just concluded general elections, they voted to ensure that all our candidates were successfully delivered,” he stated.

The chairman also noted that he had carried out other empowerment programmes, touching the lives of the widows, SMEs and youth groups in the area.

Mr Okere Bright, Director of Agriculture of the council, commended the chairman for the gesture which he discribed as timely.

He said the package would help farmers across the 11 wards to invest more and also help to tackle the challenge of low farm inputs.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Mary Emanuel, Chairman, Seafoods Farmers Association, thanked the chairman for the gesture and promised to effectively put the monies into judicious use.

Lateefah Ibrahim