‘Empowerment Is My Priority’

The Caretaker Committee
Chairman of Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hon. Gift Igoma Loveday has said that the main thrust of his administration is the empowerment of the people of the area.
The chairman who stated this recently while addressing journalists at Ayama, headquarters of the local government area at the handing over of farming implements to farmers said farmers in the area have not had it so good in the recent past.
The Abolga boss said the effects of the 2012 flood which ravaged farm lands with the attendant destruction of  large areas of crops and economic trees were still being felt by the farmers.
“You know that in 2012 we had this flood that actually affected most of our farms”, so far the after effects are yet to be quantified and this calls for the concern of council”, he said.
Loveday said he decided to include farmers in the various empowerment programmes even as the implements provided by the council were to encourage them increase food production.
“The reason why I provided them farming implements is to support their efforts in providing food for their families.
“Infact not only for themselves and families but for the entire local government area and beyond” he said.
Explaining further, he said the beneficiaries cut across all the Wards in the local government area irrespective of party affiliation.
“I bought these farm implements for farmers in all the 13 Wards comprising every community of Abua and Odual, not minding their party inclinations”.
A cross section of the beneficiaries who spoke to our correspondent commended the openness used in sharing the items.
Eboghni Joel not (real name) who benefited from the largesse said in the past such things were never given to people in the open.
She further explained that in the past, the items would have been hoarded and given to only party members, friends and relations even as she wished that Governor Chibuike Amaechi reappoints him (Loveday) when his tenure expires.