Dame Jonathan Lauds Lawmaker Over Empowerment Scheme

Former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan has lauded the member representing Ogbia Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Azibapu Fred Obua for his various empowerment schemes and developmental initiatives.
Dame Jonathan commendation, during the week at the distribution of empowerment packs for citizens and constituents of the Ogbia Federal Constituency by the lawmaker which held at Emeyl two Community of the Ogbia Council area.
The Tide learnt that the distribution of the empowerment starter packs by the Lawmaker would make it a record second time in less than five months the House of Representatives member would be sharing empowerment packs to his constituents in the second year of his election into the Green Chambers.
The erstwhile first woman of Nigeria noted that she has been kept abreast of all the empowerment programmes and projects of the lawmaker, saying that Hon Obua has used all available mechanisms towards ensuring that the Ogbia people, especially women and youths are catered for within available limited resources and programmes.
“Honourable Azibapu Fred Obua has done well for the Ogbia people. He has been empowering women and youths of Ogbia Kingdom with various skills acquisition programmes and many other ways.
“I’m abreast with his developmental programmes and initiatives. The Ogbia people are pleased with him.
“Those who have received this empowerment starter packs today should endeavour to make good use of it so that they can add more value to themselves. Obua has done well”, she said.
Amongst the empowerment starter packs were no fewer than 159 sewing machines, digital cameras as well as sundry items.
Speaking to newsman on the sidelines of the programme, Obua described the Ogbia Federal Constituency as the cradle of Nigeria’s oil and gas economy.
He averred that but for his extant position in the House as a non-ranking member from the leading opposition party in the House, he would have surpassed his current performance in the area of empowerment and constituency development programmes and projects.
“All these empowerment programmes are going on in my Constituency because I’m the one representing the Ogbia people in the Green House.
“We’ve had others before me ,though they’re from different professional background, it’s good to know that experience and professional leanings have a role in one’s performance in any position.
“So you can see that our people are happy. We’re empowering not based on political party. We’ve members of the opposition parties also benefiting from our various empowerment programmes.
“As at the last election figures, INEC said we’ve over 109,000 registered voters in the entire Ogbia Federal Constituency. And so it’s a difficult arithmetic, but we’ve still managed to solve it by empowering and distributing these packs unbiased and we’re glad we did it. Those who didn’t get it today should exercise patience. Tomorrow is another day”, he said.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa