Sen Asuquo Distributes 150 Mini Buses, 200 Keke Napeps, Gifts N100,000 Cash To Constituents
By Judex OKORO
The Senator representing Cross River South Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, has
distributed 150 minibuses, 200 tricycles, and cash gifts of N100,000 to constituents as part of the empowerment programme.
Speaking during the distribution ceremony on Saturday in Calabar, Ekpenyong stated that the initiative was meant to complement the development efforts of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Bassey Otu to improve upon their economy.
“What we are doing is just to complement the efforts and the wonderful works of His Excellency, Bola Tinubu, and our dear Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Otu.
“Today, we are here to train our young men and women in skills acquisition, give grants for start-ups, and empower our people with capital items, from minibuses to keke napep,” he said.
According Tk him, the items were sourced through federal agencies at the national level and urged beneficiaries not to sell them and enjoined the beneficiaries not to sell the items.
He said: Please do not sell these capital items. Do not kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Maintain them and sustain your family for months and years to come. If you sell them off, you end up with a one-time gain.
" In promise to sustain the empowerment programme. Therefore I call on the constituents to continue support the administration of President Bola Tinubu," Ekepenyong added.
Speaking, the Director of Commercial and Industrialisation at the NDDC, Barrister Linda Okara, said 150 minibuses and 200 keke napep were distributed just as the initiative is a collaborative effort with Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, who chairs the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs.
Okara stated that the selection of beneficiaries was done at the grassroots level to ensure inclusivity.
“This is done by stakeholders so that it does not look like we are imposing people, but that these names are brought forward from the grassroots,” she said.
On his part, the NDDC State Director in Cross River, Daniel Ajunwa, said the intervention was part of efforts to engage youths, reduce unemployment, and curb criminality.
“Today, Asuquo Ekpenyong has decided to fulfil his promise to his people. He brought all these vehicles and buses to give to the youths to make them self-reliant,” Ajunwa said.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Arit Nyong, commended the lawmaker for fulfilling his campaign promises, noting that the empowerment initiative was a call to self-reliance.
“We are grateful to our leader, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, for this kind gesture. We will continue to pray for him. We are thanking him for having the heart to fulfil his campaign promises. This will surely transform and better our lives and make us self-independent,” she added.
