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By Sunday Ani
“What I am doing here today is to give back to society and to thank God for seeing me through the February 2023 general elections that made me who I am at the moment and not as a political campaign.”
•The palliatives
The above were the words of Senator Tony Nwoye of the Labour Party, representing Anambra North at the Red chamber when he empowered over 14,000 of his constituents with various palliatives last weekend.
The lawmaker said the gesture was to give back to society and to thank God for seeing him through the February 28th, 2023 general election that gave him the opportunity to serve his people, saying the palliative distribution was by no means any kind of political campaign.
Daily Sun which witnessed the event observed that the beneficiaries, mostly, the youth and farmers cut across political parties in all the seven local government areas of Ayamelum, Anambra East, Anambra West, Oyi, Ogbaru, Onitsha North and Onitsha South that constitute Anambra North Senatorial District.
The items worth millions of naira included engine boats, sewing machines, engineering kits, grinding machines, fertilisers, rice, generating sets, and cash gifts ranging from N10,000 to N50,000.
Nwoye said the gesture was part of his resolve to empower his people to reduce crime and unemployment in the Senatorial District and beyond.
He said he was disturbed each time he saw people, especially youths roam the streets because they had no jobs.
Nwoye restated that the gesture was aimed at giving back to the society, that has done so much for him, and he went down memory lane on his humble beginning, appreciating those especially, Prince Arthur Eze and Mr. Peter Obi whom he noted touched his life in one way or the other toward contributing to what he is today.
Nwoye said it was also to bring his people out of poverty, noting that people of his Senatorial District who are predominantly farmers need all the help they can get to push through life.
He advised them especially the youth to put the tools to maximum use as he pledged to make the gesture a regular programme for a better society.
The lawmaker used the occasion to commiserate with the bereaved family members of those who lost their lives in the boat accident that occurred in Mmiata Anam, Anambra West LGA.
He blamed the disaster on the lack of a good transportation system, adding that he would provide speed boats for the riverine people under his constituency.
At the event, Senator Nwoye committed to continuing such empowerment initiatives every quarter, thereby creating a sustainable support system for his constituents. The commitment, he said, is a testament to his dedication to the welfare of his constituents and an attempt to reduce societal problems such as crime and unemployment.
Speaking with Journalists shortly after the event, the lawmaker representing Onitsha North in the State House of Assembly, Hon Patrick Okafor, praised Nwoye for his magnanimity, saying the Senator had endeared himself to the people.
He urged him not to relent.
Some of the beneficiaries including Chief Sylvester Onukwu, Mrs Gloria Edu and Chuka Nwabudu expressed special thanks to their benefactor for thinking of such moves and said that at least 60 per cent of the population of the youths are now empowered to be self-reliant.
They also appreciated him for what he is doing in Anambra as a whole in terms of helping in the provision of some amenities, stressing the need for other politicians to develop their areas since the government alone cannot do everything.
The empowerment programme which took place at the All Saints Cathedral Church’s field, Onitsha, on Sunday began with a Thanksgiving Service at the Cathedral and the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Onitsha respectively.
The event also had in attendance the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Afred Achebe, all the traditional rulers from Anambra North, Bishop Valerian Okeke, Bishop Owen Nwokolo, Bishop Paulinus Chukwumemeka Ezeokafor and the Senator representing Enugu East, Senator Kevin Chukwu. Others are Senator Victor Umeh, the Lawmaker representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Hon Afam Ogene, the State Chairman of Labour Party, Chief Ogochukwu Emeh, Mr Valentine Ozigbo and other Labour Party supporters.
