By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has explained that the National Assembly approved the creation of the six regional development agencies to enable President Bola Tinubu to empower Nigerians at the grassroots levels across the country.
According to a statement by his media aide, Anietie Ekong, Akpabio explained yesterday while distributing items worth billions of naira through his empowerment programme to his constituents in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
The Senate President said, “We decided to create a regional developmental nexus for the president to send empowerment to most regions in Nigeria. The 10th National Assembly believes strongly that development should go to the grassroots.”
He urged the people of the South-South and South-East to continue to support President Tinubu’s administration, noting that the president has shown love and commitment to the development of both regions.
The statement explained that Akpabio also empowered his constituents with business grants and various items during the event.
They included sports utility vehicles, cars, buses, tricycle pick-ups, farm tricycles, tricycle keke, vulcanizing machines, knapsacks, makeup kits, deep freezers, generators, grinding machines, motorcycles, computers, and mini hand tractors.
The statement added that traditional rulers from the Senatorial District were not left out. Each of the 10 paramount rulers from the area went home with a sports utility vehicle, and over 500 students received scholarships and bursaries.
Akpabio noted that the items and grants would boost economic activities, improve livelihoods, and enhance the overall well-being of the beneficiaries.
He said the empowerment programme was to thank his constituents for supporting him and President Tinubu during the last elections.
He commended the people of his senatorial district for voting en-masse for President Tinubu, noting that over 119,000 out of 160,000 votes for the president from Akwa Ibom State came from his district.
Akpabio also commended President Tinubu for creating development commissions in the country and said they would fast-track grassroots development.
He said, “One of the best decisions the president made for the South-South region was his support, together with the party, the APC, that this region should once again produce the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Senators and other members of the political class, traditional rulers, religious leaders, women groups, and youth groups attended the constituency briefing and empowerment programme to show their support for the Senate President.
Speaking at the event, Senate Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro praised Senator Akpabio’s leadership at the 10th National Assembly and said Akpabio enjoyed the support of his fellow Senators across party lines because of his pragmatic leadership.
The Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said Akpabio had justified the mandate of the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, and that was why the people had decided to return him to the Senate to continue to offer effective representation to the people.
