The First Lady of Oyo State, Mrs Tamunominini Makinde says it would be counter-productive to leave empowerments of people to government alone at the grassroots.

She stated this in Ibadan, at the grand finale of a weeklong empowerment programme, held across the seven geopolitical zones of the State where items such as sewing machines, grinding machines, hair dryers, gas cylinders, industrial gas burner were distributed to over 2,000 beneficiaries.

While decrying high level of poverty in the land, Mrs Makinde noted that empowerment of people, no matter how little it may be, would go a long way in helping people survive present austere times.

She cautioned against people totally relying on government to attend to people’s welfare and providing succour to the downtrodden, she called on well meaning individuals for support. Her words:

“I appeal to philanthropists to help our people at the grassroot. There is so much poverty in the land and people can be empowered with even as little as N2,000.
“Some women just need N1,500 to start a business. Some women are suffering because they lost their job due to COVID-19 or because of the loss of the breadwinner in their families.

“Government cannot do it alone, so I urge philanthropists to help those at the grassroot in their own little way,” she said.

She, however, enjoined the beneficiaries not to sell their empowerment items but use them to generate income to feed themselves and their families. She admonished those who couldn’t use the items got to lend them out rather than sell them and assured that a mega empowerment programme will be staged next year.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Bayo Lawal urged the beneficiaries to effectively utilise the items got as well as expand them.

Similarly, Wife of the Chairman, Egbeda Local Government Area, Mrs Monsurat Sanda, in her remarks, said the empowerment, will, in no small measure, help reduce the scourge of poverty in the State. She further admonished the beneficiaries to effectively use the items to better their lives and that of their families.