Lawmaker Ignites Interests of Aba Residents in Farming

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

For a commercial city where almost everything revolves around commercial activities and manufacturing, not a few residents of Aba still regard farming as a non-viable means to make a comfortable livelihood.

But the lawmaker representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency, Hon Chimaobi Ebisike thinks otherwise.

He wants his constituents to develop more interest in farming as vast potentials abound in different farming activities for sustainable economic empowerment.

“This is the right time to go back to agriculture- based economy,” he said.

To make good what he preaches, Chief Ebisike, who happens to be the newest member of the House of Representatives, organised a week-long skill acquisition and entrepreneurship programme for his constituents.

Participants were drawn across party lines and without indigene and non indigene dichotomy.

The beneficiaries were trained in Poultry, Aquaculture, Horticulture, Snailry, Apiculture (Bee keeping), Piggery and Mushroom farming.

According to the federal lawmaker, the beneficiaries of the training programme stood a big chance of becoming a successful entrepreneur in one or more of the different farming activities if the interest is there.

On his part, he assured that he would empower the successful participants with the needed resources and tools to put their farming skills to good use.

“I believe that this training is coming at a very appropriate time, having just witnessed various waves of the global (COVID-19) pandemic with its attendant loss of jobs and the close down of many small, medium scale businesses,” he said.

Ebisike noted that the present economic crunch has resulted to drop in capital income of Nigerians, hence the need to diversify to farming.

He recalled that it was through farm produce that the defunct Eastern Region under the premiership of Michael Okpara emerged as the fastest growing economy in the early 60s before the first republic was interrupted by the military.

A former Executive Chairman of Aba South Local Government, Chief Okezie Erondu lauded the Aba federal lawmaker for the initiative of giving his constituents the skill to enable them go back to the farms and make decent living.

He said he was overwhelmed by the large turn out of participants for the training programme.

Erondu noted that Rep Ebisike has already posted modest record of achievements within the short period he has spent in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.

The beneficiaries who spoke with our correspondent commended the lawmaker for giving them the opportunity to acquire farming skills.

They urged him to sustain his economic empowerment programmes and quality representation of Aba Federal Constituency.

According to Ngozi Alozie, Hon Ebisike has demonstrated that he has come to serve the people of his constituency and alleviate the suffering of the masses.

The skill acquisition and entrepreneurship is the latest in Ebisike’s efforts to impact positively on his constituency since he took his seat at the National Assembly few months back.

He has carried out rehabilitation and equipping of dilapidated schools in his constituency, including Osusu Secondary School and Okigwe Road Primary School.

The lawmaker has also attracted a three- classroom block to Nnentu Primary School while several job opportunities have been given to his constituents.

To ensure equal treatment of indigenes and non-indigenes in his constituency, Ebisike has set up an advisory committee with membership drawn from all town unions in Aba.

According to him, the committee would harmonise interests across all communities in his constituency constituency with the aim of accommodating diverse interests during policy making meetings.