Israel Umoh
Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has tasked federal lawmakers to initiate and implement programmes and projects that drive positive development at the grassroots.
Speaking at the launch and presentation of cheques under the Renewed Hope/ARISE Agenda N1 billion Family-Based Business Grant Initiative for 1,000 people in Ukanafun and Oruk Anam Federal Constituency on Saturday, December 6, Shettima said for lawmakers aspiring to become Governors and Senators, they should emulate Rt. Hon. Unyime Idem, their representative in the House of Representatives.
Shettima hailed Rep Idem for his magnanimous gesture that aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu in the areas of economic empowerment and job creation, support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises as catalysts to stimulate local commerce, reduction of multidimensional poverty and expanding social protection, and encouraging public-private and legislative partnership.
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He described the initiative as an act of sacrifice on his part, and deep commitment to the social and economic prosperity of the people of Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency.
“The initiative also portrays deep synergy between the Bola Tinubu administration and government institutions, legislators, private actors, and community stakeholders to achieve inclusive development.”
The Vice President also commended for being honoured at the event by over 20 of my colleagues, saying the turnout reflects the clout and respect Distinguished Members have for him, which ”I am profoundly grateful for. ”
Extolling his relationship with him as one that is “anchored on trust and confidence,” Shettima presented a cheque to one of the beneficiaries.
On his part, Akwa Ibom Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, represented by the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, commended him for always providing tangible dividends of democracy to the people of Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency.
Governor Eno congratulated Idem whom he addresses as ”China Man” for his impacting representation at the National Assembly, pledging the state government’s support for him to continue to touch lives.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, Ph.D., represented by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, leading a delegation of 20 members of the National Assembly to the event, congratulated Rep Idem for the gesture, pledging their unalloyed support to him.
Senator Effiong Bob, the Chairman of the Occasion, said ‘‘I’m very happy to see you today in Akwa Ibom State Your Excellency. You are at home. This is the home of APC, strong, big and reliable. You are all welcome because you are a lover of good things and what has done today is enough for everybody to think twice and to know that it is good to have a good representative in the House of Reps or in the Red Chambers.
‘‘He has done so well. You can see the number of people and how much he has impacted his constituents severally. It is because our state which is APC state is strong and reliable he has done so much to bring people together. The government has done so much in empowerment in infrastructural development following the ARISE agenda.
‘‘I believe that other members both in the Senate and the House of Representatives will learn a lot from what my brother has done today. I believe that he will continue to do it in the future. The future is very bright for him and other members in the House of Reps. We will continue to support him, support the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, support the Senate President, support the Vice President of the Federal Republic, support the Governor and support all members in the House of Reps.’’
In his remarks, Rep Idem outlined the benefits of the initiative to include empowering farmers, businesses, start-ups, women-led enterprises, young entrepreneurs, family cooperatives and community-based ventures.
Idem announced that he had sponsored 100 people to China and Rwanda for human empowerment, facilitated employment of 100 into Federal Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs), hoping that in the next 10 or 15 years they would occupy position of authority at the Federal level.
He expressed the hope that the initiative would stimulate grassroots economic activity, improve household income, create jobs and youth engagement and trigger a ripple effect of opportunity across our constituency, assuring that in the next phase, he would focus on empowering, at least, 500 farmers in the constituency.
To the beneficiaries, he urged them to invest wisely, while promising that subsequent batches of the programme will cover every family across the federal constituency, and none will be left out.
Earlier, the Chairman of Central Planning Committee, Hon. Saturday Akpan, had said the committee was set up by Unyime Idem to oversee and support the Renewed Hope Agenda of the federal government and the Arise Agenda of the state government by providing 1,000 persons with N1 million grant each.
Akpan recalled that on the 10th of August this year, Idem composed and inaugurated a committee for the two local government areas, four observers and 24 media men to cover the process.
According to him, the committee toured 160 gazetted villages of Oruk Anam and 87 villages of Ukanafun to cover over 3,000 families in both local government areas, saying the process was quite transparent and open..
He pledged support to President Tinubu, the governor for supporting our the governor for supporting our son, adding ‘’ And so therefore, present to you one thousand beneficiaries of this central planning committee.’’
In attendance at the ceremony were the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo, Atuekong Don Etiebet, the APC Chieftain, among others.
Meanwhile, the 1,000 beneficiaries will on Monday, December 8, 2025, undergo a fully sponsored business training, to be held at the Unyime Idem Skills Acquisition/Empowerment Centre, 3 Barracks Road, Ukanafun Local Government Area, to learn how best to deploy the grant for optimal result.
