Ogheneruona Tejiri, Effurun
Hon. Benedict Etanabene, member representing Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives has launched a support programme for the elderly people in the Constituency.
Speaking to journalists in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, Hon. Etanabene disclosed that the objective was to provide financial support for elderly people in the three Local Government Areas that’s makes up his Federal Constituency.
He said that his decision to do this was in fulfilment of his campaign promises to the people adding tha it would be funded with his salary as a lawmaker at the National Assembly.
The federal lawmaker who was elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP)also said that
the initiative would be sustained throughout his tenure at the National Assembly.
Accordng to Hon. Etanabene, “I promised in my little way that I will forfeit my salaries at the National Assembly for the elderly in my constituency that I am representing. Our target is 500 most elderly persons selected across the three local government areas that makes up our constituency. “
He added, “but we are starting with 100 most elderly persons. They will be receiving a sum of ten thousand naira(N10,000) each from my monthly salary, throughout the four years I will be at National Assembly.”
Hon. Etanabene spoke further, “they really need the support, they cannot go to farm again and their children that is supposed to be taking care of them are jobless, the children graduated long ago but no jobs for them, so how can they cater for these elderly people in the villages?” The needs of the elderly in the communities are small, basically feeding.”
The lawmaker who was a former chairman of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Petrolleum Training Institute(PTI), Effurun branch said that the ages of the beneficiaries was pegged at 80 years and above, subject to review.
Hon. Etanabene further disclosed that he would also organised empowerment programmes for the youth to enable them to become self reliant as well as become employers of labour.
The member, representating Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency also disclosed that to ensure that the programme was not frustrated, he would be meeting regularly with the beneficiaries adding that he had their photographs and other details.
He noted that Nigeria was going through hard times and promised to do everything within his reach to make life better for his people.
Responding to a question, Hon.
Etanabene said that there was already existing health laws noting that the problem was the implementations.
Accordng to him, “we must find ways to encourage our medical personnel to stay in Nigeria. Build healthcare centres with adequate personnel and medications. These things already have laws but lacked implementation. All we need is adequate supervision and oversight functions to the benefits of the elderlies and indeed Nigerians.”
The lawmaker urged the government to encourage agriculture by way of providing grants and other incentives to farmers to create employment and food sufficiency.
According to him, unemployment was one of the basic reasons for insecurity which he described as “national crisis that required real emergency”.
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