Rep Sam Onuigbo representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South Federal Constituency Friday explained that his empowerment programmes seeks to serve  greater purposes  besides providing alternative means of livelihood for his constituents.

"My objectives includes addressing  the issue of unemployment; Contribute in  building the human capacity of our youths and women so that they may in turn help build the capacity of others.

"Make no mistakes about it, it is only through this linking of hands to build up one another, can we completely be self-sufficient and fully develop our constituency", he affirmed.



Their family 3 lawmaker spoke in Umuahia, Abia State at the commencement of the second batch of 'training and empowerment of over 100 small-holder poultry farmers'

Rep Onuigbo,  represented by his liaison officer, Mr. Abraham Osondu counselled the beneficiaries to take the programme seriously as the poultry industry is a booming one, with households, diary companies, fast food operators listed as ready customers.

He further stressed that there is an annual demand of USD1.39 billion for poultry products in Nigeria.

In addition, he lauded the beneficiaries for being part of a large and lucrative industry, which the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations rates as the second biggest in Africa.

In his assessment of how the training and empowerment programmes has fared so far, Chief Onuigbo stated that “The testimonies from the beneficiaries of our last training and empowerment of smallholder poultry farmers have been exciting and inspiring. Almost all of them are now properly set on the path of self-sufficiency with their birds producing several crates of eggs a week.

 "These success stories extremely thrilled me and encouraged me to quickly organise a second one, so that we can continue to provide alternative means of livelihood for our people. This is more so considering that by doing this, we not only address the issue of unemployment, but also do our part in helping to build the human capacity of our youths and women so that they may in turn help build the capacity of others. 

“Today, a little over one hundred beneficiaries will be trained on how to run a successful poultry farm, and provided with galvanized battery cages, feeds, Point-of-Lay birds, and money.

"It is my hope that the success stories of the first set of beneficiaries will be replicated by them in an even larger scale

 "Which is why I must charge the beneficiaries to take this seriously. In your hands today is the key to commence the process of building a better future for yourselves and your families. Do not take this lightly. Put in your all towards this so that in about a month’s time, you will begin to reap the benefits of your dedication and tenacity”.

Earlier in his speech, the chairman of the occasion, Chief Chidi Nwosu  described the programme as sustainable and well organized, and applauded the strides and sterling performance of Onuigbo which he said is geared towards empowering the youth and riding the society off of all vices.

Rep Sam Onuigbo

In his remarks,  an APC stalwart from Ikwuano LGA, Prince Henry Eleogu described the agric-empowerment programme as a stepping stone to greatness and enjoined the beneficiaries to embrace hardwork in order to grow and employ others.

DailyLedger.com.ng reports that the  beneficiaries each  got three bags of feed, take-off working capital of N20,000 plus  50 (16-week old point of lay birds)