Over 500 market traders have benefited from empowerment programmes facilitated by the lawmaker representing Okene – Ogori Magongo federal constituency, Hon. Yusuf Tijani Damisa, in Kogi state.
The lawmaker also gave scholarships to over 500 students of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS3) in three secondary schools in the constituency to enable them to pay for their junior WAEC fees.
The grant and scholarship programmes were anchored by Habibat Consultant Limited.
Speaking during the presentation of the grants and scholarship to the beneficiaries at Egbira Muslim Community College, Okengwe, in Okene local government area Tuesday, the representative of Habibat Consultant Limited, Dr. Ayinla Oloruntoba, said the grant was to enable the petty traders in various markets in the constituency to boost their businesses in order to improve their standard of living.
Oloruntoba also stated that the scholarship was to assist parents to be able to pay their children’s Junior West African Examination fees and noted that last year, the lawmaker offered scholarships to students of tertiary institutions in his constituency.
While commending the facilitator of the programme for creating sources of livelihood to the less privileged, the consultant appealed to the beneficiaries of the grant and scholarship to use the money for the purpose it was meant for.
Honourable Yusuf Tijani Damisa who is a third- term member of the House of Representatives, said the beneficiaries of the grant were selected from political forums, elders and market women in Okene and Ogori-Magongo local government areas.
Represented by Alhaji Mohammed Obongara, he said the scholarship was offered to over 500 JSS3 students of Egbira Muslims Community College, Okengwe, LGA Secondary School, Ohiana in Okene and LGA Secondary School, Upogoro.
He said the gesture was aimed at supporting the governorship candidate of APC, Alhaji Usman Ahmed Ododo’s quest for the development of education in the state.
The Ohi of Okene, Mamman Isah, in his remarks urged other political office holders in the state to emulate the lawmaker, saying his empowerment programmes had no rival in the state.