Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has said the need to transform lives and boost economic growth across the five council areas in his senatorial district of Ekiti state prompted his decision to empower 5,000 constituents at the weekend.
Senator Bamidele said the empowerment would make great impact towards permanently addressing a good number of his constituents’ yearnings due to the prevailing economic situation in the country.
The programme brought convergence of top dignitaries, including Ekiti state governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, deputy governor, Chief Christianah Afuye, speaker of the Ekiti state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, and the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe (Aladesanmi III), among others.
The mega empowerment programme, which marked a significant departure from traditional schemes, was tailored to empower residents based on their individual skills and training.
In total, over 5,000 constituents across the five local government areas of the district directly benefited from the initiative.
Reeling out the scope of the programme, Senator Bamidele distributed a wide range of empowerment tools including a caterpillar tractor, 10 diesel-powered tractors, and 10 engine-powered tractors to support mechanised farming.
Others were 146 organic liquid fertilizers and 57 corn seeders for local farmers to enhance agricultural productivity, 36 sewing machines, 303 chest freezers, hairdryers, tailoring equipment, and makeup kits to boost small businesses and self-employment, N100, 000 business grants awarded to 1,900 individuals to scale up their enterprises, 180 motorcycles, 165 tricycles and 20 mini-buses to enhance mobility and improve the local transportation network.
The education sector also received significant attention, as Senator Bamidele distributed 1,000 mathematical sets, 10,000 school bags, 1,000 calculators, and 40,000 notebooks to students in public schools throughout the district.
Speaking at the event, Senator Bamidele stated the importance of skill-based empowerment and his commitment to uplifting the socio-economic condition of his constituents.
“This initiative is not just about giving out items. It is about investing in people’s skills, enabling self-reliance, and driving sustainable development across Ekiti central,” he stated.
A wide range of community stakeholders hailed the initiative as a model of impactful governance, one that prioritizes practical solutions, economic empowerment, and long-term development mega empowerment programme is widely seen as a benchmark for what people-oriented leadership could achieve.