Major General Ijioma N. Ijioma (retd), a 2023 governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has empowered youths and women of the 17 local government areas in Abia state.
The first batch of the beneficiaries received N20,000 each on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at the Ijioma New Deal Foundation, #6A Factory road, Umuahia, the state capital.
According to Gen. Ijioma, the gesture was in line with the sole vision of establishing the Foundation which borders on empowering youths and women especially in Abia state.
WATCH VIDEO:
He noted that a total of N20M has been budgeted for the ongoing empowerment and revealed that everyone that registered for the scheme will partake in batches.
Speaking to ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER, one of the beneficiaries, Mrs Izuka Gina, a trader from Aba North noted that it is not an easy task for an individual to empower people judging from the current Nigeria’s economy. She prayed God to grant the General his desires, assuring that the people will come out en-masse to support his ambition, hoping that he will change the face of the state.
Another beneficiary from Isialangwa South LGA, Nwaokike David, a graduate of Microbiology who is into poultry farming, said he was opportune to walk past the Foundation when he saw people filling a form. David said it wasn’t his first time of filling a form for such empowerment which usually turns out to be deceit. However, this is the first of it’s kind he is receiving help.
According to David, the N20,000 will help him in purchasing feed for his birds as the cost has skyrocketed and he had no hope of buying till the money came from the General.
“We are happy for what we have seen and we are urging him to keep it up.”
Chinaza Okorie, an apprentice in tailoring from Bende LGA, expressed gratitude to General Ijioma for his kind gesture, adding that the empowerment will help her in learning.
Owoh Promise, a small-scale business woman from Arochukwu LGA said she will add the money to her business. She prayed that God will cause his good to speak for him and he will emerge the Abia state governor come 2023.
Blessing Nwakanma, thanked General Ijioma for empowering a disabled at a time she needed it most.
She requested for more persons with disability to be adopted into the scheme.
Responding, Gen. Ijioma promised to give special attention to persons with disability in Abia state. He also promised that the empowerment which is solely sponsored from his personal wealth will not stop. He expressed optimism that by God’s grace and the people’s support he will emerge Abia governor come 2023 to lift the face of the state.
Ijioma charged Abians to register and get their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to participate in the 2023 elections.
