Ganduje’s Son Empowers Over 3,000 Youth, Receives 500 NNPP Defectors in Kano

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Executive Director, Technical Services, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abdullahi Umar has empowered over 3,000 supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano state.

Umar who is the son of former governor of the Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje launched the first phase of the empowerment programme at an event held at Armani Event Centre in Kano.

The REA Executive Director in a statement issued Monday, Edwin Olofu, said the empowerment package, distributed to the youths across all the 44 local government areas of state, included agricultural inputs, foodstuff, tricycle, mini tractors, Others include irrigation pumps, agro-processing machines, among others.

While speaking, Umar said the empowerment was a tip of the iceberg of a broader scheme he has planned for people, especially for youth and women in the state.

He noted: “His passion to help the populace is what prompted him to introduce empowerment schemes, not only for the constituents of Tofa/Dawakin-Tofa, Rimingado federal constituency where he hails from but people across the state.

“We have already begun plans for the next phase of this empowerment. This is not the end. Any APC member who did not receive support today should not lose hope , your turn will come.”

Umar urged the beneficiaries to use the items judiciously without selling them, noting that the gesture was to boost their livelihood.

The beneficiaries expressed delight and gratitude for receiving, what they described as lifetime support, noting that the intervention came at the right time.

One of them beneficiaries, Aminu Ahmad, said the free fertilizer would help revive farming activities crippled by high costs of farming inputs.

According to him, The fertilizer would help him save some money that would have been used for other purposes. I received fertilizer. Recently, high cost of fertilizer has hindered our farming output. Today we are right to say, we have been rescued and our morale had been boosted to go back to farm.

“We are very grateful and this show that Engr. Umar is the true heir of his father, Baba Ganduje,” he said.

Another beneficiary, who received a solar-powered irrigation pump, said it is the first time his community had benefited from such support.

“This is the first of its kind. We thank Abba Ganduje and we will repay good with good,” he said.

Meanwhile, immediately after the distribution of the items, Umar received no fewer than 500 members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) who had joined APC.

Receiving the defectors, he said the party would treat them as bonafide members without discrimination.