A member of the House of Representatives from Ibadan Northwest/Southwest Federal Constituency, Adedeji Stanley Olajide well known as Odidiomo on Sunday restated his reasons for giving cash and goats as empowerment gifts to 300 women comprising the aged, widows and vulnerable women in his Constituency.
Speaking to newsmen on the development, the lawmaker and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said, he carried out the empowerment based on the popular demand of his people.
He said the least amongst the 300 widows and aged ones were between 55-60years who felt having goats in their backyards would make them financially stable since the she-goats were of special breeds and could produce between three to four offsprings twice a year.
Olajide said, “I did this in conjunction with the Department of Animal Husbandry Services
Federal Ministry of Agriculture Rural Development. I facilitated and empowered majorly women/widows and the indigenous females within my constituency with breeding and caring of animals.
Olajide said further, “I prepare them with the basic required skills through training and later handed the participants with live goats and financial back up for full engagement.
“We carefully selected the participants having identified their area of interest and needs, it is also worthy to state here that, this project was facilitated based on request, as I have always promised that any request from my constituents shall be given high consideration and within my capability/ capacity it shall be done,” Olajide added.
He said contrary to what critics are saying, the empowerment was another novel idea in addition to other empowerment programmes he had carried our like donation of cars, educational support programmes including cash awards as bursaries; training of over 500 youths in paint making and marketing amongst others.
