Senator representing Cross River South Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, has admitted that the recent empowerment programme in Cross River State was facilitated through the NDDC and other federal agencies, amid growing controversy over allegations that the initiative was cornered for beneficiaries from the Southern Senatorial District.
The clarification came after youths from Cross River Central and Northern Senatorial Districts accused the Senator of allegedly diverting an empowerment programme originally meant for indigenes across the entire state.
Speaking with journalists after the distribution exercise at the U.J. Esuene Sports Stadium in Calabar, Ekpenyong explained that the programme was not personally funded by him but executed in collaboration with federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“Because I didn’t do this by myself, it was done by MDAs at the federal level. They have come together, we’ve been able to source these capital items for our constituents here in the South Senatorial District,” the lawmaker said.
He specifically mentioned the NDDC and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) as part of the agencies involved in the intervention.
The Senator distributed 150 minibuses, 200 tricycles and N250,000 business grants to 500 beneficiaries during the exercise. According to him, the initiative was designed to help young people build businesses, become self-reliant and create employment opportunities.
“We are here to train our young men and women on skills and positions, we are here to give grants for young men and women to start up businesses,” he said.
“We are here to also empower our people with capital items, from minibuses to kekenapep.”
The latest statement from Ekpenyong is already generating fresh reactions online, especially after allegations by some Cross River stakeholders that the empowerment was publicly presented like a personal political intervention despite being funded through federal institutions.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian Youth Congress (NYC) in Cross River State, Comrade Francis Finian Offionor, had criticised the programme, alleging that youths from Cross River Central and Northern Senatorial Districts were sidelined.
Offionor claimed that internal NDDC memos described the initiative as an empowerment programme for “Indigenes of Cross River State” and not strictly for the Southern Senatorial District.
The controversy intensified after copies of the NDDC documents circulated online showing that the programme covered skill acquisition training and distribution of vehicles for Cross River indigenes.
Despite the criticism, Ekpenyong maintained that the empowerment would continue, describing it as part of broader efforts made possible through the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Bassey Otu and federal agencies.
He also urged beneficiaries not to sell the vehicles and tricycles given to them.
“I plead with you, please do not sell these capital items. Do not kill the goose that will lay the golden egg,” he said.
NDDC Director of Commercial and Industrialisation, Barr. Linda Okara, stated that beneficiaries were selected through stakeholder recommendations to ensure transparency in the process.
