Aguata Rep Blames Political Detractors for Negative Reactions to his ‘Wheel Barrow’ Empowerment

By Praise Chinecherem

Member representing Aguata Federal Constituency, Engr Dom Okafor has condemned what he described as sponsored attempt to mischievously thwart the laudable intents of a well-thought agricultural empowerment program he hosted for his constituents recently.

The lawmaker had, in a ceremony held at Ekwulobia, the Aguata Council headquarters distributed wheelbarrows, and other farm implements including machetes and hoes to select farmers drawn from across communities in the constituency.

However, the distribution had been greeted with criticisms by some quarters, most of who accused the lawmaker of underperformance.

Some accused the lawmaker of using the empowerment to encourage young people to go into wheelbarrow pushing.

Addressing newsmen in Ekwulobia, Okafor explained that the distribution was part of a comprehensive plan targeted at revolutionizing Agriculture in Aguata constituency.

According to him, it was a deliberate and intentional empowerment aimed at the downtrodden, in order to advocate return to Agriculture, being one of the cardinal points in his campaign manifesto.

He revealed that shortly after he came into office in 2023, he distributed palm, cassava, maize, and yam seedlings to Aguata farmers, and followed it up with fertilizers.

These gestures, he noted, was in recognition of the challenge of food insecurity facing the nation, and the need for families to refrain from depending solely on what they buy from the markets, to feed.

“This was one of the reason I shared these farm implements, to emphasize the need for our people to go back to the farm.

“A lot of families can actually be self-sufficient from what they get from their farms, and as such, save the huge amount of money they spend on buying food.

“I could also see that a lot of people were drifting away from this our traditional peasant farming, whereby people can harvest a lot of things from their backyards.

“Aguata people have a challenge of very small land mass and that is why we must explore the opportunities provided by this peasant farming practice to provide food for our families.

“This distribution was borne out of a needs assessment I conducted with the support of the leaders and stakeholders of the 14 communities that make up Aguata Constituency,” he explained.

Okafor expressed happiness that the feedback coming from the community leaders on the distribution was positive and promised to ensure that those left out would still be given opportunity to benefit.

He however, expressed disdain that some quarters have politicized the gesture, but said as a grassroots legislator, with a clear understanding of the needs of his people, he will never settle for less.

The lawmaker also disclosed that his emergence as the federal lawmaker representing the constituency has brought so many developmental and human empowerment initiatives to the area.

“I came prepared to serve our people and will not be distracted. What I am doing is borne out of the needs assessment I conducted with the support of the community leaders and stakeholders.

“We have various projects scattered across Aguata Federal Constituency and more are still coming.

“We have the classroom block at Igboukwu Central School (completed), a classroom block at Umuona (already completed and commissioned), four classroom block at Aguluezechukwu Secondary School.

“We also have a 2-room class block with solar and complete furniture at Udoka Primary School, Akpo,(ongoing), 6-room class block at Uga (ready for commissioning) and a 6-room class block with furniture at Umuchu (to be flagged off soon).

“There is also the 4-kilometre road in Ekwulobia, which would be commissioned during the month. The 1.6 kilometre road was commissioned in Igboukwu last month. The road connecting Amesi and Gbiligbo village in Achina will soon be flagged off.

“Also, we have commenced the project to light up every community in Aguata Federal Constituency with solar street lights. We have done that of Isuofia, Umuona, Uga, Ugboukwu and Ezinifite. By next week, we will start erecting the poles for other communities.

“A lot of my constituents have been assisted to secure federal jobs, while some have been assisted to secure educational scholarships abroad and have been able to travel abroad.

Okafor urged people of the constituency to disregard the falsehood peddled on social media, assuring them that he will continue to pursue the best bargain for them.

“I am a man of action who is not given to rhetoric,” he boasted.