From AMEDU JOSEPH, Lokoja
Egume-Ome Descendants Union (EODU), in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, has urged the people of the area not to relent on self-help projects as a way of complementing the government’s efforts in uplifting their living standard.
The association declared that the call has become imperative in the face of the economic hardship being experienced in Nigeria at the moment.
Chairman of the Lokoja branch of the association, Comrade Noah Ocheni, gave the charge at the end of the year get-together and general annual meeting of the union held in Lokoja, recently.
Ocheni stressed that the time to depend on the government for the provision of amenities and white collar jobs is over, adding that people must engage themselves in viable enterprises that could yield fruitful dividends and attract government grants.
The chairman pointed out that every good plan is achievable through proactive actions. He stressed that both men and women wings of Lokoja branch of the union should pool their resources towards building the Lokoja branch ‘Town Hall’ to accommodate the people during meetings.
Ocheni, who commended members of the union in Lokoja for their contributions towards the building project, especially the payment of the levy, also appreciated the women wing for their first cash donation of #100,000 towards the building.
” I wish to thank God for good health and sparing our lives throughout 2023. I thank members of the union too for their cooperation with the present Exco and to appeal for the sustenance of love and tolerance that has united us together.” he said.
In his speech, the Chairman of the Occasion, Mallam Muhammed Acheneje pointed out that Egume-Ome Community has an age long formidable cultural value which the descendants need to protect and sustain for the benefit of children and history.
He stressed that building of the Egume-Ome town Hall in Lokoja, the Kogi state headquarters is a necessity and called on every individual to brace-up in pooling their resources so as to realise the dream.
Acheneje therefore commended the present Exco of the Lokoja branch of the union for imbibing accountability and transparency in their administrative leadership which according to him has given members the hope that plans are achievable through transparency.
In his contribution, Comrade Solomon Yahaya stated that the pace at which prices of food stuffs are skyrocketing is alarming and stressed the need for people to rise against the looming famine by engaging in serious farming.
He pointed out that apart from individual small scale engagement in farming, another system that could attract government’s intervention or grants is through formation of cooperative societies and farmers’ associations.
Comrade Yahaya enjoined the people to rise to this challenge and register with one of these agricultural programmes that are out to assist farmers in reducing poverty amongst the citizenry in rural areas.
