By Mark Lenu
Careful assessment of the ongoing empowerment drive across various LGAs by caretaker committee chairmen has shown that the empowerment is aimed at buying the votes of the people ahead of the forthcoming LG election in Rivers State.
The state independent electoral commission will conduct the poll on October 5 across the 23 LGAs that make up the state. In areas like ASALGA, AKULGA, DELGA, and Khana LGA respectively, the appearance of electricity supply is mainly attributed to the forthcoming LG poll.
The said LGAs are always known for having electricity supply during election season and after elections, blackout continues. The Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara has instructed the LG CTC chairmen to empower their people or face sack.
The CTC chairmen assumed office a few days after the tenure of the immediate past elected LG chairmen elapsed on June 17 this year.
Responding to the marching order of the governor, the CTC chairmen have rolled out various ways of empowering the people of their LGAs.
In ASALGA, the CTC chairman. Orolosama Amachree embarked on financial empowerment, ranging from N2m to N200k per lucky indigene of his LGA.
While the empowerment drive of the DELGA CTC chairman, Anthony Soberekon took the form of service rendering as he went out engaging the people of his LGA in medical, sanitation, and security services among others.
As for the CTC chairman of Ogu/Bola LGA, Evans Bipi, the indigent students of his LGA received free WAEC, JAMB, and NECO as the council boss took the responsibility of paying for the fees of the external exams.
These various empowerment initiatives will form the campaign speeches of the CTC chairmen and their party when they canvass the votes of the people in the forthcoming LG poll.
