Hon Lasun Yusuf Empowers 500 Farmers, Youths with N250m

By Fisayo Oyeyinka

The Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Yusuf Lasun has taken a bold step to alleviate poverty and create wealth among the people of Osun State with an empowerment programme that gulped a whopping N250milion.

No fewer than 500 people of the state, among which are farmers, women and youths benefited from the empowerment programme through training, cash gift and provision of free equipment and materials in their various areas of specialization.

Beneficiaries of the Hon Lasun’s empowerment programme.

The beneficiaries include 350 farmers who were nominated and chosen across the local governments of Osun State by the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and 150 youths.

A total of 50 people were trained in mushroom plantation, preservation and marketing, 100 others were trained in fishery farm and 200 participants were lectured on plantain plantation.

The 150 youths were bid to be trained in ICT, but the late delivery of materials needed for training delayed the programme. But the training would start from Monday, February 27, 2017.

After completion of the ICT training, each of the 150 youths would collect a N270,000 worth laptop, six-month etisalat subscription and a sum of N50, 000.

Hon Lasun presenting certificate to one of the beneficiaries.

The 350 beneficiaries who had completed their training were awarded certificate and presented gifts on Friday, February 24, at the Constituency Office of the deputy speaker located at Oroki Estate, Osogbo.

Each of the trained fish farmers was given a sum of N50, 000, coal and electric powered oven, fish smoken kiln and fish box while those that went for mushroom training were given a sum of N100, 000.

Fish smoken kiln and fish box given to the farmers.

The farmers that were trained in plantain were given 20 suckers of plantains, cutlasses, wheel-biro and N75, 000 cash each.

Speaking on the objective of the programme, the Consultant, Prof Olufemi Peters said Hon Lasun wanted to encourage self reliance and high productivity in agricultural sector to combat poverty headlong.

He added that the programme was to improve skills and agricultural entrepreneurship through identification of beneficiaries who are in need.

Peters stated that the empowerment programme would also improve quality of livelihood through sustainable food security programme.

plantain sucker and cutlasses distributed to the farmers.

On the monitoring of the beneficiaries, Peters disclosed that a committee comprising members of the Lasun’s constituency office, AFAN and the consultant has been inaugurated to guide them.

He stated that the committee is to ensure that the farmers set up their farms as soon as possible, give them regular training and communicate update research ideas to them.

“We have also establish cooperative community for the beneficiaries for them to be holding meeting, source for more fund, create network for marketing and share ideas with one-another.

“We have also created e-networking for marketing and communication through the social media to share their experiences and challenges on their various farm and market.”

The empowerment progarmme was organized in collaboration with the Forest Research Institute of Nigeria and Federation of Stud Green Institute.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Ayodeji Bolarinwa, a farmer described the empowerment programme as timely and needed at the present time to reduce poverty to the barest minimum among the people of the state.

Commending the Deputy Speaker, another beneficiary, Mrs Idowu Ayobode said the Ilobu born lawmaker has demonstrated his keenness in promoting agriculture and empowering the people to dissuade them from running after politicians to beg for money.

Ayobode charged other political office holders to emulate what he described as good character and good gesture of the deputy speaker.