Cross River State Government has flagged off the livelihood component of the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme with distribution of boats to fishermen and riverine communities of the state.
Governor Bassey Otu, while presenting the items to beneficiaries on Thursday at Calabar Municipality headquarters, described the event as another milestone in his administration’s drive towards achieving food security through enhanced agricultural methods.
“It is now time for the State Government to support those whose occupation is to harvest the marine resources because of their nearness to water. It is time to reduce the labour of our fishermen’s hand-paddling canoes to go fishing and artisans to ferry people across rivers. It is time to put smiles on the faces of those who care for our nutritional needs. It is the fishermen’s time!
“Today is, therefore, a day our people in the riverine areas cannot forget quickly. The boats distributed today will enhance your productivity, improve your livelihood, ease the movement of your farm products and people across bodies of water,” he remarked.
The Governor, who was represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, stated that the 100 units of fishing/commercial boats distributed are a bold step by the present administration to touch lives positively in fulfilment of its election campaign promise.
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The event also witnessed the commencement of distribution of over Two Billion Naira (N2,000,000,000) grants to the poor and vulnerable Cross Riverians.
“These grants are therefore more than just financial aid; rather a form of humanitarian investment – empowering our fellow Cross Riverians who are most disadvantaged, with the resources they need to lift themselves economically; invariably making meaningful contribution to the society.
“This is an all-inclusive growth strategy employed by my administration to remove barriers to economic emancipation of all the citizens of this state irrespective of the circumstances they may find themselves,” Governor Otu further stated.
He urged the beneficiaries of the fishing/commercial boats to make judicious use of the items received so as to justify the interest and sacrifice made by government to place the people first, before other considerations.
“I will be glad to see all of you in no distant time acquiring new boats from the gains you make from these ones distributed to you,” he hoped, while cautioning them to pay attention to safety measures such as wearing of life-jackets, loading the boats according to built-in capacity to avoid boat mishaps.
“To the grant beneficiaries, the funds you are given today are not meant for the acquisition of latest tech gadgets, clothings etc.; rather they are seed money that should be invested in any small business to yield income and expand your businesses thereafter. So, use same judiciously.”
Otu sued for patience from those who are yet to benefit from any of the intervention programmes, assuring that “soon you will also enjoy the season of sweetness.”
In their separate remarks, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt Hon Elvert Ayambem, Wife of the State Governor, Rev Mrs Eyoanwan Bassey Otu (represented), Commissioner for International Donor Coordination, Dr Hippolatus Lukpata, all spoke glowingly of the Otu-led administration and its huge impact on the masses.
Beneficiaries also took turns to render testimonies of the life-enhancing effects interventions like the NG-CARES if bringing to the ordinary Cross Riverians, with the pledge to make the most out of the gestures.
The development objective of NG-CARES aims to expand access to livelihood support and, food security services, and grants for poor and vulnerable households and firms.