Don’t Sell Empowerment Vehicles, Ekpenyong Warns Beneficiaries

By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong has cautioned beneficiaries of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) empowerment scheme against selling the tricycles and mini buses distributed to them, urging recipients to use the vehicles as tools for long-term economic survival.
The senator gave the warning on Saturday during the NDDC Keke Napep and mini bus empowerment programme held at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, where hundreds of beneficiaries received vehicles and cash grants aimed at boosting small-scale transport businesses and tackling unemployment.
No fewer than 200 tricycles, 150 mini buses and N250,000 cash grants for 500 beneficiaries were distributed during the exercise.
Ekpenyong said the initiative was designed to create sustainable livelihoods for youths and families across Cross River South Senatorial District through transportation and entrepreneurship support.
According to him, the intervention was facilitated through partnerships with federal agencies, including the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria.
He explained that the programme also aligned with efforts to complement the development agenda of Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu.
“We are here to train our young men and women on skills acquisition, give grants to support businesses and also empower our people with capital items ranging from minibuses to Keke Napep,” the senator said.
“All these were made possible through support from agencies at the federal level. I plead with beneficiaries not to sell these items. Do not kill the goose that lays the golden egg.”
Ekpenyong noted that proper management of the vehicles would guarantee beneficiaries steady income and improved living conditions over time, stressing that the programme marked the beginning of more empowerment initiatives in the Niger Delta region.
Speaking on behalf of the NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Victor Antai, the commission’s Cross River State Director, Daniel Ajunwa, said the intervention would productively engage youths and help curb criminal activities.
Ajunwa added that the programme reflected the commitment of the commission and partnering agencies to grassroots development and entrepreneurship support.
Also speaking, the NDDC Director of Commercial and Industrialisation, Linda Okara, disclosed that beneficiaries were selected through stakeholder recommendations to ensure transparency and community participation.
One of the beneficiaries, Arit Agbor, described the initiative as timely, saying it would help many unemployed youths become self-reliant.