House of Representatives member, Hon. Rodney Ambioiwei has state his decision to empower women noting that when you empower women it has direct impact on the nation
Ambioiwei disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the national Assembly complex in Abuja.
While decrying drug abuse by a section of his constituents in the Southern Ijaw federal constituency of the state, he disclosed that he has concluded arrangements with relevant agencies of government to nip the menace in the bud.
Ambioiwei who is a member of the House committee on drugs and narcotics explained that it is unfortunate that elderly women are among those founding wanting in indulging in the unwholesome act.
The lawmaker who is a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party expressed confidence that he would do all within the means available to him to ensure the empowerment of women and youths in his constituency irrespective of their political leanings.
He said, “I am going down to see my constituents. Of course they will want to see me for us to talk about things that are affecting them. The area I truly want to look into is the area of drug abuse because that is a menace that is really affecting my people.
“And I am also happy that I am a committee member on drugs and narcotics. Even yesterday I called the chairman to see how we can get the DG to come over and speak on drug abuse for a programme I am sponsoring on 30th of December.
“This is for our people to desist from it, particularly the old ladies. Because from what I see now, the old ladies are seeing that as an enhancer. They take drugs in order for them to go to farms. They say that it really helps them and makes them work harder but they don’t know the effect of it and it is a problem to me.
“Despite that, the area of empowerment is particularly our women, like the common adage says when you empower a woman, you empower a nation. So I am also looking at it from an angle that will empower the women.
“We would give them soft loans, we train them so they can be entrepreneurs, they can be self employed and also employ other people. We are looking at getting some microfinance activities to empower them.
“Despite that we are also looking at youth development. The youths also need to be trained. We also need to sensitize them because this issue of youths always wanting or asking money from people for survival on a daily basis, for me is not a good thing.
“I am looking at how I can assemble them and assist them through, probably educational means and other means for them to be empowered. And a whole of things. I have a lot for my people.”
He added, ” Whether we like it or not, every southern ijaw is my constituent irrespective of the party. So for me carrying them along is not a problem. And if you look at the whole thing, in one way or the other we are even related.
“So are you telling me that if my relative is an APC member and he has a problem, I will abandon him to die? It is not possible. I am trying to see how I can group both the APC, PDP and other parties and give them at least a kind of orientation that whether we like it or not we are brothers.
“We can quarrel and argue in terms of elections, but once we are through with elections, we are one.
“Moreover most of the APC people supported me. So why would I not carry them along? I would carry everyone along.”
