The Senator, representing Anambra North Senatorial District at National Assembly Abuja, Senator Tony Nwoye of Labour Party has commiserated with families and friends of the deceased eight passengers who died on the boat mishap that occurred at Umumu Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State.
News Echo reports that the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Jibril Darda’u confirmed that the incident which occurred on the morning hours of Sunday involved
8 deaths and 38 survivors, and that four persons were still missing or could not be a counted four traveling from Ida in Kogi State to Onitsha in Anambra State.
Senator Nwoye who disclosed this on Sunday, 7th Jan, 2023 during the thanksgiving mass celebration/empowerment of his emergence as the Senator representing Anambra North District at the National Assembly held at the All Saint Cathedral Church, Onitsha expressed sadness over the ugly development.
According to the Senator, “its unfortunate that some persons have lost their lives in a boat mishap while some missing. I am deeply saddened and I want to use this opportunity to console the families over the death of their sons and daughters”.
The Senator in his condolence message assured that measures are being out in ensuring that such occurrence do not happen again while assuring the public that he doing to doing everything possible to ensure safer Inland Waterways for the movement of people and goods across Anambra North.
Meanwhile, the Senatorhas earlier stated that the empowerment materials are aimed at about fourteen thousand Ndi Anambra, with cash worth millions of naira.
The items donated by Nwoye include engine boats, sewing machines, engineering kits, granding machines, bags of fertilizers, bags of rice, generator sets and cash.
Nwoye said the gesture was part of his resolve to empower his people to reduce crime and unemployment in the Senatorial District and beyond.
He said he was disturbed each time he saw people, especially youths, roam the streets because they had no jobs.
According to the Senator, what I am doing here today is to give back to the society and to thank God for seeing me through the February 28th, 2023 general election that makes me who I am at the moment and not for a political campaign.
“The beneficiaries, mostly, the youths and farmers cut across political parties in all the seven local government areas; Ayamelum, Anambra East, Anambra West, Oyi, Ogbaru, Onitsha North and Onitsha South that constitute Anambra North Senatorial District.
Presenting the items to the beneficiaries, Dr Nwoye restated that the gesture was aimed at giving back to the society, that has done so much for him, and he went down memory lane on his humble beginning, appreciating those especially, Prince Arthur Eze and Mr. Peter Obi whom he noted has touched his life in one way or the other toward contributing to what he is today.
Dr Nwoye said it was also to bring his people out of poverty noting that people of his Senatorial District who are predominantly farmers need all the help they can get to push through life.
He advised them especially the youths to put the tools to maximum use as he pledged to make the gesture a regular programme for a better society.
In an interview with Journalists shortly after the event, the Lawmaker representing Onitsha North in the State House of Assembly, Hon Patrick Okafor, praised Nwoye for his magnanimity, saying the Senator had endeared himself to the people.
Some of the beneficiaries including Chief Syvester Onukwu, Mrs Gloria Edu and Chuka Nwabudu expressed special thanks to their benefactor for thinking of such moves and said that at least 60 percent of the population of the youths are now empowered to be self-reliance.
They also appreciated him for what he is doing in Anambra as a whole in terms of helping in the provision of some amenities, saying that there is need for other politicians to develop their areas since government alone cannot do everything.
The event also has in attendance, Mr. Peter Obi, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Afred Achebe, all the Traditional rulers from Anambra North, Bishop Valerian Okeke, Bishop Owen Nwokolo, Bishop Paulinus Chukwumemeka Ezeokafor, the Senator representing Enugu East, Senator Kevin Chukwu, Senator Victor Umeh, the Lawmaker representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Hon Afam Ogene, the State Chairman of Labour Party, Chief Ogochukwu Emeh, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, Labour Party supporters, among others.
However, the empowerment programme which took place at the All Saint Cathedral Church Field Onitsha, on Sunday began with a Thanksgiving Services at the Cathedral and the Holy Trinity Catholic Church Onitsha respectively.