A lawmaker representing Khana/Gokana constituency in the Federal House of Representatives Hon. Maurice Pronen has blamed unemployment for poverty in Ogoni land.
Speaking during the official commissioning of his constituency office at Bori, in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State last weekend, Hon. Pronen noted that the pervading poverty occasioned by lack of empowerment opportunity remains a key debilitating factor in Ogoni land, arising from years of neglect and lack of coordinated approach to alleviating the situations experienced generally in the Ogoni nationality.
According to him, the people of Ogoni live in want, have limited opportunities for self advancement and live below the poverty margin, despite the fact that Ogoni land is in the hub of oil and gas production in the Nigerian nation, contributing immensely to national development since 1958 when oil was discovered in commercial quantity in various parts of Ogoni.
Hon. Pronen who recognized the negative impact of poverty on the communities and the involvement of youths in various anti-social vices, instituted a constituency development programme comprising the entrepreneurial development scheme, vocational training and educational support programmes for human capacity development and mitigation of impact of poverty in the constituency to improve living condition of the people of his constituency, with the objective of strengthening economic capacity of people and groups in the constituency.
Earlier in his speech Mr. Kukan, the former chairman of Khana LGA lauded the performance of Hon. Pronen towards the improvement of the lives of the people of Khana/Gokana Constituency.
The former chairman who said he appreciated his effort, noted that what he has started will make Ogonis believe more in the Peoples Democratic Party and shun opposition.
Mr. Kukan enjoined those who left PDP to come back and unite once again.
In his speech Mr. Joe Vesanha the chairman of Ogoni workers in media house who expressed his profound gratitude to Hon. Maurice Pronen, described him as one who has broken the record for impacting on the lives of the people of Ogoni.
Mr. Vesanha noted that the lawmaker was the first Ogoni to invite Ogoni Workers In Media Houses to a round table, stressing that it shows good representation of the people.
He however, called on the people of Ogoni to always express their problems through the media and shun violence and enjoined other politicians and prominent sons and daughters of Ogoni to emulate the lawmakers by empowering the less privileged.
Highlights of the ceremony was the presentation of N50,000 loan to widows and less privileged in Ogoni by the lawmaker. ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
