From Mba Nnenna- Abakaliki
Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has approved the hosting of Half International Marathon 21.9km competition scheduled for September 13 and 14 this week.
The state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting, in Abakaliki.
He noted that the approval of the competition followed a presentation by the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development in the state, Richard Idike in conjunction with Fair-Play Sports to the Executive Council after looking at the sports/health and economic benefits of the event to the state especially, as it concerns the convergence of people from various parts of the country.
The Commissioner stated that the council also approved the purchase and installation of poultry cages for the Nkaliki hatchery which has been reactivated by Governor Francis Nwifuru and raising of 15,000 chickens and 20,400 broilers from day-old chicks, aimed at bringing to fruition the investment of the state in the hatchery as part of government’s effort to revitalize the industry.
On empowerment, he said “in response to a memo from the Commissioner for Human Capital Development, the Council approved the sum of Two Hundred and Eighty Five Million Naira (N285,000,000) for the provision of Starter Packs to 95 graduate-trainees of Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru empowerment programme (Batch A) selected from the 13 LGAs of the state, and who successfully completed their two-month intensive training programme on agricultural production, processing and packaging in various agricultural sectors organised by the Masters Skills Development Farms, an agricultural training institute.
“The beneficiaries by virtue of the approval are to receive N3m each. The council also resolved to monitor the beneficiaries to ensure the funds are judiciously utilised.
“This is in furtherance of His Excellency’s multi-faceted empowerment Programme, which is intended to enable the beneficiaries to become self-reliant and ultimately contribute their quota towards the economic development of the state. The Council further approved the release of fund for the commencement of the training of Batch B of the programme”.
