_…Targets 520 beneficiaries across 260 wards; says intervention will promote grassroots enterprise, reduce poverty_

The Enugu State Government has distributed 520 grinding machines to indigent and vulnerable residents across the state as part of Governor Peter Mbah’s administration’s sustained efforts to reduce poverty, promote economic inclusion and expand livelihood opportunities at the grassroots.

The intervention, which covers all 260 electoral wards in the 17 local government areas, provides two grinding machines to beneficiaries in each ward and is designed to equip disadvantaged residents with productive assets to establish small businesses, generate income and improve their living conditions.

The initiative was formally launched on Tuesday to commemorate the 2026 International Day of the Poor.

Governor Mbah, who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the programme reflected his administration’s commitment to building an inclusive and prosperous Enugu State where every citizen, irrespective of social or economic circumstances, has the opportunity to improve their standard of living.

He explained that the distribution went beyond the provision of equipment, describing it as a practical investment in the economic independence of vulnerable households and an effort to ensure that the benefits of governance were felt directly at the grassroots.

The governor noted that providing beneficiaries with productive assets would enable them to establish viable micro-enterprises, earn sustainable incomes, support their families and contribute to the state’s broader economic development.

In her keynote address, the Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Poverty Eradication, Prof. Benedette Okoli, disclosed that the beneficiaries were selected from the Enugu State Social Register of the Poor and Vulnerable, compiled by the State Operations Coordinating Unit.

She stressed that the selection was based on verified data and established vulnerability criteria, insisting that political affiliation, favouritism and personal connections played no part in determining those who benefited from the programme.

Prof. Okoli urged the recipients to make productive use of the equipment, maintain them properly and seize the opportunity to establish sustainable businesses capable of generating regular income and improving their families’ welfare.

She assured residents that the state government would continue to introduce and expand targeted interventions aimed at creating economic opportunities for disadvantaged groups and addressing poverty across the state.

In their goodwill messages, the Chairman of the Ezeagu Local Government Area Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Emmanuel Anichebe; Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke; and Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Robert Ozongwu, commended Governor Mbah for the initiative.

They described the intervention as timely and impactful, noting that the provision of productive equipment would stimulate small-scale economic activities, ease the financial difficulties confronting vulnerable households and improve the livelihoods of beneficiaries.

Two beneficiaries, Mr. Peter Chime from Obuofia-Awkunanaw and Mrs. Virginia Nwachukwu from Obe community, expressed gratitude to the governor, describing the gesture as an opportunity to become economically productive and financially independent.

They said the grinding machines would enable them to establish small businesses, generate regular income and provide better support for their families, pledging to put the equipment to effective use.

The beneficiaries also pledged their support for Governor Mbah’s re-election, President Bola Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the 2027 general elections, describing their commitment as an expression of appreciation for the administration’s intervention.

The Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Poverty Eradication reiterated the state government’s determination to sustain and broaden its empowerment initiatives as part of its comprehensive strategy to tackle poverty, strengthen household economies and improve the welfare of vulnerable residents.