LAGOS AUGUST 24TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Burutu Local Government Council recently flag-off the the Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) with the establishment of training institutions and empowerment of the people including physically challenged. Oghenekevwe Laba who was at the event gives account of the exciting flag-off ceremony with pictorial illustrations

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Wednesday, August 22ND 2012 will long be remembered by the indigenes and resident of Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State. It is a day the aged, the young and the physically challenged wish it will not come to an end. It was the day some of them have their lives uplifted, while others have their hopes kindled.

The day was no other day than the flag-off ceremony of the Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) in Burutu LGA. The audience poured encomium and sang praises on the initiators of the programme as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Burutu LGA, Navy Captain Buckman Deinne (RTD) announced the empowerment of no fewer than 102 youths in tailoring and fisheries vocation in addition to the provision of funds to no fewer than ten physically challenged people to set- up business.

The event which was held at the Burutu Town Hall witnessed the presence of traditional rulers, Mr Bobi Frank representing Delta State Commissioner of Local Government Affairs, Barr Newworld Safugha, Delta South Coordinator of SURE-P, Barr. Isa Clark and military personnel among others.

It would be recalled that SURE-P came into existence in 2011 when the Federal Government decided to discontinue the full implementation of oil subsidy to eliminate the full financial burden it poses on government and to direct the resources from the partial removal of oil subsidy to investments in critical areas of need that will stimulate economic growth and citizen empowerment.

When the programme was introduced, many people doubted the sincerity and ability of the government to implement the programme. Critics have however been proved wrong with the prompt release of funds accruing from the subsidy removal to the three tiers of government for the implementation of the programme with direct bearing on the leaving standard of the people.

The resultant effect of the disbursed funds for the implementation of SURE-P programme has started taking effect from the Federal to State down to the local government levels as evidence had shown that Nigerians in all spheres of life have started benefitting from the programme.

With the flag-off of the programme in Burutu LGA, the Transition Committee Chairman Buckman Deinne and his team mapped out critical areas of need for the implementation and number of persons to benefit from the initial flag- off. The first step they took was to established and equipped five Training Institutes, two of which are already functioning with twenty students in each institution. The two completed Training Institutes are located at Kiagbodo and Tuomo towns.

In his address, Deinne disclosed that they intended to train no fewer than 100 persons in the tailoring institutions, adding that one hundred sewing machines would be provided for one hundred successful trainees.

“Also a training programme on the production of “boxer shorts” for men for one hundred persons is in progress with a view to establishing a factory in future to handle the production of uniforms and coverall,” he explained.
In the area of fishing, no fewer than eighty two youths were selected from different communities in the local government area and trained in the act of fish farming at Songhai, Amukpe, Sapele Delta State. The youths were also empowered with working tools and cash on the flag-off day in what the council tagged as “Pilot Aqua Culture Scheme” in Burutu LGA. The trainees were given starter packs made up of surface ponds, fish feeds and one thousand finger ling. The council promised paying N5, 000 as stipends for four months for each participant.

The physically challenged were also taking along in the programme. Ten of them selected from different communities in the local government area were given N100, 000 each of which to start a business. The fund is expected to make them productive and relevant to themselves, their families and society at large.
Addressing the beneficiaries of the programme, Delta State Commissioner of Directorate of Local Government Affairs, Barr. Newworld Safugha who was represented by Director of Directorate of Local Government Affairs, Mr. Bobi Frank, lauded Burutu Transitional Committee Chairman Buckmann Deine for putting in place a laudable programme that would make beneficiaries self reliant, self sustaining and self employed.

“What is more? It is way of keying into one of His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan’s 3-Point agenda of human capital development. I must commend the effort of Navy Capt Buckman Deinne Chairman Burutu LGA for empowering the women, youths and the physically challenged persons via skill acquisition in the area of fashion designing and co-operative fish ,” he stated.
While applauding the effort of the organiser of the programme for empowering the beneficiaries, Federal SURE-P Coordinator Delta South Senatorial Zone, Alhaji (Barr.) Isa Clark, advised those empowered to give value to whatever they are getting from the programme so as to show the importance of the programme to the people.

“This is an advice to you. You must give value to whatever you are getting today. Whatever benefit you are getting as employment you must put in your best performance so as to show that the programme is a good one. Those of you who received equipment for fishing should make good use of it for the benefit of the society.,” Isa Clark advised the beneficiaries, just as he pointed out that one important thing about the programme is that it is not a selective programme and not made for PDP followers alone.
A physically challenged beneficiary who simply identified himself as Godswill thanked the government for giving him N100,000. He told Urhobotoday that he would use the money to better his life by establishing a provision store.

Like Oliver Twist, Godswill who is musician married with children however appealed to Government purchase musical instrument for him so that he could practice his cherished musical profession.
“ I thank the Government for what they have done me. I will use the N100,000 giving to me to open provision store. I am married with children. Although, the government has tried, I will want them to purchase musical instrument for me so that I can do what I know how to do best. I am a musician by profession,” Godswill appealed.