Jane Salihu
Former Senator representing Anambra Central, Uche Ekwunife, has commended First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Initiative’s interventions in Anambra and Imo States, describing the programmes as practical steps towards improving the wellbeing of vulnerable Nigerians.
Ekwunife, who is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 Anambra Central Senatorial Election, said the First Lady’s recent visits to the two states demonstrated a shared vision of inclusive development and stronger grassroots intervention.
She said the launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme for the South-East zone in Amawbia was particularly significant, noting that food security remained fundamental to the survival and prosperity of families.
“This initiative goes beyond the mere distribution of palliative materials. It is a structured institutional approach to eradicating hunger and offering agricultural support to widows, the elderly, and persons living with disabilities,” Ekwunife said.
According to her, “A government that cannot feed its most vulnerable populations cannot reasonably demand their civic engagement.”
Ekwunife said the intervention aligned with her longstanding advocacy for agricultural support, rural empowerment and social safety nets for vulnerable Nigerians.
She added that the inauguration of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Information and Communications Technology Experience Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, represented an important investment in the future of Anambra youths.
“This technological leap perfectly mirrors my blueprint for youth development. I have always championed the necessity of transitioning our educational curriculum to reflect the realities of the twenty-first century,” she said.
Ekwunife said the ICT centre would equip young people with digital skills and create opportunities for them to participate in the global digital economy.
“Our young men and women possess immense brilliance that only requires the right platforms to flourish,” she added.
The former senator also commended the statewide empowerment programme launched at the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, which targeted beneficiaries across the 21 local government areas of Anambra State.
She said the distribution of sewing machines, gas cookers, refrigerators and agro-processing equipment would provide beneficiaries with the means to establish businesses, generate income and contribute to local economic growth.
“When you empower a woman with a sewing machine or a farmer with processing equipment, you are giving them financial independence, dignity, and the ability to educate their children,” Ekwunife said.
She stressed that the objective of empowerment should be to enable people to become economically productive rather than permanently dependent on government assistance.
“Our people do not want endless handouts. They want the leverage to build their own prosperity,” she said.
Ekwunife further praised the Renewed Hope Initiative for its focus on agriculture, economic empowerment, health, education and social investment, saying the approach was helping to address challenges faced by vulnerable Nigerians across the country.
She also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting programmes aimed at improving the living conditions of Nigerians, particularly those at the grassroots.
“I want to use this medium to specifically appreciate Mr. President for his bold and pragmatic approach to governance,” she said.
Ekwunife said the combination of economic reforms by the Federal Government and social interventions through the Renewed Hope Initiative would help cushion the impact of current economic challenges on vulnerable citizens.
In Imo State, she noted that the First Lady also flagged off the distribution of agricultural inputs, food items and economic empowerment tools to thousands of vulnerable women, widows, youths and persons living with disabilities across the 27 local government areas.
She said the commissioning of projects focused on healthcare and women’s development further demonstrated the Federal Government’s attention to the needs of communities in the Southeast.
Having served alongside Senator Oluremi Tinubu in the 8th and 9th National Assembly, Ekwunife said the First Lady’s current interventions reflected the qualities she had demonstrated during her years in the Senate.
“Having served with Senator Oluremi Tinubu in both the 8th and 9th Nigerian Senate, I can personally attest that her generosity is second to none,” she said.
“What she is presently doing through the Renewed Hope Initiative is naturally built-in to her and not politically driven. It is the same compassion, diligence, and commitment to the people that she demonstrated as a distinguished colleague, now amplified on a national scale,” Ekwunife added.
She assured her constituents that she would continue to support initiatives aimed at improving their welfare and ensuring that Anambra Central benefits from national development programmes.
“My fundamental mission remains the same. I will leverage every resource at my disposal to ensure our people receive their fair share of national development,” she said.
Ekwunife urged beneficiaries to make effective use of the equipment, digital facilities and agricultural support provided, while calling for peace and unity in the Southeast.
She said, “The era of divisive rhetoric must give way to unified purpose and shared prosperity.”
She expressed appreciation to the First Lady for the visits, saying the interventions had demonstrated the benefits of aligning grassroots aspirations with federal development initiatives.
