The Member representing Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ishaya D. Lalu, has identified economic empowerment as a critical strategy for reducing insecurity, poverty and social vices, arguing that sustainable livelihoods remain central to restoring peace in local communities.
Lalu made this assertion while unveiling a ₦50 million cash empowerment programme alongside the distribution of vehicles, agricultural equipment and other income-generating assets to beneficiaries across the constituency.
According to the lawmaker, insecurity thrives where poverty, unemployment and economic exclusion persist, stressing that engaging people productively would discourage criminality and promote social stability.
“Once people have something doing, they will desist from social injustice. Insecurity will reduce, and we will restore peace through this empowerment,” he stated.
The empowerment package includes Peugeot vehicles, tractors, buses, passenger and cargo tricycles, solar-powered tricycles, irrigation water-pumping machines, motorcycles, electric bicycles, sewing machines, grinding machines and fertiliser, in addition to the ₦50 million cash grant to selected beneficiaries.
Speaking at the launch held at the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Hall in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Lalu said the initiative was inspired by his commitment to improving the economic base of his constituents and fulfilling the mandate entrusted to him.
He explained that the programme was deliberately structured to be skills-based and sustainable, with empowerment items allocated strictly to individuals and groups already engaged in relevant trades.
“Sewing machines are given to trained tailors, water pumps to irrigation farmers, fertiliser to farmers, and other equipment to those who have the capacity to use them productively. This is to ensure effective utilisation and long-term impact,” he said.
Lalu further described the intervention as a product of effective representation, noting that attracting development to constituencies often requires persistence, humility and strategic engagement within the National Assembly.
Earlier, the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, inspected the empowerment items at the Air Force Military School, Jos, ahead of the programme’s formal launch in Mangu, describing the initiative as a practical intervention capable of promoting economic self-reliance and reducing poverty.
“There is no better legacy than lifting people out of poverty and putting them on the path to prosperity. If properly utilised, these items can significantly improve the lives of the beneficiaries,” the governor said.
He also called on elected officials to prioritise collaborative efforts aimed at peace, inclusion and sustainable development across the state.
Traditional institutions in the area welcomed the initiative. The District Head of Mangun in Mangu LGA, HRH Da Job Ali Damyal, speaking on behalf of the traditional council, said grassroots empowerment would contribute to community stability, adding that traditional rulers would monitor the utilisation of the distributed items.
Speaking on behalf of the chairmen of Mangu and Bokkos local government areas, the Deputy Chairman of Mangu LGA, Hon. Nuhu Yakwen, commended Lalu for what he described as exemplary constituency representation and expressed confidence that future phases of the programme would deepen its impact.
Some beneficiaries also expressed appreciation for the intervention. A farmer from Bokkos, Mr. Babawo Suleiman Wang, said the fertiliser he received would help expand his farming activities, while Mrs. Celina Augustine Datit from Mangu Ward 1 described the empowerment as timely and encouraging, calling on other public office holders to adopt similar people-focused initiatives
