By Wilbet Ijeoma (NewsView)
The Delta State Hon. Commissioner For Economic Planning, Mr. Sony Ekedayen with his D-Cares/FADAMA team today 16th October 2026 stormed Asaba communities, Oshimili South LGA in exercise of the continuous intervention and presentation of high breed agricultural inputs to beneficiaries in local communities.
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The event which took place at Asaba Girls Grammar School (AGGS) hall, Asaba,
brought together 70 beneficiaries – 30 poultry and 40 fish farmers – whom the Commissioner’ urged to propagate the kind gesture of the Governor and mobilize support for all APC candidates ahead of 2027 general elections..
Ekedayen, who represented the Governor of Delta State Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, reiterated that D-Cares is a federal government, world bank and state government collaboration targeted at achieving food security, sustainable development, and committed to providing welfare and empowering Deltans to prosperity.
He noted that before now, 17,430 beneficiaries have been empowered by the state government, and out of this figure, 690 are from the 9 communities in Oshimili South LGA. “Today’s 70 beneficiaries plus 70 others empowered at Otor-Owhe early this week would increase the number”; he added.
The Honourable Commissioner’ and Chairman of State Steering Committee of D-Cares stated that the government is consistent and deliberate in the programme to guarantee food security which is essentially one of the pillars of governance, adding that so far the people are organized, purposeful and law-abiding, the government would locate them.
Ekedayen harped on the Governor’s readiness for continuous intervention, citing the case of beneficiary fish farmers of Camp 74 Anwai who incurred loss last year on account of flood and would be receiving relief from the Governor today. “Today is another promise kept which is an indication that the government genuinely cares and works;” he added.
Ekedayen stated that the D-Cares programme is an intentional action of the Governor to help beneficiaries gravitate or move away from borderline poverty; out of the threshold of economic vulnerability. He added that the government wants to strengthen the economic base of the people and move them to the next level of prosperity.
Speaking to journalists, Ekedayen stated that D-Cares empowerment is a short cut or one of the surest ways out of poverty, as it would generate wealth for farmers within the shortest possible time. He harped on the continuity and extension of the programme, noting that 20 communities have been selected for the ongoing second phase, with two communities empowered already.
Dismissing the claims of politicization of the D-Cares programme raised by journalists, the Commissioner maintained that the programme is intentional and apolitical, fashioned out of genuine love of the Governor for Deltans. He therefore urged the beneficiaries and by extension the people of Oshimili South LGA to reciprocate this love and kind gesture of the Governor by voting for him and other candidates he ask to be voted for, from President to State House of Assembly candidate.
Speaking at the event, the State Coordinator of D-Cares, Lady Dr. Patience Ogbewe commended the Delta State Governor for putting smiles in the face of Deltans by this intervention.
She noted that D-Cares is based on the principle of sustainable development, and literally to be lifted up above the step you’re met. “It leads to long term prosperity; you no longer depend on others to feed nor beg. In the end, it generates economic and sustainable development;” Ogbewe noted.
Speaking further, Dr Ogbewe confirmed that over 17,000 beneficiaries have been empowered with today’s 70 adding to the number. She identified financial insecurity as one of the challenges farmers face which the D-Cares intervention addresses. She also noted that climate change, disease and flood affect interventions, but however assured that FADAMA has a hand-holding disposition to assist it’s beneficiaries in times of challenges, citing the.case.of Camp 74 fish farmers affected by flood in the previous year which the present Intervention sought to address.
Responding to journalists, the State Coordinator mentioned that the primary goal of FADAMA is food security, to make food not only available but affordable. She admitted that the timing of the intervention was intentional and strategic, to flood the market with protein food especially in 3 months time during the yuletide season, and empower beneficiaries to produce and provide food for the society.
She also spoke on the goal of expanding the structure of the programme horizontally by getting more beneficiaries into the net and vertically by intensifying efforts put into the programme to ensure the programme achieves desired results.
Earlier in the opening remarks, the State Project Coordinator FADAMA/Technical Head D-Cares RA2, Theresa Omame expressed delight over the smile in the faces and joy in the hearts of the beneficiaries which is government’s intendment for the programme. She however noted that earlier on, some persons were skeptical over the sincerity of the programme, which now stands justified by the successes recorded so far.
The Project Coordinator noted that D-Cares started three years ago in the riverine axis of Oko communities in Oshimili South which is the most difficult terrain,. Indicating that the programme does not discriminate.
She projected government’s expectation for the next three months to see the beneficiaries providing market supplies of poultry and fishes for Christmas.
“In the next three months we are going to have people that have more money in their pockets to do some of the things they were not able to do and people that will contribute to the macro-economy of this local government area”; Omame stated.
Omame while responding to journalists justified the choice of chicks and fingerlings as agricultural inputs for Oshimili South beneficiaries citing the peculiarity of the land terrain which makes it less feasible for cassava cultivation. She further rated the outreach performance of D-Cares programme at 80% having reached 153 communities including riverine communities in far Warri North LGA of Delta state plus 2 more communities reached recently. She added that communities are reached when there is expression of interest and that FADAMA interfaces with the traditional leadership of communities and generates its own database based on socioeconomic analysis and needs assessment which dismisses concerns of political interference raised by the public.
Ernest Okosi, Secretary of APC Ward 9 in Oshimili South LGA gave a goodwill message on behalf of the beneficiaries’ community. He testified he was one time beneficiary in 2024 and thanked the government for sustaining the programme, while asking for more beneficiaries to be added to the programme. He assured the Governor of 5/5 support from the people of Oshimili South LGA in the forthcoming elections.
Ekedayen concluded by charging the beneficiaries’ and members of the community to support the Governor and his bid for second tenure to consolidate on the present gains. He thanked the community for organizing themselves in groups and wished them fruitful use of the inputs.
The Commissioner led the presentation of the inputs to the beneficiaries, and charged them to put the seeds to.good use. Augustine Amechi of Harmony Fish, Dike Chizzy Favour of The Great Fishery and Endurance Idagwe of Camp 74 Precision Fish Farm were among the beneficiaries who in turn thanked the Governor for remembering and caring for them.
Also present in the event were Head of Operations D-Cares Coordinating Unit Mr. Christopher Onye Nike abs Mrs Tessy Obote Obuh.
Highpoints of the event were opening remarks, State Coordinator’s and Commissioner’s addresses, presentation of inputs, press interview and group photographs.
