Enugu State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Lawrence Ezeh, on Saturday disbursed his personal money totalling ₦50 million to 105 individuals and organisations in Mburubu Community of the state.

Mr Ezeh explained that the gesture was meant to empower the grassroots.

The beneficiaries of the commissioner’s donation, who all hail from Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state, got what the philanthropist also described as grants to boost their agriculture and local businesses.

The seven benefiting villages in the community are Umudara, Uhuegbe, Uhuagu, Obinagu, Umunafor, Amanator, and Amachi, received N1 million each.

Some of the beneficiaries included selected men and women, who got N1 million each, while others received between N200,000 and N500,000.

The youth were collectively given a special grant of N3 million to encourage them to engage in enterprise and innovation, among others.

Mr Ezeh, who is a prince of the community, further explained that the massive intervention also aimed to boost farming activities, and uplift local businesses.

He added that it also aimed to complement Governor Peter Mbah’s administration’s mission to eradicate poverty from every home in the state.

According to him, the initiative is not a political gesture but a deliberate contribution to support Mr Mbah’s economic vision.

He said, “This is my personal money. I am driven by a shared mission with Governor Peter Mbah, to ensure that poverty is eradicated from every household in our dear state. We must ask ourselves every day: how are we supporting the government to bring prosperity to our people?”

He appealed to the beneficiaries to use the resources judiciously so that “more people can benefit in the next round.”

He called on wealthy sons and daughters of Enugu State to emulate the gesture and give back to their roots.

“This money is not for lavish spending. It is for farming, for trade, for enterprise. Let it be seed capital that yields harvests of prosperity,” he admonished the beneficiaries.

The commissioner urged them to continue supporting Mr Mbah’s programmes.

“The transformation of Enugu State requires unity of purpose. Let us walk hand in hand with the government,” he said.

Mr Ezeh assured the community that more interventions would come if they utilised the funds wisely.

“This is only the beginning. Let these yield harvests of success that will multiply opportunities for all,” he said.

Some of the beneficiaries welcomed the gesture and expressed their gratitude, describing it as “timely and transformative.”

One of them, Emmanuel Edeh, praised Mr Ezeh’s commitment to grassroots development.

He said, “He is not just talking about change, he is making it happen.”

Another beneficiary, Cecilia Aniobi, who received N300,000, said: “This is the first time many of us are getting direct support without political strings.”

Ms Aniobi said that the grant would help her expand her cassava farm.

Among the notable individual beneficiaries were artisans, small-scale farmers, traders, and traditional community leaders.

(NAN)