Deputy Chief of Staff to the Kwara State Governor, Mr. Adeleke Ogungbe, Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Oladepo Aborisade and other Peoples Democratic Party chiefs have empowered no fewer than 200 farmers in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The farmers in Etan/Oke Opin ward in the LGA were given items worth N3m and cash of N500,000.

Some of the items donated to them were spraying machines, chemicals, school bags and bags, rice, etc.

Aborisade said the action was aimed at complementing the efforts of the state government.

He said farmers were critical in driving the development of the society.

On his part, Ogungbe said the gesture was born out of the desire to encourag the rural dwellers.

"Through this token, we are complementing the effort of the government in making life meaningful for rural dwellers. If they are taken care of, it will check rural-urban drift," he said.

Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke with journalists, said the chemicals and the spraying machines would eradicate the use of hoes to weed grass on their farms.

They added that the school bags would be useful to their children's education.

Chairman, Etan/Oke Opin ward, PDP, Mr. Festus Olagbemi, commended the donors for their gesture.

He urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items, promising those yet to benefit that theirs would come in subsequent empowerment programmes.

Also, PDP Chairman in Ekiti Local Government Area, Chief Ogunbodede Ogunrinde, received some defectors from other parties in the state.

"Your decision to embrace the PDP will position you for top political offices which have eluded you in the past," he said.