ERUTE NORTH, LIRA DISTRICT – Major (Rtd) Emmy Johnson Opio has stormed onto the campaign trail for the NRM flag bearer position in the Erute North Constituency Parliamentary race, captivating voters with a robust development agenda centered on poverty eradication, education, and sustained peace.
Launching joint campaigns in Ogur Sub-county on Saturday and moving through Agweng Town Council and Agweng Sub-county on Sunday, Opio distinguished himself with tangible actions and ambitious promises. His core message resonated deeply: fighting poverty through agricultural transformation.
Demonstrating commitment, Opio revealed he has already distributed 120,000 cocoa seedlings free of charge to Erute North farmers. Significantly scaling up this initiative, he pledged to provide an additional 500,000 cocoa seedlings next year,alongside 500,000 coffee seedlings,aiming to dramatically boost household incomes and agricultural productivity across the constituency.
Beyond agriculture, Opio presented a comprehensive plan for education development.He pointed to his ongoing contribution – the construction of the modern Agweng Parents Nursery and Primary School– as evidence of his dedication. Looking forward, he promised to build a secondary school in Erute North next year.Furthermore, Opio announced plans to establish a printing press in Agweng,specifically tasked with producing exams and textbooks free of charge for all pupils in government schools throughout Erute North,tackling a critical resource gap.
Leveraging his military background, Opio addressed the crucial issue of security and peace.He reminded voters of his role in fighting the LRA, contributing to the peace enjoyed today. "I fought for peace then," he declared, "and I promise not to allow any insecurity to take root in Erute North now." This pledge resonated strongly with communities valuing stability.
As the campaign progresses across Erute North, Major Opio's combination of demonstrable action (seedling distribution, school construction), ambitious future plans (massive seedling rollout, new schools, printing press), and a credible promise of security is generating significant momentum. Many voters on the campaign trail expressed strong optimism, citing his clear vision and track record. Some voiced confidence that his leadership potential could see him elevated to a ministerial role if elected as their Member of Parliament, underscoring the high hopes riding on his candidacy for the NRM ticket.
