By: Daniel Quintino
Last week, the municipality of Bailundo, in the province of Huambo, opened a cooperative called “Gilberto Lutucuta”, in honor of the former Minister of Agriculture, launched on March 14th.
The agricultural project has 350 members, including Gilberto Lutucuta’s family and members of the Santa Rosa commune, in the town of Bailundo.
The inauguration was attended by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Vice António Francisco de Assis, and the Health counterpart, Silvía Lutukuta, as the daughter of the honoree.
On the occasion, Sílvia Lutucuta thanked Minister Francisco Assis for his gesture in recognizing his father’s achievements. “Thank you very much for immortalizing the figure of our father through the creation of this cooperative”, “We feel that the work of our Gilberto Lutucuta was not in vain, it will never be forgotten, thank you very much for your commitment to make this project a reality” , said Silvía Lutucuta.
Silvía Lucuta made it known, on the other hand, with the construction of the Cooperative, the population of that region will not be the same, they will receive many gains and services will arrive more quickly.
The Minister of Health also promised to build a medical post soon.
Minister António Francisco de Assis, during his intervention, highlighted the figure of Gilberto Lutucuta, for his achievements in the country’s development and particularly in the agriculture sector.
“Papa Gilberto or Kota Gilberto, as he was called by his family, was a very dedicated man, he was always there to teach, a very humble person, he always created good policies to encourage love for others”, recalled minister Francisco Assis.
The leader asked the beneficiaries, as well as their families, to take good care of the cooperative as it is a pilot experience in the country and is expected to be replicated in other provinces.
Francisco de Assis, warned the collaborators not to be shy when any problems arise, and for this purpose they should contact him without any fear.
In turn, the acting administrator, Lami Mateia, thanked the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and particularly Minister António de Assis, for implementing the project in his municipality, the Lutucuta family in general, especially Minister Sílvia Lutucuta for collaboration in the process, without forgetting the traditional authorities who knew how to guide families so that land problems did not arise, as has been seen in other places.
Gilberto Buta Lutucuta is a native of Bailundo, province of Huambo, he began his political activity against the colonial regime in 1959, in the Clandestine Progressive Political Nucleus of Support for the Liberation and Independence Movement of Angola, in 1977, he was an instructor at the Popular Defense Organization (ODP) and instructor officer of reserve troop battalions, Secretary of State for Coffee, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, stepping away from active political life in 2019.
He received a diploma of merit from the President of the Republic, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, for serving the country abroad, as Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador. He passed away, in the early hours of February 18, 2022, in Luanda, a victim of illness, at the age of 80.