Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, Friday, officially flagged off women empowerment scheme with the disbursement of individual livelihood grants to 2,094 women across the state.
The governor, who performed the flag-off ceremony at the re-launching of ‘Oko’wo Dapo scheme’ in collaboration with Nigeria For Women Project (NFWP) at the MKO Abiola Int’l Stadium, Abeokuta, said women empowerment and emancipation would continue to be at the front burner of his administration.
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The event had the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Pauline Tallen; wives of Kwara and Osun states governors; the World Bank Country Director, Mr. Shubham Chaudhuri, among other dignitaries in attendance.
Abiodun noted that in the economic architecture of his government, the womenfolk form a vital economic bloc, hence, the emplacement of various schemes to empower them, not only financially but economically.
He emphasised that the empowerment programmes are targeted at alleviating poverty and increasing prosperity of women.
While commending the Federal Government for the initiative of the Nigeria for Women Projects (NFWP), the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and the World Bank; Abiodun said the choice of Ogun as one of the six states in each of the six geo-political zones of Nigeria for the implementation of the NFWP programme is commendable.
He expressed optimism that the NFWP programme would be extended to other local government areas in Ogun, saying the FG’s scheme is in tandem with Oko’wo Dapo Scheme.
Abiodun stated further that after disbursing the individual grants to women beneficiaries across the three implementing Local Government Areas of Odeda; Ijebu North-East; and Yewa North, his administration would re-launch Oko’wo Dapo scheme in the remaining 17 LGAs of the state.
