Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has applauded women for their massive support during the 2023 polls which led to his emergence.
Alia made the remark weekend at IBB Square in Makurdi during the official flag off of Project 774 Explode, an empowerment initiative from the office of the Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Mary Idele Alile.
The governor acknowledged the role of women in the election, assuring them that his administration would continue to promote gender sensitive reforms that will facilitate women’s direct engagement in decision-making in the state.
He called on Benue women to take advantage of the Renewed Hope Initiative brought about by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to improve their lives and families.
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He appreciated Mrs. Tinubu for her continued support, pointing out 50 Benue citizens who are on scholarship, food palliatives and many other assistants she had rendered to Benue through her Renewed Hope Initiative.
Alia also expressed gratitude to the national woman Leader of APC, Mary Idele Alile, for choosing Benue as a suitable destination to flag off her 774 Explode Project.
The governor, after introducing the APC national woman leader, said, “Because some people make the mistake that Fr Alia is without a first lady, I almost said Dr Mary Idele Aliaaaa.”
“What people don’t understand about Benue State and the governor of Benue State who is a Reverend Father is this; mistakenly, they say he doesn’t have a First Lady. For the record, when all the women of Benue are screaming their heads up because their governor, the Reverend Father, is passing. The reason is very simple. All the great women of Benue State are the first ladies of Benue State. That is why via the leadership of the wife of the deputy governor, everything is working so well.”
He, however, said Benue women would continue to queue into the policies and ideologies of President Tinubu’s administration, stressing on the call by the National Woman leader of APC for Benue women to come out and contest for political positions in the next elections.
Alia offered 23 selected women one for each Local Government Area free skills acquisition training in any field of their choices and promised to give each a grant of N500,000 to start a business, even as he said his administration was conscious of the 774 Explode initiative and that he would continue to support programs that will empower women in the state.
In her address, the APC National Woman leader acknowledged the leadership of Governor Alia, describing him as a champion of transformation.
Alile outlined the benefits of 774 Explode to women in Nigeria, thanking Benue women for turning out en masse to embrace the program.
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