NEWS - OGUN EARMARKS N1BN FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

NEWS - OGUN EARMARKS N1BN FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday 5^th Dec. 2011  inaugurated the Women Advancement Forum (WAFO), disclosing that his administration had earmarked N1 billion to assist women in business in the state.

He said the soft loan would be given at a single digit interest rate to the business women, adding that “This is intended to empower our women-folk and boost commerce across the state. In view of our policy of 'Empowerment without Exploitation', we have decided to subsidise the interest rate considerably.”

The governor told the audience that included his wife, Mrs Olufunso Amosun, and over 150 women groups that “women empowerment is not an end in itself but a prerequisite for the achievement of sustainable development".

“This, therefore, explains why our administration is resolutely committed to fostering a healthy respect for persons irrespective of race, ethnic group, class, religion, disability or gender and recognizes that women empowerment is a viable tool for eradicating poverty and ensuring sustainable development,” Senator Amosun said.

The governor, while emphasizing the importance of gender equality in the country, disclosed that his administration had “established Gender Desks in all Agencies of Government in the state to facilitate the integration of women issues into all our policies, programmes and projects”.

He also disclosed that “Bills on Equal Opportunity (as it relates to Gender) and Violations Against Women are already in the pipeline and would soon be sent to the House of Assembly for passage into Law”.

Governor Amosun explained that the inauguration of WAFO was a watershed in the history of the state adding, “Today’s event is not only a fulfilment of our promise, but also the making of another great history with the inauguration of the Ogun State Women Advancement Forum (WAFO) comprising Three Hundred women, with at least one from each of the 236 Wards of the state and other interest groups and stakeholders.”

He said members of the forum should not see themselves as replacement of the women structure in the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) but an attempt to bring governance closer to women in the state: ”The women structure in our party is still intact and WAFO is to ensure that all women, irrespective of party affiliation are taken care of.”

He tasked members of the forum to see themselves as “ambassadors of our women in the state”.

In her welcome address, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Elizabeth Sonubi, lamented that despite the fact that "women constitutes more than 50 percent of the Nigerian population, they still don’t have up to 13 percent in political appointments."

She however commended Governor Amosun for appointing many women into his cabinet and giving priority to issues that had to do with women and child right.
 

This was signed by

Funmi Wakama

SSA (Media and Communication)