The Abia State Government has asserted that the encouragement of human capital development through the empowerment of women and youths, particularly the vulnerable will continue to occupy preeminent position in its policy trust .
The Coordinator, Abia State Harmonized Task Force, Aba Zone ,Chief Uche Wogu, who disclosed this on Tuesday, May,14, 2024, at the occasion of the disbursement of cash palliatives to indigent petty women traders in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia, emphasised that such empowerment programme remains one of the potent ways of growing the economy of the state.
Chief Wogu, who is also the Mayor of the cosmopolitan Aba South Council noted that the empowerment programme, which is being carried out in conjunction with the wife of the State Governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti, primarily aims at improving and adding value to the petty trading activities of the women which, in turn, will act as a catalyst to the growth and development of the state.
” You see , I have taken the time to go round most of the markets in Aba. And in the process I have also seen how most of these women as industrious and hard working as they are, being inhibited by lack of cash .
“I discovered that most of them are conducting their business activities ,with as low as N5000. And we came to the conclusion that if empowered, they can do better both for themselves and for the larger economic development of the State. That informed our decision to encourage them, most especially at this period of economic hardship in the country .
“The bottom line is that since our people are naturally industrious ,rather than gathering them to be dishing out some food items as palliatives, the Government believes that it will be more viable and meaningful to pursue measures that will encourage self reliance and contribution to the Gross Domestic Products GDP of the state.” Chief Wogu stated .
According to him ,the empowerment programme is in sync with the vision and mission of the wife of the Governor who, since the inception of the present administration, has been championing and promoting the interests of the less privileged and vulnerable sets of the society.
The Coordinator of the State Harmonized Task Force noted that having conducted surveys on the particular needs of some of the vulnerable groups,the attendant palliative support will be provided in phases to see how a large part of them can be accommodated .
“In this pilot phase, our emphasis is the indigent petty women traders .And as time goes on ,we will be accommodating the youths ,through skill acquisition programmes .
“In that case ,we are already in talks with some local and international partners ,who have shown interests in skill acquisitions training for our youths.”
Chief Wogu, however, assured the women that could not be captured in this first phase of the empowerment programme,to exercise patience as they would form the nucleus of the next phase .
“We are encouraged by what the First Lady of Abia has been doing .When you look at these women ,you will know that truly ,they need this cash . For me I have adopted all of them as my own family members . No body will ever harass them in this Council.,seize their ware in the name of touting .
“Whoever touches them ,throw their goods away and or harass them has beaten me .They deserve our protection and we will ensure that they conduct their trading activities in line with extant rules and regulations . Orderliness must be maintained ,but they will not molested by anybody.”
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to the press ,while expressing pleasant surprise and joy at the Government’s action which they described as novel ,prayed for God’s guidance and protection for all those behind the programme that has lifted their spirits.
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