Abia women have been
called upon to have an open mind about the Nigeria For Women Project, a World bank assisted intervention for Nigerian women to enable them access the full benefits of the project.
The Deputy Governor Sir Ude Oko Chukwu who made the call in an orientation workshop organised for the Abia State Steering Committee of the Nigeria for women project in Abuja said that the Project is a great relief to the state govt as it benefits the state economically and politically adding that it will help govt achieve it’s women empowerment plans.
Sir Oko Chukwu who is also the Chairman State Steering Committee of the project expressed gratitude to the World bank for the intervention program and also the organisers of the orientation workshop and assured that Abia govt will play it’s part to ensure objectives of the intervention are achieved in the state.
He further promised that proper awareness will be created to enlighten the beneficiaries adding that the state government will put mercenaries in place to ensure that the five year intervention programme continues beyond the five years.
Earlier the Task Team Leader Mr. Micheal Ilesanmi said the intervention is aimed at supporting improved livelihoods for benefiting women in targeted areas of Nigeria. According to Ilesanmi, the target women are women from 18yrs and above with 18 LGAs selected in Nigeria and three including Obingwa, Isiala Ngwa and Ohafia LGAs selected from Abia pointing out that the budget for the project is 100million dollars.
Mr. Ilesanmi explained that the task team from the World Bank is to supervise the project implementation while the state is in charge of the Steering Committee chaired by the deputy governor.
He commended Abia state govt for being the most committed state having paid part of their counterpart fund and charged the state project coordinator to always bring to their notice any challenges that they may encounter.
Also speaking the Abia state project coordinator Mrs Geogina Agbaga revealed that the intervention programme took off in the state in May last year with the aim of improving the livelihood of 54,000 women out if the 324,000 targeted in the country. Mrs. Agbaga noted that a lot of activities are on going to ensure the success of the project in the state and identified some of the challenges facing them to include insufficient fund, delay in data entry among others and attributed the success so far to the support of the govt of the state.
The Abia delegation led by the deputy governor includes the Executive Secretary and Perm Sec Abia State Planning Commission Dr. Mrs. Nnenna Chikezie, the Perm Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs and Secretary of the Steering Committee Mrs. Onyinye Nwachukwu, Perm Sec. Ministry of Agticulture , the President Umuahia Chamber of Commerce Mr. Chidi Aruoma among others.
