Hammed Shittu writes about the various efforts of the Kwara State Government to improve development in the state, through focus on the needs of women and community development associations (CDAs)
The importance of women in the socio economic development of any society cannot be over-emphasised. Apart from the fact that they are pillars of any family in any given society, they have been part of social change to the extent that their relevance in the political calculation in any nation cannot be under-estimated.
Based on this premise, the present administration under the leadership of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed in Kwara state has continued to accord women priority status in the day-to-day governance of the state since he assumed the leadership of the state.
To the credit of the administration, many women were appointed as members of the state executive council while others benefited from the recent re-constitution of the transition implementation committee in the 16 local government councils of the state. At least five of the women were appointed as the TIC council chairmen in the state.
Empowerment Drive
However, in view of the current economic recession in the country which also extended to Kwara, the present government in the state decided to set up an empowerment process for womenfolk so as to enable them have access to soft loans that would go a long way in improving their economic businesses.
The provision of such empowerment to women in the state according to THISDAY checks would also reduce poverty and boost business activities, as this would add values to the socio well-being of the populace.
Financial Boost
Speaking at the presentation of cheques to the beneficiaries of the empowerment drive in Ilorin recently, the state governor, Alhaji Ahmed said, “Since inception, my administration has prioritised the informal sector as a major driver of economic activities and as the area in which majority of our people make a living”.
According to him, “Our approach to strengthening the sector has been the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) scheme under which micro-credit funds are disbursed via micro finance banks to qualifying cooperative groups”.
He said, ‘Indeed, the MSME scheme also offers reliable, efficient and measurable means of empowering and creating jobs for important but disadvantaged segments of our population such as youths and women. It gives me great joy, therefore, to be here today for this symbolic disbursement of funds to beneficiaries of the Kwara State Women Empowerment Programme”.
Ahmed added, ‘The N20 million that we are disbursing today is the first tranche of the programme under which a total of N41m will be provided to eligible women cooperatives across the state. The remaining N21m will be released to other qualifying women in the coming months”.
“As you may be aware, the empowerment scheme is part of the government’s efforts to enhance the livelihoods of women by supporting them to expand existing businesses and create new ones. Specifically, it is designed to assist women who are the powerful majority of the electorate and are in dire need of financial assistance to do their businesses.
“To ensure spread, the first set of beneficiaries is drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state: Kwara Central, Kwara South and Kwara North”.
The governor noted that, ‘Our decision to prioritise women through today’s event is, perhaps, inevitable. Undoubtedly, the role of women in our society cannot be underestimated. This is premised on the crucial role women have played and continue to play in shaping our state politically, socially and economically”.
He also said, “Similarly, as a progressive state, we have realised that no society can get ahead if it leaves women behind. For this reason, the Kwara State government believes that women, being the largest component of our population, are critical to achieving our shared goals of prosperity.
“In view of this, this government has put in place various programmes to educate, and empower women and young girls with the tools, resources and skills necessary to build productive lives for the benefit of the society. An example of this is the MSME scheme for small and medium scale businesses in the state which prioritises women and young business owners”, the governor said.
He added, “The scheme has so far recorded a 75 per cent repayment rate and is certain to record even higher returns with today’s disbursement. This is because more women are engaged in the informal sector and are often breadwinners or heads of single-parent homes.”
He urged the beneficiaries to judiciously apply the funds for businesses and ventures for which they are intended, and urged them “to join hands with the government to foster economic empowerment for all, as well as work towards ensuring the entrenchment of good governance by playing a complementary role such as paying taxes and keeping the peace”.
The governor also applauded the Kwara State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for ensuring the first phase of the N41 million Kwara State Women Empowerment programme is a success.
Reducing Poverty
Also speaking, the state commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajia Ayinke Saka lauded the efforts of the present administration to reduce poverty among the residents of the state especially the womenfolk. She said such a gesture would bring new lease of life to the people; thereby improving the socio economic growth of the state.
Hajia Saka, who advised the beneficiaries of the first phase of the empowerment to make use of the funds judiciously, said they should strive harder to pay up on time as agreed so as to allow others benefit from the financial assistance.
The commissioner therefore assured governor Ahmed that the womenfolk in the state would continue to support the government in the task of accelerating the socio economic growth of the state.
Beneficiaries’ Response
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with THISDAY during the programme lauded the present administration’s efforts at reducing poverty among the womenfolk in the state.
Mrs. Bimbo Iyanda, a trader at Oja-Tuntun, Ilorin said the empowerment collected from the state government would be used to develop her business. She said such financial assistance would help her add more to her stocks; thereby allowing the business to grow very well.
Also, Alhaja Bolanle Bello, a foodstuff seller at Ipata market, Ilorin commended governor Ahmed for the assistance at this period of economic recession in the country. She therefore assured that the money will be used to add more stocks to her business in order to increase more patronage from her customers
With the current giant stride of the present administration in the state to rise to the needs of women and community development associations through empowerment in this period of economic recession, there is no doubt that such giant strides would improve the economic activities of the residents of the state. This will also, in turn, reduce poverty among the residents of the state.
