Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has announced the immediate disbursement of interest-free loans of N100,000 to women entrepreneurs and other small and medium enterprises in rural communities across the state.
Otti, who made this announcement in a goodwill message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Kazie Uko, to commemorating the 2024 International Women’s Day, said the initiative is in fulfillment of his administration campaign promise to empower women in building their businesses at the grassroots.
He further reiterated his administration’s dedication to advancing women’s causes and fostering inclusion.
He said, “This is in fulfillment of our campaign promise to empower our women in building their businesses at the grassroots and help to create wealth across the state. No less than 50 persons per ward are expected to receive the sum of N100,000, each,” Otti said.
Speaking on the theme of this year’s IWD, “Inspire Inclusion”, Governor Otti said his government had been deliberate about empowering women “through improved budgetary allocation to the various sectors that have direct implications on the welfare and well-being of the women and the girl child as well as appointment of women to strategic positions in government.”
“Here, in Abia State, our administration is highly gender sensitive and this has seen to the increased number of women appointed into the State Executive Council and Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government.
“It is worthy of note that women occupy strategic positions in health, education , agriculture and poverty alleviation in the State Executive Council, while out of the total 24 Permanent Secretaries in the state, 17 of them are women. This is unprecedented in the history of the state civil service.”
Furthermore, Governor Otti commended Nigerian women as role models of grace, knowledge, beauty, and strength, recognizing their significant achievements globally.
He emphasized the world’s debt of gratitude to women for their contributions to economic, social, and political development.