Alia urges women to embrace First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative for empowerment
…As project 774 Explode kick starts
By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has encouraged women in the state to take advantage of the Renewed Hope Initiative launched by the Office of the First Lady of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu.
Governor Alia made the call on Saturday during the official flag-off of Project 774 Explode, an empowerment initiative by the Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Dr. Mary Idele Alile, at IBB Square in Makurdi. He urged the women to seize the opportunity to enhance their lives and those of their families.
The Governor acknowledged the role of women in the election that brought him on board as the Governor of the State, and assured that his administration will continue to promote gender sensitive reforms that will facilitate women’s direct engagement in decision making in the state.
He appreciated the First Lady of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu for her continued support, disclosed that 50 Benue citizens are on scholarship, food palliatives and many other assistance given to Benue State through her Renewed Hope Initiative.
He expressed profound gratitude to the national woman Leader of APC, for choosing Benue State as a suitable destination to flag off her 774 Explode Project.
The Governor maintained that Benue women will continue to queue into the policies and ideologies of President Tinubu’s administration and added his voice to the call by the National Woman leader of APC for Benue women to come out in their numbers to contest for political positions in the next general elections.
He offered 23 selected women one from each Local Government Area for free skills acquisition training in any field of their choices and promised to give each a grant of five hundred thousand naira to start a business, even as he said his administration was conscious of the 774 Explode initiative he would continue to support programs that would empower women in the state.
In her address, the APC National Woman leader, Dr. Mary Idele Alile acknowledged the pragmatic leadership of the state Governor, and described him as a champion of transformation.
She outlined the benefits of 774 Explode to women in Nigeria, thanking Benue women for turning out en masse to embrace the program.
In his keynote address, Hon. Denis Dzawua enlightened women on gender inclusiveness in politics and called on Benue women to come out and participate in the forthcoming local government elections.
The Special Advisor to the Governor on Women Affairs, Hon. Scholastica Ben-sor, explained that women’s huge presence at the occasion was a sign that Benue Women were all out to embrace the initiative of the APC National Woman leader.
The State Acting Chairman of APC, Hon. Benjamin Omakolo while delivering his goodwill message said Benue APC under the leadership of Governor Alia is very proud of the good work that President Tinubu is doing and they were solidly behind him.
The wife of the Honourable Speaker, of the 10th Benue state house of Assembly, Hon. Mrs. Kundumiyol Aondona Dajoh, in her good will message, lauded the initiative of the APC National Woman Leader which according to her has direct bearing on the lives of Benue women and the country at large.
Mrs. Dajoh thanked Mr. President and his amiable wife for having the plight of women at heart and implementing policies and programs that would better the lives of Nigerian women.
She described the APC National Woman Leader appointment as a round peg in a round hole that is making Nigerian women proud.
Nigerian NewsDirect reports that the state women’s personalities present at the occasion were; the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Ann Itoto represented by Eunice Tachia, the wife of the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Christie Ode, and wife of Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Cynthia Kundumyol Dajoh.
