Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, has pledged her readiness to ameliorate the suffering of widows and empower them for self-fulfilment and to contribute positively to the economy at the grassroots.
Dr Oyebanji said widows should not be abandoned to their fate but be given hope and support to take care of themselves, their children and also to have a sense of belonging as important stakeholders in the Ekiti project.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN ) reports that the First Lady made the remarks at the commencement of screening of widows for her pet project, Widows and Orphans Hope (WAOH) Project at her office in Ado- Ekiti, the state capital.
Over 25,000 names of prospective beneficiaries under WAOH were collated paving the way for their invitation in batches to participate in the screening exercise to know their areas of needs and intervention for their assistance.
Dr Oyebanji said that widows were a vulnerable segment of the population that must be given the needed assistance.
She said that WAOH was established to give them succour, assist them to fulfill their potentials and rescue them from hardship imposed on them by the demise of their husbands and breadwinners.
Oyebanji, who was represented at the event by WAOH Project Coordinator, Kemi Dairo, explained that the screening of the prospective beneficiaries was an important step towards the official inauguration and the full take-off of the scheme.
She said that registration exercise would still continue to incorporate more beneficiaries.
According to her, the screening exercise became necessary to avoid confusion as well as ensure that the rightful beneficiaries were given relief materials.
The wife of the governor said that she identifies with the widows and urged them to see WAOH as a critical platform to better their lives and to help them overcome the challenges of the position fate has thrust on them.
“Through this project, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji is making a strong statement that widows in Ekiti should not suffer. We are under a government that put smiles on the faces of the people of the state.
“As Governor Biodun Oyebanji is working hard to make life easier for the people of the state, the First Lady is not relenting in complementing the efforts of her husband in bettering lives of our people in the grassroots.
“The First Lady is assuring the widows that their welfare is of paramount importance to her and we want you to go back to your communities and spread the news.
“Those who are yet to be registered for the scheme are still free to do so.
“We want to know the needs of each of you so that we can know which areas to intervene in assisting you.
“Another team will visit you in your places of residence and business to further authenticate the information you have supplied. That is the purpose of this screening,” she said.
Two of the beneficiaries, Idowu Mustapha and Moyo Tawose, commended the wife of the governor for coming up with the initiative, not influenced by political affiliation and other primordial considerations.
Mrs Mustapha said: “This is a very laudable programme and we are grateful to our First Lady for this. I was very happy when I was invited to come here today. I don’t know anybody in government and I don’t belong to any party.
“I just went to my LCDA to go and register and that was it. Our First Lady is a God-sent person to assist we widows and God will help her and answer her prayers.”
Also, Mrs Tawose appreciated Oyebanji for remembering widows.
“I am very excited about this and we pray for her.
“She will received God’s favour for this gesture of hers,” Tawose said.