Residents of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have expressed readiness to embrace the World Bank-supported Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up Project aimed at empowering unbanked rural and peri-urban women aged 18 and above who are engaged in a trade or with a source of income.
The initiative is keyed into by the Ondo State government as it is in tandem with the Our Ease mandate of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.
At the community-level engagement, which included advocacy and sensistisation visits to the Local Government area by the Just in Time Mission of the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up Project, residents were enlightened on the benefits of the program and the need to own it towards ensuring its success and sustainability.
The engagement also had residents of Igbokoda, Ugbonla, and other adjoining communities ask questions about areas needing clarification on the project, with officials explaining the programme’s step-by-step approach.
The team, led by a Senior Technical Adviser, Mr. Temitope Ayodele, appreciated the turnout of the people, urging them to “take advantage of this initiative for a turnaround of the lives of women. This programme is meant for women aged 18 and above with a source of income, such as fishing, tailoring, trading, among others. You will be expected to form yourselves into groups called Women Affinity Groups which will operate according to some non-negotiable principles.”
Ayodele said the effective management of the groups will determine the level of empowerment that they will access from the government. Hence, the need to ensure that women who are residents of the areas are the ones in the groups.He also mentioned that eligible persons are to be recommended by their own people to serve as Ward Facilitators.
Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Seun Bosede Osamaye, represented by the Project Coordinator in the state, Dr Mrs Jumoke Bakare, highlighted the interest of the Aiyedatiwa administration in women development. “This is why our Governor did not waste time before keying into this lofty programme. I therefore urge you all to embrace it and take advantage of it for your economic empowerment.”
At Ugbonla Community, the team encouraged residents to be enthusiastic about the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up project and ensure its success in their domain. Several questions were also raised during the interactive session and answered by the team.
Present at the community engagement and advocacy were Local Government officials led by the Council’s Vice Chairman, Hon. Mrs. Oluwarantimi Esejuwon-Aworunse, who stood in for the Local Government Chairman, Hon. Oripenaye Maurice, community leaders from various communities in the Local Government Area, religious leaders, women groups, among others. An interaction with the directors at the local government level also spelt out the coordination roles to be played at the local government and ward levels.
On the team of the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up Project are: Senior Technical Adviser, Temitope Ayodele, Security Adviser, Olajide Afolabi, Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor, Jeph Oluwagbemiga, Ondo SPCU team, led by the State Project Coordinator, Dr. Jumoke Bakare, as well as the NFWP-SU team from Ogun State, led by Opeoluwa Asoro.
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