By Dada AYOKHAI
The Edo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has expressed readiness to partner with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to expand skills acquisition, economic empowerment and poverty reduction initiatives across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
The proposed collaboration was brought to the attention of the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Eugenia Abdallah, when the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Bisi Idaomi, Esq., paid a courtesy visit to her in Benin City.
Hon. Idaomi briefed the Women Affairs Commissioner on the proposed partnership, which is aimed at leveraging the structures and resources of the 18 local government councils to develop sustainable empowerment programmes for women, youths and other vulnerable residents.
Welcoming the initiative, Abdallah expressed her support for the collaboration, stressing the importance of developing innovative and sustainable approaches to funding and implementing grassroots empowerment programmes.
She noted that the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, given its mandate of promoting the welfare and empowerment of women and vulnerable groups, would be willing to work with relevant government institutions and development partners to ensure that interventions reach the intended beneficiaries.
Abdallah further advocated greater utilisation of local government autonomy and partnerships with development organisations to support empowerment programmes, rather than placing the entire financial burden on the state government.
“Going to the Governor all the time to ask for money is like overburdening him. It is better for us to generate ideas, secure development partners, and key into local government autonomy to fund these initiatives,” she said.
The Commissioner emphasised that such an approach would create opportunities for women and youths to acquire practical skills, establish businesses and become economically self-reliant, while also contributing to the development of their communities.
Abdallah assured that the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development would collaborate with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation towards translating the proposal into practical empowerment opportunities for residents across the 18 LGAs.
Earlier, Hon Bisi Idaomi, esq, explained that the proposed framework followed engagements with the 18 LGA Chairmen and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu.
She noted that the local government councils could support skills acquisition and vocational programmes in areas such as furniture making and other crafts, including assisting beneficiaries to establish businesses and access wider commercial opportunities.
According to her, the initiative is also expected to reduce pressure on the state government’s finances by mobilising resources from local governments and development partners for sustainable grassroots interventions.
Idaomi stressed the need to establish systems that would continue to deliver benefits beyond the tenure of the present administration.
“We can establish processes so that after our time, anybody who comes in will know that we’ve left a beautiful legacy,” she said.
The proposed partnership is expected to receive further consideration through engagements with local government councils and relevant stakeholders, with emphasis on skills development, economic empowerment, poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative reinforces the Edo State Government’s commitment to strengthening human capital development and creating opportunities that can improve the socio-economic wellbeing of residents at the grassroots.
