More accolades have come the way of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, for his administration’s commitment to bridging the economic and social gaps existing between the male and female genders in the state.
A coalition of women groups in Edo State under the aegis of Edo Agenda 2030 Women, has hailed the governor for “Increasing the attention to gender equality by promoting economic empowerment and supporting enterprise growth.”
Speaking to journalists in Benin City, Louisa Eikhomun-Agbonkhese, Project Coordinator, Nigeria for Women Projects, said Governor Obaseki has performed beyond the expectations of women in the state and will be reelected to consolidate on his achievements.
Commending the governor’s efforts towards gender equality in Edo State, the Project Coordinator noted that the Obaseki-led administration has prudently deployed the state’s resources in engendering economic development and improving the lives of Edo people, with many women in the state as beneficiaries.
She said:”Over 18,000 women have been supported in poultry farming; over 54,000 Edo women have been empowered; 16,000 people (women) have benefited from the Conditional Cash Transfer; out of the over 30,000 youths employed by EdoJobs, half of them are women.”
Also, Barr. Agatha Osieke, representative of Women, Youth and Children Advancement Programme, hailed the governor for his interest in women’s development, noting that in the last three years and seven months, Governor Obaseki has empowered more women in his cabinet.
Osieke said: “There are two local government chairpersons (women), 12 Permanent Secretaries, 20 Special Assistants, 20 Senior Special Assistants, four commissioners, 400 women appointees that cut across all strata of society.”
On her part, Focal Person, Edo State Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Ifueko Alufokhai added: “Obaseki is passionate about women in the state that is why he ensured that the promise to empower women in politics was fulfilled. This is the first time we are having more women in government and the governor says he is proud of the women in his administration for making him proud.”
She continued: “I am confident that the governor will do more if re-elected into office come September 19.”
