By Adedayo Adeleye
The Wife of the Ekiti State Governor Erelu Bisi Fayemi has reaffirmed the present administration’s commitment to continue to empowering women through multipurpose societies.
Erelu Fayemi who made the remarks, during the 1st anniversary of Obirin Kete Women Empowerment Programme held in Ado Ekiti, charged the beneficiaries, to desist from mismanaging the fund loaned for business activities.
The Obirin Kete Multipurpose Association established a year ago through Clusters and cooperative groups was formed across 177 wards in the sixteen local government Areas of the state.
Erelu Bisi Fayemi while addressing the women groups said that the initiative was aimed at fostering peer-learning, knowledge sharing and socio economic intervention for vulnerable women in the state.
According to the Governor’s Wife over Seventeen million naira had been disbursed in the last one year with over 338 societies benefiting from the disbursement.
Erelu Fayemi explained that twenty women benefited in each Ward saying that the establishment of the societies had continue to promote the rotating credit scheme that encourages saving habits among members and provides credit to members.
The governor’s wife enjoined them to erase the belief that such fund was from government purse, and it was meant to be shared as their own portion of national cake.
She appealed to them to prove themselves to be reliable, diligent and disciplined in their dealings by returning whatever loan received for the sustainability of the cooperative society.
Earlier in her remarks the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development Alhaja Maryam Ogunlade appreciated Erelu Fayemi’s efforts for putting up the programme in place and urged beneficiaries to make the best use of the funds.
Also speaking at the event the Commissioner for Agriculture, Olabode Adetoyi noted that arrangements had been concluded to engage the women in fishery, Garri production, locus beans production, poultry business, goatry among others.
There were remarks from the State Head of Service Mrs Peju Bababfemi and some members of the State Executive Council as they appealed to beneficiaries to continue to support the present administration for the continuation of the good gesture.
Best cooperative groups as well as Best performing Local Government were honoured at the event.
