Aregbesola Hails Ooni Ogunwusi Empowerment Initiative
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State yesterday gave kudos to the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi for his numerous empowerment programmes for various categories of people in his domain since he ascended the throne.
He also lauded the monarch’s efforts to unite the Yoruba race irrespective of where they are domiciled in the world.
Speaking through his deputy, Otunba Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori at the first edition of Ooni Annual Women Empower Workshop held at Oba Okunade Sijuade Hall, Enuwa-Ife, Aregbesola said he has followed with keen interest various empowerment programmes rolled out by the monarch not only to banish poverty but also remove idleness.
He urged the beneficiaries of the programmes to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the programmes to better their lot.
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Women Affairs and Youth Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan, said women in the country remain perpetually in disadvantaged position economically, because of their inability to access available credit facilities in the financial sector.
Alhassan who was represented by Mrs. Anetu Ann Aliyu, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs, the minister said statistics have shown that women in the country only have access to less than five percent of the available credit facilities in the financial sector.
She however disclosed that the Ministry of Women Affairs under her leadership is gradually reversing the trend, adding that one of the measures introduced to empower women is establishment of National Women Empowerment Fund.
She expressed the readiness of her ministry to partner Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in his effort to break shackles of poverty ravaging womenfolk by providing training in vocations for them, and making funds available to start business.
In her remarks, wife of Ooni, Yeyeluwa Zainab Wuraola Ogunwusi, said 200 women selected across Ile Ife would be trained for two weeks in different vocations.
According to her, the main trust of the workshop is to empower women with skills and facilitate availability of credit facilities for them to set up businesses.
Responding, Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi urged the beneficiaries to be serious with the training and acquire as much as possible skills, assuring them that credit facilities to start their businesses would be made available.
