Federal government through National Directorate of Employment (NDE) is set to empower about 1500 women in Ebonyi State.
This was revealed by the leader of the Ebonyi State Women Forum, Princess Tonia Adol Awam.Princess Awam who spoke during the accreditation of the beneficiaries, stated that 1500 will be empowered in the first batch.
She said that they are taking off with five local government areas, and in each local government, 300 women will be selected.The local government are lzzi for Ebonyi North, lshielu and Ikwo for the central, Afikpo South and Ohaozara for the south.
Adding that each beneficiaries will be paid N20, 000 at the end of every month and the programme will last for five months.
She noted: “On our visit to Mr. President, I let him know that all the federal government Social Investment Programmes that none gets to the downtrodden.
“He asked where I came from, I told him Ebonyi State. This exercise we are doing here today is only done in Ebonyi State in the whole south east.
“We are starting with five local government areas. Izzi in the north, lshielu and Ikwo in the central, Afikpo South and Ohaozara in the south.
“It is not a political programme, I want to empower Ebonyi women. This programme is the handwork of Mr. President, he is president to the whole Nigerians not to one person.
“He has a good job for us, he has a good motive for us, he has a very wonderful mission and vision for the country. If the constitution permits 3rd tenure, Buhari will go for us because he is doing well.
“He has so many social investment programmes, there are empowerment programmes here and there courtesy of the president.
“This programme will give you N20,000 each month and it will last for five months. There is no political affliation to this programme. We are supporting Mr. President. He gave me this form to distribute to you people, nothing stops me from sharing it among my family members, but politics is for everybody and I’m not happy when I eat and others don’t eat.
“There are some stakeholders that think I will give them the forms to distribute to there people but I said know, I have my people, and they know those at the grassroot because the money belongs to those at the grassroot.
“I have enough, my God has blessed me and help me thank President Buhari. He gave me three appointments. I’m the Head South East Industrial Administration Panel, Board member Library and a Board member in the Hoticultural Research Institute, Ibadan.
“If I’m there and things are shared and I didn’t get for Ebonyi people that means my mom didn’t raise me well, but because my mom raised me properly, I have to stand for my people.
“The form is not to been sold, I’m not those who sell empowerment forms, I used my money to do some certain things before the form was given to me, and I won’t tell you people to pay me because you cannot pay me.
“My interest is that our people are downtrodden, and we are suffering. Since Mr. President has graciously given me this job, I will graciously give it to Ebonyi women.
“The empowerment programme is for those from 18-30 years. When we finish with this first set of five local governments, we will enter another set.
“So if it didn’t get to you, relax, there are those who are not serious and I will remove their names and replace it with the names of those who are serious.
“The president granted 1000 per local government but because of the case I made for the women as their leader, he graciously out of the 1000 gave us 300 that is sacrosanct.
“But the remaining 700, the day people that are coming from Abuja will be going to the local governments, I will still tell my people to go there and grab the one God said they would grab, but this one we are doing now is sacrosanct.
She said that the women will be grouped either by 20 or 30 and in each group there will be a leader who will monitor to make sure members of the group exist.
Stating that the grouping will be done by office of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), as soon as the accreditation is over.
She advised the beneficiaries to use the money judiciously. “The essence of Mr. President giving us this opportunity is for women to use it and get something doing so that you can be getting money at the end of each day” she added.
