The First Lady of Edo state, Her Excellency Betsy Obaseki has called on government at all levels across Nigeria to enact policies that will favour women in view of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This, as the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki launched one Billion Naira Fund for the upliftment of women in Edo State.
These were made known today by the Governor and his wife during the 2021 International Women’s Day celebration held at the new festival hall of the Edo State Government House.
The women day celebration in the state tagged; “Addressing the Vulnerabilities of women in a Covid-19 era was organised by the Office of the Wife of the Edo state Governor, Edo State Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with German Organisation, GIZ and an Edo State based agro-company, FarmForte.
Governor Godwin Obaseki who attended the event with his Deputy Rt Honourable Philip Shaibu and the Secretary to the State government Osariodion Ogie Esq said he observed from the data currently being gathered across the State that a lot of women lost their livelihoods and business capital due to the Covid19 lockdown, which necessitated his decision to establish the 1 billion Naira Women Support fund.
The Edo State Governor said, “This morning as our response, I launch our own gift to women of Edo State, One billion Naira fund for widows and vulnerable women whose livelihoods have been grievously affected as a result of Covid-19.
“We will immediately seed that fund with N250 Million Naira and work with our financial and non financial partners to raise the balance.
“The fund will be managed professionally not politically, mostly by women, to address that group of very vulnerable women, because if we do not, the consequences in our society will be too dire”, he said.
Earlier in her address, the First Lady of Edo State, Betsy Obaseki said responsible Governments around the world are enacting policies to cushion the effect of the Covid-19 lockdown on women.
Adding that, Government and political leaders at all levels should be more sensitive to the needs and plight of women across Nigeria as they have suffered the most in the past one year.
On the high incidence of Gender Based violence during the Covid-19 lockdown, Betsy Obaseki said that families have a major role to play in raising their boys to respect girls and women.
Highlight of the occasion was the launching of the Phase 3 of the Edo Women for Agriculture and Enterprise (EWAEN) by the First Lady, Betsy Obaseki.
The Agricultural and Enterprise Scheme is built in collaboration with FarmForte, an integrated agro based company.
The collaboration is to make 4,000 women empowered in agriculture and other businesses and their produces will be off taken by Farmforte.
The Manager of Farmforte in charge of Partnership, Mr Osazuwa Osayi said one major problem farmers face in the continent is access to market.
This is the reason he said the company plans to smoothen the process for women farmers in Edo State to have guaranteed access to market.
The Team Lead, Programme Migration for Development, GIZ Nigeria, Mrs. Sandra Alonge noted that Nigeria has one of the lowest rates of female entrepreneurs in sub-saharan Africa hence GIZ seeks to address issues of gender inequality by working with relevant organizations in the public and private sectors that can contribute to a better future for Nigerian women.
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