Women across the state have been advised to subscribe to the state empowerment programs known as okowo dapo to improve on their welfare
The ogun state governor, Prince dapo abiodun gave the advice this Friday while speaking at a validation exercise of ward facilitators for okowo dapo held at the Oba’s complex, okemosan, Abeokuta
The governor while highlighting the importance of the program, said the current administration introduced the program to empower women in appreciation of their efforts during electioneering period stating that the program doesnot have any political colouration but for the benefits of all the women in the state
He pointed out that the validation exercise was organised for all the women leaders from the twenty local governments across the state to undergo a three day training on the rudiment of the program on how to start up smoothly at their various wards urging the participants to make use of the training program to better the lots of women in their various wards
Governor abiodun who described the scheme like a cooperative society stated that it would afford the women an opportunity to keep certain amount of their money which he said the total amount of money each member contributed would be returned in four fold through the government grant expected to be refunded
The first citizen of the state informed that the pilot scheme that started in three local governments namely odeda, ijebu North East and Yewa North has yielded bountiful harvest with over 62,000 members with total savings of over fifty million naira within a short period stressing such impressive achievement has encouraged government to extend the scheme to all the twenty local governments in the state
While urging the women leader from the 236 wards to intensify efforts on membership drive after the training, the governor expressed optimism that membership of the scheme is expected to increase into over 250,000 in the next four months
