…Pledges support to empowerment initiatives by the Governor’s wife.
The spouses of Ekiti House of Assembly lawmakers have staged an empowerment program for selected mothers of multiple births and other categories of people in the state.
They also pledged their support to the empowerment initiatives of the wife of the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, in their various constituencies in the state.
Speaking at the event for the distribution of empowerment items, the wife of the Speaker, Mrs. Adenike Aribasoye, who led other spouses at the 4th empowerment program, stated that the group would not shy away from their responsibility of supporting their spouses.
She commended the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, his wife, the Speaker, and members of the Seventh Assembly, as well as some notable indigenes of the state, for their unwavering support to the spouses’ group and for making their empowerment programs successful.
While acknowledging the roles of the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akin Oyebode, and Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, Mrs. Aribasoye thanked her colleagues for their dedication to regular empowerment programs. She added that they would continue to demonstrate their commitment to the welfare of the people in the state, most especially the less privileged and downtrodden.
She noted that the forum has empowered different categories of people since the 7th Assembly was inaugurated, mentioning that 56 grinding machines are being given out this time to mothers of multiple births.
Other items distributed included mannequin heads, cash gifts to hairdressing trainers and trainees, while training fees for the trainers would also be paid for before the completion of their training.
She urged the beneficiaries not to sell the items given to them and to use them to mitigate the current economic challenges, fight poverty, and reduce hardship in our society.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, thanked the spouses for their initiative, saying that the business of lawmaking requires collaborative effort and support from all stakeholders, particularly the spouses of the lawmakers.
Rt. Hon. Aribasoye emphasized the purpose of the initiative of the spouses of the lawmakers as a testament that members of the Seventh Assembly are true representatives of the people, just as he commended the Governor and his wife for embracing the program.
He thereafter appealed to the beneficiaries to make good use of the items, stressing the need for them to reciprocate the gesture to their representatives.
In a goodwill message, the lawmaker representing Emure Constituency, Alhaja Maryam Ogunlade, commended the cooperation of the spouses with the lawmakers, while she called on the beneficiaries to utilize the opportunity well and consider themselves lucky among the numerous people in their constituencies.
At the event, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Peju Babafemi, who was also represented by a Director in the Ministry, Mrs. Folake Opeyemi, lauded the life-changing empowerment program, using the avenue to also highlight various efforts embarked upon by the current administration to reduce poverty and hardship among women in the state.
She equally appealed to the beneficiaries to have a good maintenance culture so that they can enjoy the equipment and easily take care of their children through the money realized from their businesses.
In their words of appreciation, some of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Azeez Mariam Modupe from Ikere 1 and her counterpart from Ikole Constituency 2, Seyi Ibigbami, thanked the Speaker, members of the Seventh Assembly, and their spouses for counting them worthy, noting that the empowerment would go a long way in alleviating their suffering.
Signed:
Olasunkanmi Ekundayo
Director Information Services, EKHA
