Women’s Day: Fayose earmarks N500m revolving loan for women

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8 years ago

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State on Wednesday held a grand women’s day celebration in the state and announced that his government had set aside the sum of N500million as a revolving loan for women in the state.

Fayose, who addressed thousands of women who had filled the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado Ekiti to capacity, also announced that one third of elective positions in the coming local government elections in the state, would be reserved for the women.

He said “in the next local government elections, women must produce one third of the councillors, supervisors, and council chairmen. We must promote the women. When we promote women, you promote the nation. But the women, you must make yourself available at the grassroots.”

He charged the women to exercise their civic duties, noting that it was regrettable that “some women don’t vote but they are enjoying the dividend of government, this is not proper.”

He said it was when you vote that you can avoid the accident of voting in a government that causes you pain and anguish.

He said: “We have earmarked N500million to empower the women. We promise to liberate the women from all forms of oppression. Very soon, I will give financial assistance to 1,000 women apart from a sum of N200m I want to give to 200 women in farming.

“Time has gone when women were being kept in the kitchen and the other room. Now, you must come out of your hiding. In the election coming up in December this year, women will be given one-third in councillorship, chairmanship and supervisory councillorship lots and you know when I say I will do, I shall do.”

Fayose reiterated his support for the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and noted that “we expect the best from the Supreme Court and after the Supreme Court, we will know the way forward.”

Fayose, on the occasion also announced the promotion of a woman Executive Director in the civil service, who is due to retire in two months, to the post of Permanent Secretary, while he empowered a female musician popularly called Bukky with a sum of N2 million to purchase instruments with a pledge to appoint more women Special Assistants into his cabinet.

Senator Biodun Olujimi and rights activist, Ankio Briggs, spoke on the occasion, which was attended by his wife, Feyisetan, and his mother among many other dignitaries.