By Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado-Ekiti

Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor on Mobilisation (Ekiti South), Olalekan Ijidale, has empowered over 40 women and artisans in Gbonyin Local Government Area by providing them financial support.

The beneficiaries, drawn from across all the communities that make up Gbonyin, received N10,000 each to boost their small scale businesses.

While disbursing the grants, Ijidale said the initiative was part of his pledge to improve the living standard of the less-privileged in the council and ensure they become self-reliant.

Ijidale said the empowerment of youths and women remained one of his topmost priorities, promising to extend it to other councils in Ekiti South Senatorial district.

He said the gesture was to complete the efforts of the Kayode Fayemi administration in eradicating poverty and improve the people’s socio-economic development.

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He called for quality empowerment of vulnerable women in society to improve their living conditions, adding that the role of women can not be quantified.

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs, Chief Niyi Ojo said that the programme was in tandem with the vision of the Fayemi administration.

He noted that the state government had a series of empowerment programmes created to cushion the effects of the harsh economic challenges on residents of the state.

Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Sola Elesin, enjoined other political office holders to emulate Ijidale by giving back to the people, saying there was a need to bridge the gap between the leaders and the led.

The Director-General, Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency, Otunba Kayode Fasae advised the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money to further boost their small scale businesses.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Omojola Akinsola and Mrs Ogunniyi Mercy praised Ijidale for initiating the programme, saying it would go a long way in bringing succour to the vulnerable women.