Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Tuesday lauded the Nigerian women for impacting positively on the socio-political and economic development of the country, stating that his administration was women-friendly.
The governor, who spoke while receiving the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina who paid him a courtesy call in his office, also expressed his administration’s commitment to women empowerment in the state.
According to him, women could not be wished away in the scheme of things in Nigeria as they have contributed in no small way to national development in virtually all aspects of human endeavour.
Governor Ajimobi also acknowledged the contributions of women political office holders to the successes so far recorded by his administration.
“I like to state that our women political office holders were not just appointed to fulfill the 35 per cent affirmation or to just add to the numbers. Rather, they were brought on board because they were well qualified. And I want to say that they have not disappointed us as they have contributed significantly to the successes so far recorded by our administration,’’ he remarked.
The governor said that his administration would continue to empowerment women in the state so that they too could contribute their own quota to the development of the state economy and that of the country.
He said that his administration’s restoration, transformation and repositioning agenda was borne out of the need to bring out the state from the ruins of the past and reposition it for further development in the areas of education, health, environment, infrastructure and wealth creation.
Governor Ajimobi also said that his administration had been working strenuously to ensure that the state was made the preferred destination of choice for both local and foreign investors, adding that the state would support the minister to ensure the success of her assignment.
Speaking earlier, the minister called for collaboration between her minister and the state government in the provision of better services and enabling environment for the survival, proper development and protection of teeming women, children and other vulnerable groups in the state.
She said that Oyo had been selected as the South-West zonal centre for the second phase of Youwin programme dedicated to young women between the ages of 20 to 45 years, which she said, would be coordinated by the state Ministry of Women Affairs.
Hajia Maina commended the Ajimobi administration for its various activities and support towards the promotion of women and children’s rights, empowerment and advancement of women, adding that they number of women’s representation in governance in the state was commendable.
The minister said that application for the Youwin programme would be on-line and that successful applicants would receive a grant of between N1 million and N10 million depending on the proposal put forward.
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