300 widows get relief items

No fewer than 300 widows in Ijumu and Kabba/Bunu Local Government Areas of Kogi on Sunday received some relief items, including food stuff, from a Non-Governmental Organisation, Doyin & Suzan Foundation.

The Chairperson, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the foundation, Mrs Adedoyin Ibikunle, told journalists while distributing the items in Kabba, that the gesture was to lessen the suffering of the widows living in abject poverty.

Ibikunle noted that the United Nation (UN) placed emphasis on empowerment of women, especially widows, adding that women empowerment was critical for the eradication of poverty in society.

“It is estimated that 115 million widows worldwide live in extreme poverty along with their children. Therefore, giving adequate attention to our widows is long overdue, especially the vulnerable ones.

“It is my humble belief that this occasion will mark a turning point in the life of our widows and bring succor to them through empowerment and various skills acquisition programmes,” she said.

She said that the foundation had on Dec 23, 2017, distributed relief items including food stuff worth N12 million to about 2,000 widows in Yagba Federal Constituency.

The chairperson said the gesture would cut across the seven local government areas in Kogi West.

Ibikunle added that the foundation would also embark on free medical treatment for the vulnerable in the area in April, in collaboration with its US partners.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that chairperson is an aspirant for the Kogi West Senatorial District seat on the platform of the APC for the 2019 general elections.

The state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Bolanle Amupitan, commended the foundation for the gesture, saying the initiative would complement the State Government’s efforts in alleviating the suffering of the people.

She enjoined the women to register and get their PVCs in order to vote during the 2019 general.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Funmilayo Omoyele, told NAN that she was happy for the cloth, food stuff and other relief items she received, and thanked the organisers for helping them and putting smiles on their faces.