Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has applauded women for their sacrifices and invaluable contributions to societal growth, describing them as “God’s special gift to the world.”
Speaking on Tuesday at the Abia Women August Delegates Conference held at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Umuahia, Governor Otti stressed that the place of women in the state’s history and progress cannot be overstated.
He said his administration is committed to raising a critical mass of empowered women capable of creating value for themselves, their families, and the larger society.
Congratulating women on the August Meeting, which coincided with Abia State’s 34th anniversary, Otti highlighted their role in sustaining families and communities, while expressing gratitude for their prayers, mobilisation, and support during the 2023 elections.
The Governor disclosed that his administration has earmarked ₦2 billion for community-based cooperative societies, with 60 percent reserved for women, especially in agriculture. He added that the majority of those employed in the state’s recent teachers’ recruitment and beneficiaries of ICT and vocational training initiatives were women.
He urged mothers and women leaders to partner with government in tackling social vices, including drug abuse, crime, and the obsession with illicit wealth, by instilling values of hard work and resilience in the youth.
Also speaking, the First Lady, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, called for women to be guaranteed at least 50 percent representation in elective and appointive positions. She announced a commitment to financially empower 340 women across all 17 local government areas, noting that when women thrive, families and communities prosper.
“As First Lady, I reaffirm our commitment to skills acquisition, girls’ education, farmer support, and care for widows, the elderly, persons with disabilities, survivors of gender-based violence, and vulnerable children,” she said.
The keynote speaker, Professor Joy Onyesoh, emphasized that the August Meeting remains a platform for women’s empowerment and grassroots development. She encouraged Abia women to embrace education, skills acquisition, and networking while calling on the governor to institutionalize reserved seats for women. She also urged women to register and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as a tool for sustaining their political relevance.
Earlier, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Maureen Aghaukwa, described the August Meeting as a “parliament of grassroots women” where issues of peace, development, moral values, and social progress are deliberated upon. She said this year’s theme, “Abia Women: United in Strength and Empowered for Purpose,” underscores the power of women’s unity and their divine role in shaping families, communities, and the state.
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