I’ve empowered women than any other govt, says Obiano

The Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has said his government had promoted and empowered women more than any government in Nigeria.

He said the number of women he had offered appointments is a clear demonstration that his government is women-friendly.

Addressing a large crowd of women at the Prof Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Centre in Awka during the 2017 Mothers Summit, Obiano boasted that he had met the 35 percent affirmative action on women’s participation in government.

“I have over 35 percent of women in my cabinet who have contributed to the development of the state. This is an attestation that I’m women-friendly. They were not just favoured with the positions; they truly merited to be appointed to such offices. What I owe Anambra women for all their contributions is to perform wonders in the state as we are doing in diverse sectors, especially in agriculture, health and others,” he said.

The governor said N2billion interest-free soft loan would be earmarked for disbursement to women groups in the agricultural and business areas in the 2018 budget, and that the Anambra Small Business Agency had been directed to reduce the hitherto stringent conditions for accessing the fund to just identification by religious and traditional leaders of applicants for the loan.

“You only need to be a member of a church, and for the pastor of your local church to say yes that he knows you, for you to get the loan,” he clarified.