Rivers State Women Empowerment Scheme Proceeds Despite Walkout.
The Rivers State Government has confirmed that a women empowerment scheme held at the EUI Event Centre in Port Harcourt on Friday proceeded despite a walkout staged by some beneficiaries. The event, which aimed to empower 500 underprivileged women, saw beneficiaries receive deep freezers, gas cookers with ovens, grinding machines, and generators.
The wife of the President, Senator Tinubu, was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Administrator, Dr. Theresa Ibas, who addressed the women. The initiative, part of a broader national program targeting 18,500 women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, aims to enhance livelihoods and foster national development.
The walkout occurred when the women, expecting to see the President’s wife, instead saw Dr. Ibas on the podium. Despite this, the event continued, with Dr. Ibas highlighting the initiative’s alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG-5 (Gender Equality) and SDG-8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, emphasized the need for women to engage in productive ventures amid current economic challenges. The program, carried out by the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in partnership with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, aims to drive inclusive growth through strategic partnerships while addressing poverty and hunger.