The Benue State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Federal Government and the World Bank on women’s economic empowerment.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hon. Theresa Ikwue, during a visit by officials of the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) Project to her office.
She described the visit as timely and strategic, noting that the project aligns closely with Gov. Alia’s development agenda, which places strong emphasis on human capital development, grassroots economic empowerment, and inclusive growth.
Hon. Ikwue expressed deep appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, the Federal Project Coordinating Unit, and the World Bank for their continued support.
She assured the delegation of the state’s dedication to transparency, accountability, and effective project implementation.
Hon. Ikwue commended the selection of Vandeikya, Okpokwu, and Gwer East local government areas (LGAs) for the pilot phase and expressed confidence that the intervention would significantly improve livelihoods, boost income generation, and foster peace and social cohesion in the targeted communities.
She announced that all women in Benue State aged 18 to 70 are eligible to benefit from the programme, provided they possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).
“Families and community leaders should support women, including mothers, wives, sisters, and elderly relatives, in obtaining their NINs to ensure full access to the programme’s economic and social benefits,” she said.
In a remark, the Federal Project Coordinating Unit, Mr. Afolabi Olajide, explained that the NFWP-SU seeks to institutionalise women’s affinity groups as sustainable platforms for income generation, community development, and long-term economic resilience.
Monitoring and Evaluation Anchor for the project, Mr. Yusuf Abdullahi, confirmed that Benue is participating in the second phase, with technical support from Abuja and the recruitment of qualified civil servants from the selected LGAs to drive implementation.
The Co-Task Team Leader of the NFWP-SU, Mrs. Yetunde Fatogun, highlighted that the programme is designed to address gender inequality, enhance women’s economic participation, and adhere strictly to World Bank recruitment and quality standards.
She added that the next phase would include advocacy visits to the leadership of Vandeikya, Okpokwu, and Gwer East LGAs to build local ownership and momentum.
