717 women benefit from skills acquisition programmes in Delta – Commissioner
Women
By Mercy Obojeghren
Asaba, Aug. 13, 2018 (NAN) No fewer than 717 women including girls have benefited from various skills acquisition programmes across Delta between 2015 and 2017, says Mrs Omatsola Williams, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development.
Williams disclosed this at the Annual Ministerial Briefing, organised by the State Ministry of Information on Monday in Asaba.
She said that the beneficiaries acquired various skills of their choice in six Women Development centres in the three senatorial districts of the state.
According to Williams, the beneficiaries, who were trained for 12 months, have become economically self-reliant and employers of labour.
She said the ministry also supported 300 women living with HIV with life support equipment and items.
Williams also said that 50 persons living with disabilities were trained and empowered with necessary starter packs in various skills by the ministry in collaboration with the Delta Job Creation Office.
“It also collaborated with state Micro Credit Office, to assist about 20 additional persons living with disabilities with some soft loan to expand their businesses,’’ she said.
The commissioner said that a 10-man steering committee including persons with disabilities was set up to look into the affairs of persons with disabilities in Delta.
She disclosed that the committee recommended that the chairman and members of the association of persons living with disabilities should be placed on monthly stipends of N100,000 and N50,000 respectively
Williams assured the people of Delta of the readiness of the ministry to continue to focus on issues that would protect and empower less privileged women and children.
“We will continue to promote the welfare of women by embarking on programmes and policies that will enhance their position and development socially, economically and politically.
“We will also continue to promote programmes that will help to improve the course of persons living with disabilities, the destitute and elderly in the state,” she added. (NAN)
MOA/DOE/IFY
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Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Ifeyinwa Omowole