By Victoria Okpanachi
Kogi First Lady, Hajia Sefinat Usman Ododo, has empowered over 500 women and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), with mobility aids and cash grants at an intervention initiative aimed at promoting inclusivity among vulnerable groups in the state.
The empowerment initiative, which was held in Lokoja, is the brainchild of the Ohunene Empowerment Initiative (OEI), a pet project of the First Lady.
Flagging off the distribution, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, commended the First Lady for using her foundation to uplift PWDs and other vulnerable groups.
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He pledged to write to the State House of Assembly to consider a 50 per cent tuition waiver for PWDs in tertiary institutions across the state.
Speaking at the event, the Founder of OEI and Wife of the Governor, Hajia Ododo, reaffirmed her dedication to enhancing the dignity and quality of life of PWDs and other less privileged groups in the state.
She explained that the provision of mobility devices and financial assistance was designed not only to improve movement but also to empower beneficiaries to expand their businesses, achieve self-sufficiency and live more dignified lives.
In addition to the mobility aids, 260 beneficiaries from the disability community received empowerment grants of ₦100,000 each, while 100 others were supported with ₦200,000 each.
Twenty-five persons living with albinism benefitted with ₦50,000 each, alongside sunscreen creams and other essential support items. The Governor also donated a brand new Toyota SUV as an official vehicle to the Executive Secretary of the Kogi State Disability Commission.
Reacting to the gesture, the Executive Secretary of the Kogi State Commission for Disability Affairs, Hon. Yakubu Abdulhakeem, described the initiative as historic, commending the establishment of the Ohunene Empowerment Initiative as a noble and timely intervention that reflects a genuine commitment to inclusion.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of the OEI, Ms. Mary Agamalafia, disclosed that within one year, several individuals, groups and communities across the state have benefitted from the foundation’s interventions.
