The Wife of the governor of Cross River State, Eyoanwan Otu, has reaffirmed her commitment to poverty alleviation through initiatives aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, agricultural productivity and economic self-reliance.
Mrs Otu, through her non-profit organisation, Humanity Without Borders (HUWIB), implemented the initiatives for grassroots communities at the central and northern senatorial districts of Cross River State, south-south Nigeria.
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The beneficiaries, who turned out in large numbers, received business equipment, agricultural inputs, food supplies and other support materials to strengthen household economies and create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
Addressing beneficiaries and community stakeholders, Mrs Otu said the initiatives were driven by compassion and a desire to improve people’s welfare, particularly that of women and youth.
“I do not do this to show off, neither do I do this because I have too much. I do this because I believe in the power of love, I believe in compassion, I believe in service to humanity,” she said.
According to her, empowering the women and youths would strengthen their economic independence besides positively benefiting the family and community as a whole.
She further noted, “When you empower a woman, you empower a family; when you empower a woman, you empower a community.”
The Cross River first lady urged beneficiaries to effectively utilise the equipment and other items to expand their businesses and support their families as well as strive to remain self-reliant.
According to the governor’s wife’s press secretary, Faith Okon-Egbujiem, the interventions covered small business development, vocational skills, agriculture and household food security.
She indicated that across the central and northern senatorial districts, HUWIB distributed 15,712 items comprising 8,183 in Ikom, venue of the central District empowerment programme and 7,529 in Ogoja for the north.
Okon-Egbujiem further indicated that the items included 17 minibuses, 11 tricycles, 33 motorcycles, 3,200 units of fertiliser, 6,622 units of rice and 1,248 units of beans, alongside other business equipment, agricultural inputs and food supplies.
She stated, “the intervention also provided 1,100 wrappers, 22 packs of fish fingerling, educational materials, mother-and-child care kits, seven wheelchairs and four crutches.”
During the tour, she also noted that Mrs Otu met traditional rulers and other community stakeholders to acknowledge their support for Governor Bassey Otu and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
The spokesperson continued, “the wife of the governor discuss other ways to expand opportunities for women especially in hard to reach communities across the districts.”
“The initiative aligns with Governor Bassey Otu’s People First agenda and President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises citizens’ welfare and inclusive grassroots development,” she added.
