The disclosure came as the Federal Government announced plans to set aside N1.6 billion exclusively for women across the country under the National Women Empowerment Fund (NAWEF).
The figures were disclosed during an advocacy and sensitisation visit on the Government Enterprises and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) and NAWEF held at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.
The event was attended by the then Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, who was in the state to promote the Federal Government’s empowerment initiatives.
Speaking at the occasion, Governor Abiola Ajimobi said 107,983 pupils in Oyo State were beneficiaries of the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, which commenced in January 2017.
According to him, the programme had also provided opportunities for 1,372 vendors and covered 1,300 schools across the state.
Another 9,573 residents had benefited from N-Power, the Federal Government’s job creation and youth empowerment initiative, while 3,017 individuals had benefited from the National Cash Transfer Programme.
Under the cash transfer initiative, poor and vulnerable households were entitled to receive a monthly payment of N5,000.
Ajimobi, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Otunba Moses Adeyemo, said his administration had continued to pursue policies aimed at improving the socio-economic wellbeing of women in Oyo State.
He said the state government had also collaborated with financial institutions to improve women’s access to soft loans for small and medium-scale businesses.
According to him, such interventions were intended to help women expand their businesses, create wealth and become more economically independent.
Ajimobi also pointed to the passage of the Violence Against Women (VAW) Law 2016, which he said strengthened the protection of women and children in the state.
He described women in Oyo State as hardworking, enterprising and capable of contributing significantly to the development of the state and the country.
N10,000 to N100,000 Interest-Free Loans
Speaking on the Federal Government’s empowerment initiatives, Alhassan said GEEP and NAWEF were designed to provide micro-credit loans, skills development, training and business support to Nigerians, particularly women and people living in rural communities.
She said the programmes were also aimed at reducing poverty, promoting financial inclusion and strengthening economic activities in rural areas.
According to the minister, beneficiaries could access loans ranging from N10,000 to N100,000, repayable over six months with a one-month grace period after disbursement.
She explained that the loans were interest-free and required no collateral, although beneficiaries would pay a five per cent administrative charge to cover the cost of administering the funds through participating banks.
Alhassan said the programmes would encourage stronger partnerships between the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, state ministries responsible for women affairs, the Bank of Industry (BOI) and development partners.
Women to Receive Business Support
The minister disclosed that plans were also underway to provide beneficiaries with financial literacy and skills training to enable them to manage their businesses and loans effectively.
She said Women Business Advisory Centres would also be established to provide guidance and support to women entrepreneurs.
According to her, the objective was not merely to distribute funds but to ensure that beneficiaries developed the knowledge and capacity required to sustain their businesses.
In her welcome address, the Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community Development, Social Development and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Atinuke Osunkoya, said women across the state had been sensitised on the importance of accessing and properly utilising the available empowerment funds.
She said the initiative would help women strengthen their businesses, improve their livelihoods and contribute to wealth creation.
The programme, she added, offered an opportunity to deepen the economic participation of women while supporting the broader effort to reduce poverty and improve living standards in Oyo State.
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