By Victor Omoalu

BENIN CITY – The President of First And Prisoners Care Foundation, Ambassador Efe Martins has advised government at all levels and corporate institutions and individuals to always support charitable initiatives that would improve the overall wellbeing of the people,  especially the less privileged in the society.
He gave the advise during the formation’s South-South Widows Empowerment Programme in Benin City.
Ambassador Martins who harped on the important role of women towards nation building noted that though the government owe it a responsibility to ensure the protection of women’s rights, especially widows, it is imperative for everyone to ensure that the enabling resources get to the women in order to be economically self reliant.
This, he said prompted the foundation to embark on the training of widows across the Souht-south geo-political region in vocational skills acquisition as well as empowering them financially to enable them start a trade.
He lamented the predicaments associated with widows in the society and stressed the need for gender equality/women empowerment with a view to ensuring even transformation and development across the nooks and crannies of the society.
The Senior Special Assisitant to the Edo State Governor on Culture/Tourism, Daniel Eromosele (Pikolo) described the initiative as a welcomed development.
He stressed the need to always support such initiatives that would help turn the fortunes of the widows around for the better.
On his part, the special guest of honour at the occasion, Bar. Daracot Osawe, commended the organizers, saying such initiative would go a long way in touching the lives of the less privileged in the society.
The foundation’s publicity secretary, Dr. Ovie Emmanuel, said there cannot be any meaningful development without the women’s contribution, hence the need for women empowerment/gender equality which he said tops the foundation’s agenda.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation a dummy cheque of N100,000 each to ten widows who recently passed through the training acquisition programme of the foundation.