Council Gives N500,000 To 20 Widows

The Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos has gaven grants totalling N500, 000 to 20 needy widows residing in the area.

Secretary to the Bariga LCDA , Mr Bode Sotomi, said that the programme was designed to give support to the widows.

“As part of reaping the dividend of democracy, the programme is designed to regularly give financial support to widows in the area.

“We are mindful of their needs and we want to always give them a sense of belonging,” Sotomi said.

The Special Adviser, Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Bariga LCDA, Mrs Bukola Adedeji, said that the programme began in August and was a continuous one.

“We gave 20 widows N25, 000 each in August.; this is for September, the second in the series.

“The programme is here to stay; these grants will be given every month to the nominated candidates,” Adedeji said.

The President, Widows Association, Bariga, Mrs Abolaji Jaiyesimi, told NAN that recipents of the grants were nominated based on their present circumstances.

“Every widow will get this support eventually, but we give first place consideration to the very needy ones, and those who have been loyal to this association.

“Prior to receiving these grants, we made contributions in the association to help ourselves. We are, however, immensely grateful for the recognition and help we have received,’’ she said.

According to Jaiyesimi, the widows association, in conjuction with WAPA, also provided advisory support to the recipients, to help them make profitable use of the funds.

One of the recipients, Mrs Omodele Fakolade, a mother of four, said she intended to use the money to expand her petty trading and make ends meet.