Politics
Lawmaker Floats Micro Finance Scheme For Women
The lawmaker representing Etche Constituency I in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Victor Amadi has floated a micro-credit and economic empowerment scheme for women in his constituency.
The scheme, which involves 250 women, will cost the sum of N40 million in the next two years.
Declaring the programme open at the weekend at Okehi, headquarters of Etche Local Government Area, the wife of the Rivers State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi said her organisation, the Empoweremnt Support Initiative (ESI), will partner in the success of the scheme.
Dame Amaechi said that the programme will go a long way in improving the condition of women in the area and charged other elected and appointed political office holders to emulate Hon Amadi by initiating programme that will improve the condition of their people, especially the women.
Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Joeba West said the ministry will encourage the initiative to ensure its success.
Mrs West also urged the beneficiaries to put the money into judicious use, stressing that its proper utilisation will regenerate the economy of the area.
Also speaking, the chairman of Etche Local Government Area, Hon Reginald Ukwuoma said the council is proud of the effort of the wife of the governor in the economic emancipation of the womenfolk in Etche Local Government Area.
The council’s chairman also lauded the initiator of the programme, Hon Victor Amadi, for the programme, which he observed will improved the economic wellbeing of Etche women.
In his speech, the chairman of the occasion, Prof Ozor Mercury Ndimele said the area is now blessed with quality young men and women in politics who can now defend Etche’s interest.
Prof Ndimele also said that, the programme was an indication to come back home to help his people and urged other Etche sons and daughters in government to come back home and help their people.
He, however, said that the objective of the scheme will be defeated, if the beneficiaries divert the money to other ventures.
The initiator of the programme, Hon. Victor Amadi, who is the lawmaker representing Etche Constituency I in the Rivers State House of Assembly, said that the scheme was intended to reinvent the altitude of self sufficiency in Etcheland “ as well as wipe away tears from the faces of women in the constituency.”
Hon Amadi said that his office is in partnership with the Rivers State Microfinance Agency (RIMA) to not only teach the women the skills of managing small business, but also workout modalities of recovering the loan.
Highlight of the programme was the presentation of cheque of N100,000 cash to the 64 beneficiaries in the first phase of the programme.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with newsmen described the programme as first of its kind in the area.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
The commission announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
According to INEC, the decision followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the dedicated online portal.
“The submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the commission said.
In a a related development, INEC announced the suspension of PVC collection in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The commission said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards would have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
The electoral body explained that the deadline was necessary to enable it compile data on downloaded PVCs and produce final statistics on the total number of cards collected ahead of the election.
INEC said PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level and ran from August 1 to 7.
The commission also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of cards during attacks on the two collection centres.
It stressed that the stolen cards could not be used to vote.
INEC reassured Osun residents of its preparedness for the August 15 governorship election.
“The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
“INEC reassures the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August, 2026,” the statement said.
The commission said the deadline, initially set for Saturday, 8 August, has been extended to Tuesday, 11 August 2026, following appeals from political parties for more time.
INEC also announced that the window for voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to download their replacement cards will close at midnight on Sunday, 9 August.
The move is to enable the commission compile final PVC collection figures ahead of the 15 August Osun governorship election.
INEC said replacement downloadable PVCs have also been provided to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas after hoodlums carted away cards from two collection centres, stressing that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
The commission reaffirmed its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in Osun State.
Gov. Kefas made the remarks over the weekend at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, during the flag-off of the second phase of the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach in Taraba State, organised as part of activities marking Prof. Yilwatda’s 58th birthday.
The governor commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing to mark his birthday by providing medical care to people in need.
“What Professor Nentawe did is a powerful demonstration of what leadership should be,” Gov. Kefas said.
He assured that his administration would continue to support initiatives that complement government efforts to improve healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of residents.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Yilwatda called on Nigerian leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to touch the lives of the less privileged.
He said his decision to celebrate his 58th birthday in Taraba State was deliberate and informed by the needs of underserved communities, particularly people who face difficulties accessing healthcare because of distance and financial constraints.
According to him, the intervention followed a needs assessment and was extended across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said the exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital and covered the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
Prof. Yilwatda said the intervention provided medical services to thousands of beneficiaries, including people who required surgical procedures.
He said sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions placed Nigerians at the centre of development.
“Leadership is about service,” he said, urging political and public leaders to make giving back to society an important part of their responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving Nigeria and its people, saying his personal vision was to make every day of his life useful to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
The Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bordiya Buma, commended the initiative, saying it was consistent with the Renewed Hope agenda and efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
Dr Buma said the second phase followed the successful completion of the first phase, which was conducted simultaneously in six local government areas, with two LGAs selected from each of the three senatorial districts.
According to him, more than 10,000 patients were attended to during the first phase, including people with medical and surgical conditions.
He disclosed that 327 general surgeries, 71 eye surgeries and 575 dental procedures were carried out during the exercise.
The commissioner expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach and thanked Prof. Yilwatda for supporting the initiative and choosing Taraba State as a beneficiary.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing Taraba State to mark his 58th birthday through a medical outreach.
Prof. Pate said making healthcare the centrepiece of the birthday celebration was significant because health affects everyone.
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