By Correspondent in Ilorin
Hajia Fstimah Bagega, chairperson, Kwara State, presenting items to some widows in Ilorin.
The Police Officers Wives Association (POWA), Kwara state, on Saturday empowered 50 widows of men and officers of the Nigeria Police whose husbands died in active service in the state command.
Speaking at the empowerment programme, tagged, “Widows Empowerment Programme,” held on the sideline of Eid-el-Fitr celebration at the Police Officers Mess, Ilorin, the POWA chairperson in Kwara state, Hajia Fatimah Bagega, said that majority of widows all over the world struggled to feed or cater for the educational needs of their children, among others.
Our Correspondent reports that the widows, who received training on soap making, were also presented with cash to serve as a start-up for the business, including food items.
Hajia Bagega said that prevalent harsh socio-economic situtation being experienced by widows could directly or indirectly affect the future of their families, except for Godly intervention.
The POWA chairperson also said that the realization of the plight of the widows necessitated the association to contribute in its own little way to empower 50 widows.
She she promised to continue to improve from where her predecessor stopped.
“I believe the vocational training centre, established by POWA, will go a long way to train our widows, orphans and less privileged to start small scale businesses.
“By the time they are through with their training, they would have the wherewithal to improve their social and economic standing,”she said.
The state chairperson of the association appealed to individuals who lGod had blessed to always remember the widows in their immediate environment.
Hajia Bagega commended her husband, who is the Commissioner of Police in Kwara state, Alhaji Muhammed Bagega, his management team and all the officers of the police command in the state for their support, saying that, “without them there will be no POWA in Kwara state.”
Some of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the gesture and prayed God to continue to shower His blessings on the lives of the sponsors.
Highlights of the programme was the lecture on the health talk on diabetics/Menopause on Micro-Pension scheme, among others.
One of the beneficiaries, who lost her husband in the Offa robbery incident, Mrs.Bunmi Oke, called on government to pay his husband’s entitlements, saying it would go a long way to lift her family but, appreciated people behind the empowerment programme.
Another beneficiary, Mrs. Ajubbi Lynda, also expressed her gratitude, called on the police authorities to, as a matter of urgency, expedite action on the death benefits of their late husbands in order not to allow their service to the father land be in vain.
She also called on the Police to provide jobs for some willing widows at the various police state headquarters to earn monthly stipend.
