The Executive Chairman of Mkpat Enin Local Government Council, HON EKANEM BROWN and his wife ImaAbasi Brown hosted the fifth edition of women empowerment program under the auspices of Mboho Uforo Iban Mkpat Enin, MUME.
The event which held at the council secretariat had in attendance the SSA to the Governor on Microfinance and Entrepreneurial Development, Mr. Ime Uwah.
Speaking at the event, the Council boss Hon. EKANEM BROWN pledged to continuously support women to enable them contribute to the economy of Mkpat Enin Local Government Area and the state.
In his words, "what we have been doing in Mkpat Enin is to domesticate Governor Udom Emmanuel's five point agenda, and empowering entrepreneurs is key in that agenda. I pledge to continually support this initiative that was pioneered by my wife and I will ensure that the SSA to the Governor that is here will consider Mkpat Enin first in upcoming loans and financial empowerment packages of the state government".
Earlier in her opening remark, the President of MUMA and first Lady of Mkpat Enin, Mrs. ImaAbasi Brown said that MUME was birthed out of a genuine desire to empower women who have shown appreciable hunger for success in different enterprises and trades.
She said "In Mboho Uforo Iban Mkpat Enin, we are trying to give enduring Empowerment not a Political type. We carefully selected women who are already engaged in a trade or farming and we give them soft loans to test their level of sincerity and when they return the money they now qualify for a non refundable grant which is about one hundred percent of the amount we give them now".
Speaking further, the Chairman's wife said that so far over four hundred women have been given the financial packages totalling 5million naira, adding that the current round of Empowerment is the fifth edition since November 2018 that it began.
In his response, Mr. Ime Uwah commended the Council Chairman and his wife for the initiative which he described as a 'workable Empowerment model'.
He said "when I heard about this program, I decided to come and partner with you. From what you have said, it is quite simple and it's a model I encourage other Local Governments to adopt and I will take it to the state government to adopt this model in our subsequent Programmes. I commend the council Chairman and his wife for sacrificing this much to raise women because when you empower a woman,you have empowered the whole family. With what I have seen, I know that Mkpat Enin already has a set of women that are qualified for the soft loans that the state government will soon role out for small and medium scale businesses".
The SSA also visited the Local Government's shoe factory where they explored avenues of partnership and shared technical inputs.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation of 1million naira to the beneficiaries.
©: Aniedi UKOENANG
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