SMEs: OYEYEMI EMPOWERS BLACK SOAP MAKERS

▪︎Says Gov AbdulRazaq will establish Cottage Industries in the 16 LGAs

▪︎ Hon Ajuloopin Describes the Initiative as a Model to copy

Kwara State Commissioner for Finance and Planning, Mrs Oyeyemi Olasumbo Florence has called on public spirited members of the society to cultivate the habit of assisting and empowering women and youth.

Mrs Oyeyemi made the call while speaking with newsmen shortly after the empowerment program she organised for women on behalf of his Excellency, Mallam AbdulRasaq AbdulRahman in the business of Black Soap Making in Odo Owa held at Idofin Igbana in Oke Ero Local Government area of the state.

Hon. Oyeyemi said that the empowerment is in line with vision and mission of the administration of Mallam AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq to empower women and youth, noting that the government will establish Cottage Industries in all the sixteen Local Government Areas of the State to boost local businesses.

The Commissioner explained that she conceived the idea to empower the women about two months ago when the Honourable  Commissioner for Works and Transportation, Rotimi Iliasu drew her attention to a publication on Black Soap making in Odo Owa in one of the national dailies.

She noted that, before now, the women were extracting substance from palm fruit with the use of hand thereby making the process to be very strenuous and time consuming hence her intervention to donate a palm kernel grinding machine for that same process for them to make it more easier and faster.

The Honourable Commissioner for Finance and Planning advised the beneficiaries to form a cooperative society and donated cash as revolving fund, saying that the proceed from it should be used to service and maintain the machine.

Also speaking, the House of Representatives member representing Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun and Oke Ero Federal Constituency, Honourable Raheem Tunji Ajuloopin who commended the Mrs Oyeyemi for what he said was a laudable effort, noted that he would copy the idea and replicate  it for his constituents.

Honourable Ajuloopin explained that the empowerment program is in line with several other programs of the Federal Government to empower youths in the country and made  donation of a sum of Two Hundred Thousand Naira to be added to the revolving fund for the women in their cooperative society.

There were goodwill messages from the Honourable Commissioner for Works and Transportation; Rotimi iliasu, House Leader, Kwara State House of Assembly; Abubakar Olawoyin Magaji, Hon Ambali Ibrahim, Hon Yusuf JK, Hon Ojo Olayiwola, Hon Olumide Awolola among many other notable dignitaries at the colourful ceremony.

Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the event expressed their deepest gratitude to the Governor Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for empowering their daughter and also prayed for blessings and strength for the honourable commissioner .

The Empowerment program was attended by the Onidofin of Idofin Igbana, Caretakers APC State Legal Adviser, Hon Ashaolu, Oke Ero APC ward chairmen, APC women leaders, Stakeholders and members of the APC among others.