By steve anyebe.
In the midst of untold hardships presently enveloping Nigeria, it will be all cheers to Idoma Daughters and Wives(IDWA) from all over the world as they converge in the ancient city of Otukpo between 4th and 6th August 2023 to dispense investment loans.
The main focus of the annual IDWA program, 2023 edition, will be the official unveiling of the IDWA Cooperative Society on Saturday, 5th August, at the Otukpo Local Government Council Secretariat. The event which is scheduled for 11am, will be under the chairmanship of Dr Francis Agbo Ottah, immediate past Hon Member of the House of Representatives for Ado, Okpokwu and Ogbadibo. The Deputy Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon Lami Danladi Ogenyi, would be performing the official inauguration of IDWA Multipurpose Cooperative Society.
The aim of IDWA, as spelt out by Dr Sarah Ogah-Aduwari, in an exclusive chat with mustardpoint.com, is the empowerment of Idoma women towards self sustainability. The objectives of this upliftment programme include the encouragement of entrepreneurs through granting of soft loans; capacity building through skills acquisition and training; encouragement of thrift among Idoma women to imbibe the culture of saving for the future; to enable IDWA members access loans at convenient repayment terms to grow their businesses; to engage in the establishment of cottage industries to provide employment; engage in partnerships to mitigate climate change; to foster Youth Seminars/Workshops for the educational development of Idoma youths and provide support to Schools; as well as execute the Water is Life Project of providing one hundred and four water wells all over Idomaland.
IDWA has, in the last three years engaged in annual Summer Camps for youths covering all nine Local Government Areas of the Benue South Senatorial District. The foremost Idoma female organisation has also organised massive cleaning of Otukpo Town in the years under discussion.
In the face of the prevailing existential difficulties, especially in Idomaland, IDWA must be highly commended for displaying this necessary spirit of lifting the needy up.
