30th November, 2016
Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue, has said that 60 per cent of the loans secured by his government to develop agriculture and other commercial activities are to be allocated to female entrepreneurs.
The governor made the announcement on Wednesday in Makurdi, while inaugurating the First Benue Women Economic Summit.
The summit was organised by Eunice Spring of Life Foundation, a pet project of his wife, Dr Eunice Ortom.
He said that disbursement of loans the government secured from Bank of Industry (BOI) would be disbursed with the understanding that women are better managers of resources.
Ortom urged Benue women to take advantage of this and other facilities offered by his administration such as CBN, BOI and Bank of Agriculture loans to add value to themselves and the economy of the state.
He reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to empower women, saying that any society which empowers women reaps immense benefits from such investment.
The governor praised his wife for the `enormous contributions’ she had made over the years and for standing by him during difficult times.
Earlier, Mrs Ortom, who also commended her husband for being a great leader and family man, said she had received tremendous inspiration from him.
She said that the First Benue Women Economic Summit had become necessary to assist women in the state to identify their areas of strength in entrepreneurship.
She pledged that her organisation, the Eunice Spring of Life Foundation, would not relent in its efforts to assist the less privileged.