Not fewer than Ten Thousand Widows in Delta state have been earmarked to benefit from the State Government Widows Welfare Scheme.
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, flagging off the programme on Monday in Asaba, said the initiative was designed to provide financial and Healthcare support for 10,000 widows across the state.
Governor Oborevwori said under the scheme, each widow will receive a monthly stipend of 15,000 thousand naira to be paid directly into their bank accounts stressing that payments would commence immediately, with beneficiaries receiving their first stipend of 45,000 thousand naira covering three months in arrears.
The Governor clarified that the Widows Welfare Scheme was entirely non-political, cutting across all religious and ethnic divides in Delta State.
He added that the beneficiaries were carefully selected through a transparent and community-driven process covering the 270 Federal wards of the state, involving community leaders, traditional rulers, and civil society groups to verify claims of widowhood.
Governor Oborevwori assured that more interventions, including job creation and empowerment schemes for women and youths, will be rolled out soon.
Executive Assistant to the Governor on Social Investment Programmes, Elder Isioma Okonta, who coordinated the scheme, described it as a historic milestone in Delta’s social investment journey.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed profound gratitude to the Governor for not only providing them with stipends but also granting them access to free healthcare in their communities.
Since the inception of the administration, over 266,000 people have been empowered through social investment programmes, which include women empowerment and skill acquisition schemes, youth initiatives, MORE grant projects, and business support programmes.
