A’Ibom Govt Sets Requirements For N31bn Loan Facility 

… As Obot Akara Women Get N11m Lifeline For Cooperative Registration 
By Timothy Ekpo 
NSIT IBOM/OBOT AKARA
Akwa Ibom government has set requirements needed for women to benefit from the N31 billion cooperatives society development loan facility.
The deputy governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, who made this known at the ongoing ARISE Women Sensitisation Tour on Civic Responsibilities, which recently took place in four local government areas of Nsit Ibom, Ibesikpo Asutan, Obot Akara and Essien Udim.
  Eyakenyi stated that the tour, which had covered 16 local government areas, since it started on January 23, 2027, was a statewide enlightenment programme, coordinated by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare to mobilise Akwa Ibom women for economic empowerment and political participation in the state.
  She told the audience at every location that the project was specifically designed to sensitise women on the roles expected of them ahead of the 2027 general elections, and government’s plan to set up cooperative societies in all the wards for the disbursement of N31 billion credit facility.
  The deputy governor explained that the decision of government to invest in cooperatives development, was aimed at empowering women across the state to enable them to start and grow their businesses.
  She informed them that government intends to disburse N1 billion each to local government’s cooperatives, adding that on the platform, women were expected to register with the cooperatives in their respective wards.
Eyakenyi stated that while each cooperative will have a maximum of 100 members, women interested in the scheme should possess the National Identification Number (NIN), Voter Identification Number (VIN), and a bank account for the Bank Verification Number (BVN).
She noted that without these requirements, it would be very difficult for them to access the credit facility, stressing that the essence of the sensitisation was to encourage massive participation in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration exercise, and registration with the All Progressives Congress (APC), so that they would be able to complete necessary documentation with the cooperatives.
Eyakenyi maintained that the mobilisation of women for the cooperative empowerment and political participation, should be carried out from door to door, to ensure that those who had issues with their voter card, or who could not register earlier with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on grounds of age to get the card for next year’s polls.
She commended stakeholders and women for honouring the tour and urged them to support the re-election of Governor Umo Eno, Senator Godswill Akpabio and President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
The coordinator, Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, said she was happy to see women at the grassroots respond to the sensitisation programme and thanked the people for the support they gave to Governor Eno in 2023, while also appealing to them to support him again in 2027.
The commissioner for women affairs and social welfare, Mrs Inibehe Etukudoh, said the Ministry had the task of sensitising women on their civic responsibilities towards the 2027 general elections and cooperatives businesses.
She stated that the tour, which is intended to cover the 31 local government areas, would educate women and other stakeholders on the need to take part in the Continuous Voters Registration, APC party registration, and cooperative society registration.
  At Obot Akara Local Government Area sensitisation, a stakeholder in the area, Sir Monday Ebong Uko, thanked government for the initiative and announced the donation of N11 million lifeline fund for the registration of women from the 11 wards in the cooperative society.
In their welcome addresses, the chairman of Nsit Ibom, Ms Otobong Aaron; Ibesikpo Asutan, Mr Edidiong Inyang; Obot Akara, Mr Sunday Simon, and; Essien Udim, Mr Ntiedo Usoroh, appreciated the Ministry for embarking on the tour.
They said the sensitisation tour on civic responsibilities was apt, as it would mobilise and impact significantly on the economic and political potentials of women.
Highpoint of the tour was the raising of funds to support the women.