Women’s Day: Omolewa tasks women to embrace SMEs

Women have been charged to think outside the box and make good use of the opportunities around them.

They have also been encouraged to diversify and embrace entrepreneurship as it could make them excel in their endeavours wherever they find themselves.

Omolewa Ahmed, wife of the Kwara State governor, made the charge at a programme organised to mark the 2018 International Women’s Day, where about 100 women were empowered.

Speaking on the theme for this year’s celebration, ‘Pressing for Progress: Inspire to Aspire’, Omolewa posited that it was time women began to take their rightful place in the society.

“We are created as women to add value and make a difference. In view of this, we partner with relevant organisations we feel could help us impact positively on our women and girls in Kwara State.

“We approached the government and the SMEs office to help expand some of them who already have existing businesses, and Ministry of Agriculture to establish some of them as lady farmers.

“We want our girls to look inward and see themselves as agents of change. No matter where you find yourselves, irrespective of whatever career, make the best use of that opportunity and diversify, as there are so much to tap and move forward.

BusinessDay reports that five persons secured employment in Kwara State civil service. Another set of five beneficiaries emerged through a raffle draw and got scholarships to acquire vocational skills in the International Vocational Centre (IVETEC), Ilorin.

Fifty are for small and medium scale enterprises (SMES); 20 will be empowered in farming; nine in ICT, and five in automotive industry.

The governor’s wife urged the beneficiaries of the scheme to make the women folk proud by being agents of positive change in the society.

In her submission, Esther Modupe Susan, one of the resource persons at the event and the state’s head of service (HOS), advised women to take up career in the civil service, assuring that it is one of the best places to secure their future.

She admonished women to have a positive attitude towards their fellow women and embrace only values that make them responsible in the society.