From our news desk, Benin
The Edo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has pledged to strengthen collaboration with the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO), Archdiocese of Benin, in the areas of women’s empowerment, skills acquisition, child welfare and family development.
The commitment was made when members of the newly inaugurated CWO Archdiocesan executive paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry.
The visitors congratulated the Ministry’s commissioner, Hon. Mrs. Eugenia Abdallah on her appointment; and presented the organisation’s strategic agenda for the next four years.
Daisy Osunde, the director of media in the Ministry, made this known in a press release circulated amongst journalists in Benin, on Wednesday.
Leading the delegation, the newly inaugurated Archdiocesan President, Mrs. Margaret Osayande, said the CWO represents more than 5,000 Catholic women across the Archdiocese of Benin, with a mandate centred on spiritual growth, family stability, economic empowerment and community development, it was said.
Osayande outlined a number of initiatives aimed at improving the economic wellbeing of women and strengthening their capacity for self-reliance, while presenting the organisation’s 2026–2030 strategic plan.
She disclosed that the organisation plans to train 1,000 women in vocational skills including fashion design, catering, soap making and other practical trades, it was said.
Further, it was stated; the CWO also plans to establish an interest-free revolving micro-credit scheme to support 500 women engaged in petty trading and small businesses.
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According to Mrs. Osayande the organisation is equally working towards acquiring an official CWO bus to enhance outreach activities across the Archdiocese, while efforts are ongoing to complete the CWO Multipurpose Hall, which is expected to serve as a centre for skills acquisition, training and women empowerment programmes.
She was quoted to have expressed the organisation’s readiness to partner with the state government on programmes targeting women’s empowerment, child welfare and family development.
As she also appealed for government support for the forthcoming Archdiocesan Seminar scheduled for October.
Responding, Commissioner Abdallah welcomed the CWO leadership and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working with faith-based and community organisations to advance the welfare of women, children and families in Edo State.
The Commissioner, who is a Catholic and a former local CWO leader, asserts the Ministry would maintain an open-door policy and actively seek partnerships capable of delivering sustainable benefits to women and vulnerable members of society.
Abdallah assured the delegation that when the Ministry rolls out empowerment programmes, specific slots would be reserved for nominees of the CWO, particularly to ensure that vulnerable and enterprising women within the organisation benefit from government interventions.
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She also commended the role of mothers in building responsible and upright families, urging the CWO to sustain its commitment to moral formation, family values and the protection of the girl child.
Also speaking, the Provost Deanery and President of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Ugbor, Lady Josephine Eju, commended the Commissioner for her assurance of partnership with the CWO in the areas of empowerment, skills acquisition and girl-child education.
Eju assured the Ministry that the organisation remained prepared to support government programmes aimed at uplifting women, children and families across Edo State.
She said stronger collaboration between government and faith-based organisations would create greater opportunities for vulnerable members of the society.
Highlight of the visit was the presentation of goodwill gifts to Commissioner Abdallah by the CWO leadership, in a demonstration of the organisation’s commitment to building a productive partnership with the Ministry.
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