…Says State DisCo Will Improve Power Supply
The Ogun State Government and the World Bank Group have jointly invested over N5 billion in women-oriented empowerment and livelihood initiatives over the past six years, Governor Dapo Abiodun, has disclosed.
The governor made this disclosure on Wednesday when he received a delegation from the World Bank Group, led by its Vice President, Ms. Galina Vincelette, at his office in Abeokuta.
Abiodun said the investment was deployed through the World Bank–supported Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP) and the state’s domesticated empowerment scheme christened “Oko’Owo Dapo”, which was established after the success of the initial programme.
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According to him, the NFWP, implemented through Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), has significantly transformed the socio-economic lives of women across the state by deepening financial inclusion, strengthening social cohesion, and equipping women with leadership and basic accounting skills.
Specifically, the governor confirmed: “About N3 billion was disbursed under the World Bank-supported initiative, while the Ogun State Government complemented it with another N2 billion. In total, roughly N5 billion has been invested in this impactful livelihood programme.”
He added that the state government subsequently launched “Oko’Owo Dapo” initiative to sustain and expand the gains of the initiative, noting that the programme has so far empowered about 55,000 women across Ogun State.
Abiodun also highlighted the achievements of the Ogun State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme (OGCARES), describing it as a critical intervention that strengthened household resilience and supported food system recovery during and after the pandemic.
On the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), the governor said the programme had recorded measurable progress in skills acquisition, agricultural productivity, and land administration reforms.
Abiodun clarified: “We have significantly increased the speed of issuing Certificates of Occupancy.
“Under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), which focuses on connecting farms to markets, we are currently upgrading about 209 kilometres of rural roads. Improved rural access reduces transportation costs and enhances agricultural productivity”, he added.
The governor further disclosed that Ogun State would soon commission its Electricity Distribution Company as part of deliberate efforts to improve power supply and stimulate industrial growth.
He said the state was pursuing multiple Independent Power Projects (IPPs) and had already established the Ogun State Electricity Board, following recent constitutional amendments empowering states to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity.
Abiodun explained: “Power remains the biggest enabler of economic activities. We are working with strategic partners to generate and distribute electricity within the state.
“We are also on the verge of constructing mini-grids across Ogun State to meet our growing energy needs”, he added
Earlier in her remarks, the World Bank Group Vice President reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting Ogun State and Nigeria in addressing key development challenges.
She said the bank would continue to promote public-private solutions, particularly in the electricity sector, while strengthening investments in human capital development.
Also speaking, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mr. Matthew Verghis, disclosed that the Bank was preparing a new Country Partnership Framework for Nigeria, with strong emphasis on job creation.
The banker said: “Creating jobs is the most sustainable way to reduce poverty and raise incomes. Our existing programmes, including the Nigeria for Women Project, will continue.
“Nigeria currently has a $17 billion World Bank portfolio, one of the largest globally, and our support remains strong,” Verghis added.
Photo Caption
L-R: Task Team Leader, Nigeria for Women Project, Michael Ilesanmi; Country Director, World Bank Group, Matthew Verghis; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Vice President, World Bank Group, Galina Vincelette, and the Operations Manager, World Bank Group, Taimur Samad, during the visit on Wednesday of the World Bank Group to the Governor’s office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta
