By Jonathan Ugbal: Government House Correspondent
Wives of the 17 Southern state governors under the nomenclature, Southern Governors Wives Forum (SGWF) have commended Cross River Governor, Senator Ben Ayade for his developmental strides.
They are in Calabar, the Cross River capital for their last forum meeting for 2017 and the President of the SGWF, Mrs. Nneoma Okorocha (Imo state Governor’s wife) who led the women on a courtesy call to Mr. Ayade on Friday said the governor is in a hurry to bring the dividends of democracy to Cross Riverians and maintained that projects such as the garment factory was people oriented as it generates jobs for women.
The SGWF comprises of wives of governors from the South-South, South-East and South-West regions.
And, Mrs. Okorocha who said it was instituted under the guidance of the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, to bring them together with a focus on empowering women and children, was committed to building bridges, development as well as understanding across the geopolitical zones and appealed for support from Governor Ayade and his counterparts for some of the forum’s pet projects.
Mr. Ayade commended the SGWF for their choice of Calabar for their meeting and posited that Cross Riverians understand the strategic role of women and stressed the need for the empowerment of women for the good of the society.
He said that the various projects being undertaken by his administration have direct bearing and positive impact on the people, especially the garment factory which has 98 percent women and widows in particular as its employees.
The Governor maintained that the women’s forum complimented the men’s forum and pointed out that his administration was doing everything necessary to ensure that the people of the state imbibe the spirit of enterprise, even as he charged the SGWF members to take time off their crowded schedules to visit the garment factory and other scenic places in Calabar.
Earlier, Mr. Ayade’s wife, Dr. Linda Ayade had in her remarks, disclosed that the essence of the courtesy call was to intimate him of the purpose of their presence in Cross River State.
The forum which began yesterday, is scheduled to last till tomorrow (Saturday).
