The Member of Parliament for Walewale constituency in the North East Region, Hajia Lariba Zuweira Abudu, has distributed food items, 6-yard clothes and a cash amount to over 2,000 widows and other vulnerable individuals.
Hajia Lariba Abudu who doubles as the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection organized the 2nd edition of her annual Widow’s Summit last Friday, December 30, 2022, on the theme: “Strengthening a Widow’s Might” with funding support from the Bank of Ghana, Agric Development Bank and CBG among others.
The MP also thanked the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Opare and the Samira Empowerment and Humanitarian Projects for their support towards the exercise.
The Walewale lawmaker also organized free medical screening to provide quality healthcare to her constituents.
Speaking in an interview, Hajia Lariba Abudu told Journalists as someone who has lived her life in the community since infancy, she well understands the predicament of women in the constituency and that has informed her decision to introduce the widow’s summit.
She explained a lot of these underprivileged women are people who have lost their breadwinners leaving them under the extreme poverty brackets of society.
“So I just thought that, what do I do to make them happy, at least festive seasons and that informed my decision.”
She narrated, “When I did it last year, I realized that they [women] were so happy, they were smiling; somebody told me – Hajia today – me and my children are going to eat our favorite soup because I have fifty (50) Ghana cedis; and somebody said look since last year I haven’t taken rice and it was heartbreaking and this year I went back to my sponsors to see if they will help me again; low and behold they’re here supporting and I have increase the number to 2000 from 600 last year.”
New Policy formulation
The Walewale legislator noted her Ministry will also take the necessary steps to ascertain whether there’s the need for government to outcome with a new policy to mitigate the conditions of widows in Ghana.
LEAP
Responding to a question on the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty, the Minister stated two cycles of payments has been made to beneficiaries awaiting the last payment.
She disclosed an assessment is being done now to enroll new beneficiaries and some expected to exit the programme because they are financial sound now and doing business on their own.
Testimonies of beneficiaries
Meanwhile, some of the beneficiaries couldn’t hide their joy and excitement for the items they received and were all praises for their MP. In their testimonies however they lamented the excruciating living conditions they find themselves and called for support from government.
For his part, the North East Regional Minister, Mr. Yidana Zakaria, commended the Walewale MP for such remarkable initiative and seized the opportunity to promote girl-child education.
The Minister admonished parents to be motivated by the examples of Hajia Lariba Abudu and ensure their girls are in school to acquire education for a brighter future.
