Female Voices for Good Governance is targeting 2,000 women and female students in Akwa Ibom State for an empowerment initiative that could provide beneficiaries with ₦100,000 each to support their economic independence.
The programme, tagged Operation Empower Young Women Project, is scheduled for Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Women Development Centre, IBB Avenue, Uyo, with a focus on developing entrepreneurship, leadership and practical skills among young women.
President of the organisation, Lady Victoria Uko, announced the initiative during the Supporters’ Circle radio programme on Comfort 95.1 FM, Uyo, where she outlined the group’s efforts to expand opportunities for women and girls.
Uko said the organisation, established in 2018, had pursued financial empowerment, mentorship, educational development and skills acquisition to help women become self-reliant and participate more actively in their communities.
She explained that the group, formerly known as Akwa Ibom Women for Good Governance, also advocates good governance, amplifies women’s voices and campaigns against gender-based violence.
According to her, the organisation’s activities extend beyond Akwa Ibom, with members in other parts of Nigeria and abroad, including the United States.
Uko cited previous interventions, including the Operation Empower Yourself Project in Abak, as examples of efforts to equip women with entrepreneurial skills that they could share with others in their communities.
She also acknowledged support from Governor Umo Eno for empowerment initiatives involving members of the organisation, saying direct assistance to beneficiaries helped limit the risk of favouritism.
The organisation’s Organising Secretary, Mrs Edidiong Thompson, said increasing women’s access to political and economic opportunities would enable them to make greater contributions to society.
Thompson maintained that women’s participation in leadership should be strengthened to challenge traditional restrictions on their roles and widen their involvement in public affairs.
The organisers said the forthcoming project would bring women and female students together for an intervention intended to improve their prospects for self-employment and financial independence.
The proposed package of ₦100,000 per participant would amount to ₦200 million if all 2,000 intended beneficiaries receive the full sum. However, the announcement did not specify whether the entire amount had been secured or whether every participant would receive cash directly.
The initiative is part of the organisation’s broader focus on economic empowerment and women’s participation in governance.
The announcement was made through the Supporters’ Circle programme, which airs every Monday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Comfort 95.1 FM, Uyo, and is also streamed on the station’s Facebook page and that of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Support Groups
