The First Lady of Edo State, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, has appealed to government at all levels to make available soft loans for women.

Mrs. Obaseki made the appeal during a one day seminar organized by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, (NAWOJ), to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day.

This year’s event themed "Count Her In: Accelerating Gender Equality Through Economic Empowerment", was in collaboration with other professional women groups in the state and was held at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy, in Benin City. 

Represented by Mrs Efosa Uyigue, the Vice-chairman of Ovia North East Local Government Council, the First Lady said the soft loans are to support women in their businesses and also encourage them to take up leadership positions. 

She commended NAWOJ and other professional bodies for putting the program together, insisting that events that promote inclusivity and gender parity should be supported.

Guest Speaker at the event, Mr. Efosa Eghobamien, urged the women groups to evolve ways of adjusting to a new life and the need not to wait to retire before engaging in other jobs or means of livelihood.

In her keynote address, Professor Evelyn Uwa Edosomwan of the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, highlighted various ways to empower women in the society some of which she noted are being adopted by countries across the globe.

Earlier in her opening remarks, Chairperson of NAWOJ, Edo State, Comrade Adesuwa Ehimuan who also doubles as the convener of the Professional Woman Group, advised women to be adequately empowered and also endeavor to have a means of livelihood.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to five illustrious sons and daughters of Edo by the coalition of Professional Women Group.