By Chinazaekpere Chinwendu
The Executive Mayor of Ikwuano Local Government Area, Hon. Anthony Nzeribe Nwaubani, PhD, FCA, FCIB, has reaffirmed his commitment to grassroots economic empowerment through the provision of monthly financial assistance to selected women engaged in small-scale businesses across the 10 wards of the local government.
The intervention, which forms part of the Mayor’s Monthly Active Poor Support Programme (MAP-SP), is designed to strengthen the economic activities of women operating petty businesses by providing them with modest financial assistance to augment their existing business capital and improve their livelihoods.
The programme specifically targets economically disadvantaged women who are already engaged in productive commercial activities but require additional financial resources to sustain, improve and expand their businesses.
Speaking, Dr. Nwaubani explained that the initiative was a monthly commitment aimed at providing practical economic assistance to small-scale businesswomen at the grassroots. He emphasised that the intervention was intended to support existing businesses rather than serve as a conventional financial handout, noting that even modest financial contributions could make a meaningful difference in the operations of petty traders and micro-entrepreneurs.
The Mayor further disclosed that, beyond the financial assistance, his administration also provides transportation support for beneficiaries travelling to and from the local government headquarters to receive the funds. This additional provision is intended to ensure that the women do not have to expend any portion of their business support on transportation, thereby preserving the full value of the assistance for its intended purpose.
He also offered prayers for the beneficiaries, expressing goodwill and wishing them success in their respective businesses. His gesture reflects the compassionate dimension of the initiative, which combines financial empowerment with personal encouragement and concern for the welfare of the recipients.
The Mayoress of Ikwuano, Mrs. Princess Nwaubani, was present at the presentation and equally demonstrated her support for the beneficiaries. She offered prayers for the women, asking for God's blessings, protection and prosperity upon their lives, families and businesses.
The beneficiaries, visibly appreciative of the intervention, expressed profound gratitude to the Mayor and his wife for their generosity and continued concern for the economic well-being of ordinary residents. They acknowledged the significance of the financial assistance to their small businesses and offered prayers for God's abundant blessings upon the couple and their family.
The latest presentation further highlights Nwaubani's commitment to inclusive grassroots development, recognising that meaningful governance must extend beyond infrastructure provision to initiatives that directly improve household incomes and strengthen the economic capacity of citizens.
Through the Monthly Active Poor Support Programme, the Ikwuano Mayor continues to demonstrate that targeted financial interventions, however modest, can serve as valuable instruments for promoting self-reliance, sustaining micro-enterprises and improving the livelihoods of economically vulnerable residents.