Expedite Passage Of Widows, Orphans Support Bill – Aondoakaa

The National Assembly has been urged to expedite the passage of a bill establishing the National Council for Public Assistance to Widows, Dependent Children, and Orphans.

At a Media Conference in Abuja, Director General of Idealab Agency, Emmanuel Aondoakaa, who called for swift action on the bill, stated that the agency’s establishment would help address issues of unemployment.

Aondoakaa while commending Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Abbas Tajudeen for sponsoring the bill and engaging stakeholders noted that the bill was previously presented in the 9th Assembly.

He also praised the speaker for reintroducing the bill, which aligns with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Aondoakaa emphasized that the bill’s passage would also address the concerns of protesters, reduce tension, and increase public approval ratings for legislators and the federal government.

Speaking on the objective of the agenda, the Director General explained that Idealab Agency, was by the Federal Government established in May 2024 to address challenges faced by small holder farmers and micro, small, and medium enterprises in accessing intervention funds.

“This was a follow up of the Idealab programme that was officially launched on the 29th March, 2022 by the Bank of Industry in collaboration with other critical stockholders to drive the initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria for the investment in digital economy and creative enterprise (IDICE) and the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation venture capital funds for intervention programs using financial inclusion and inclusive growth strategies to lift Nigerians who are excluded out of poverty.

“The funds are in the form of grants, scholarship, aid, employment, market access and loan programs, etc.

He said that Idealab program has created and adopted state of the arts technologies that can drive financial inclusion and inclusive growth strategies across the country to bring intervention programs to every community in Nigeria.

“These technologies are designed and approved to facilitate the onboarding processes and disbursement of loans, grants, scholarships, aid, employment & market access, etc.

“By adopting these technologies and using them, so many adult Nigerians can access intervention programs ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦200 billion, both from the Federal Government of Nigeria and World Bank Group

“Though these funds have been there since the launch of idealab program, yet so many Nigerians have not heard about it or still not benefitted from these intervention programs.

“It is on the premise of this verifiable fact that we are calling on the National Assembly, the media and other critical stakeholders to support us (Idealab agency) in terms of mobilization and awareness creation about the intervention programs under our watch.”

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Shakirat Alabi