The President of Ojoto Centre LSD Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Ugochi Ehiahuruike, has called on women in oil and mineral-bearing communities to unite for the economic emancipation of women across Anambra State.
Ehiahuruike made the call during the inauguration of various women’s cooperative groups under the Centre LSD Multipurpose Cooperative — an offshoot of the Women in Frontline of Extractive Communities (WIFE) project being implemented by the Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) across the Niger Delta states.
According to her, women from communities where oil, gas, or solid mineral resources are found in Anambra State qualify to be members of the cooperative groups.
“For a start, we are targeting between ten and twenty women in each cluster group, each of whom will receive an interest-free loan of ₦100,000,” she explained. “Before disbursement, five percent of the loan amount — that is ₦5,000 — will be deducted from each member of the cooperative.”
She added that after disbursement, members are expected to utilize the funds for 30 days before repayment begins on a weekly basis. “The repayment will last for a total of five months, making it a six-month project cycle,” she said.
Ehiahuruike noted that the loan scheme is designed to be revolving, allowing new beneficiaries to access funds as repayments are made. “A small amount from the loans will be saved and returned to clients at the end of each cycle, enabling them to recover their savings while mobilization for the next phase continues,” she explained.
The cooperative president emphasized that the intervention aims to support women’s economic empowerment, particularly those living below the poverty line.
Essence of initiative
“The essence is to support women because poverty is said to have a woman’s face,” she remarked. “We want to see how we can uplift more women economically and strengthen their financial independence.”
She outlined the eligibility criteria for beneficiaries, noting that participants must reside in frontline extractive communities and earn less than ₦36,000 per month — a figure defined by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) as the poverty threshold.
Ehiahuruike also explained that cooperative members have already selected their coordinators, adding that proximity was considered to reduce transportation costs. “They must live close to one another and to the meeting venue. This ensures convenience and minimizes expenses,” she said.
She further revealed plans to organize leadership training for the coordinators to build their capacity and enhance group efficiency.
“This is to fortify them with the knowledge of what leadership entails and what is expected of them,” Ehiahuruike stated. “We believe that everything rises and falls on leadership.”
