…Unveils plan to train 90,000 women
By Golok Nanmwa
JOS — Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has urged residents to support security agencies with timely and credible intelligence to curb criminal activities, saying effective security depends on the active participation of citizens.
Mutfwang made the call during a worship and Widows’ Remembrance Service at COCIN Bukuru, Gyel, where he encouraged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies.
“When you see something, say something. Security depends on intelligence. Together, we can keep Plateau safe and continue on the path of peace and progress,” the governor said.
He said sustaining the relative peace in the state requires collective responsibility and close cooperation between residents and security agencies.
The governor also urged Christians to promote unity within the Church, describing it as essential to lasting peace and harmony in Plateau State.
“The unity of Plateau State depends on the Church. If the Church takes the lead, irrespective of tribe or background, the people of Plateau will come together as one family because none of us can stand alone; we need one another,” he said.
Mutfwang disclosed that the state government would train 90,000 women under a World Bank-supported empowerment programme aimed at boosting women’s economic participation and improving livelihoods.
He said the state had paid the required counterpart funding for the programme, paving the way for large-scale vocational and entrepreneurial training.
According to him, the initiative will equip women with practical skills to become financially independent and contribute to the state’s economy.
The governor also revealed that his administration had revived the Widowhood Centre in Mangu, where more than 100 widows graduated from vocational training last year, while another 500 women acquired various livelihood skills.
“Our support for widows is government policy. We cannot ignore women, especially widows who are genuinely in need. They deserve dignity, empowerment and opportunities to rebuild their lives,” he said.
Mutfwang added that caring for widows should not be left to government and the Church alone, urging families to support widows rather than dispossessing them of their late husbands’ property.
As part of the empowerment initiatives, the governor announced a ₦10 million donation to widows in the church and invited 50 youths with viable business ideas to submit proposals through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government for assessment.
He said successful applicants would receive financial support to establish sustainable businesses.
Earlier, Associate Pastor Nehemiah Mafiyai, who preached on the theme, “A Defender of Widows,” drawn from Psalm 68:5 and 2 Kings 4:1-7, described God as the defender of widows and the father of the fatherless.
He distinguished between widows who have family support and those he described as “widows indeed,” urging families, the Church and society to provide care, protection and support for vulnerable widows.
