The Delta State Government says 10,000 women have benefited from the state-funded widows’ welfare scheme, describing it as support for vulnerable households. The Executive Assistant to the Governor on Social Investment Programmes, Isioma Okonta, disclosed this at a news briefing in Asaba on Saturday.
According to Mr Okonta, the scheme, championed by the present administration, has moved beyond symbolism and become a practical response to vulnerability across communities. He said the programme has shown consistency in funding and implementation since it was introduced.
Mr Okonta said 10,000 people across the state received their November stipends under the scheme, noting that payments were made as scheduled. He explained that the initiative provides steady financial support for women who often carry the full burden of family responsibilities alone.
He said the monthly stipends were designed to stabilise beneficiaries’ livelihoods. “The intervention acknowledges the economic shock widows frequently experience after the loss of their spouses and seeks to cushion its long-term effects,” the governor’s aide said.
Mr Okonta also said the programme includes free medical care at accredited hospitals, aimed at reducing healthcare expenses that often push vulnerable households deeper into poverty. He added that the dual approach of cash support and healthcare access has helped many widows regain a sense of security and dignity.
He said the Oborevwori administration embedded the scheme within a social investment framework rather than treating it as a one-off relief effort. Mr Okonta described the governor as deliberate and responsive, saying sustained attention to widows’ welfare had become “a defining feature” of his leadership style.
He said the scheme is regarded as one of the state’s most effective social interventions and a benchmark for inclusive governance, adding that its continuation reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring vulnerable citizens are not left behind in the state’s development agenda.
