The Executive Director of Marine and Operations at the Nigerian Ports Authority, Olalekan A. Badmus, has highlighted the impact of the empowerment initiative sponsored by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, stating that over 1,000 women in Osun State have already benefited from the programme. Badmus made this known on Saturday during the fifth edition of the empowerment event held at the Tinubu/Shettima campaign office in Osogbo.
Badmus explained that the initiative was created to support women running small-scale businesses by giving them grants that could help their ventures grow. According to him, “The major aim of this programme is to give back to society. It is organised for residents of Osun State across the federal constituency to encourage women involved in small-scale businesses by providing grants that will support their ventures.” He added that more editions were already being planned so that even more women can benefit in the coming months.
Emphasising the scale of the intervention, Badmus said, “This is the fifth edition, and over 1,000 individuals have benefited from the initiative. Plans are underway to increase the number.” He noted that the programme has become a reliable support system for many women who need financial assistance to stay active in local trade.
Speaking at the same event, Badmus also addressed the upcoming All Progressives Congress governorship primary scheduled for December 13, 2025. He assured party members that the APC would remain united despite competition among aspirants. According to him, “APC has its own mechanism to maintain the unity of the party. I am confident that the party leadership is working diligently to ensure that all gubernatorial aspirants are united before, during, and after the primary.” He stated that the party’s leadership understands the political environment and has the right structure to manage internal issues effectively.
The pioneer Field Commander of Osun Amotekun, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, also praised the initiative, saying, “Since Oyetola left government in 2022, his organisation, Ilerioluwa, is the only political group that attends to the needs and welfare of the people of the state individually.”
