posted October 20, 2023
The Edo State Government has announced that the upcoming 7th edition of the Alaghodaro Summit, scheduled to be held in Benin City from Wednesday, November 8 to Sunday, November 12, 2023, will prominently feature the participation of women and youth in the state.
This summit is organized by the private sector in Edo State and serves as an annual investment summit with a specific focus on commemorating the anniversary of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration.
On November 8, the summit will be dedicated to women’s participation, and on November 11, it will focus on the involvement of youth in various activities and discussions. The government’s decision to emphasize the inclusion of women and youth reflects their commitment to fostering economic development and inclusivity in the state. It indicates a strong dedication to promoting gender equality and providing opportunities for the younger generation to actively participate in the state’s growth and development.
With the theme, “The Edo Story: Creating Shared Opportunities into the Future,” this year’s edition will help spotlight the transformative programmes and policies by the government over the past seven years which have improved the lives of millions of Edo people and chart the course for the State’s prosperous future.
In a statement, the Chairperson, Local Organising Committee and Executive Secretary, Alaghodaro Economic Summit Limited/Gte, Eire Ifueko Alufohai, said the summit will provide a fine platform for women and young people in the State to voice their perspectives and contribute to the state’s future, while also evaluating how they benefited from the government’s policies and projects, with a view to sustaining and improving them.
She said the State Government will during the summit host women and youths in the State at the Edo Women Conference and Youth Concert scheduled for Wednesday, November 8, 2023, and Saturday, November 11, 2023, respectively.
According to her, “The Edo State Government under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki, has in the past seven years, taken deliberate steps to engender inclusive and sustainable development, providing opportunities for women and youths to realize their fullest potential.
“Governor Obaseki, described as the most women-friendly governor, has more women occupying top positions in his government (over 30 per cent), which affords the State the opportunity to leverage their creative thinking and innate potential to build a better and inclusive society.”
She noted, “Through EdoJobs, the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration has continued to train and empower more women and youths in the State, encouraging them to tap into the potential of digital technologies. Over 25,000 women and 100,000 youths have benefitted from various training programmes on in-demand tech skills in fields such as Web Development Fundamental, Data Analytics Fundamental and Digital Marketing Fundamental, among others.”
Alufohai added, “The 2023 Alaghodaro Summit, being the last to be celebrated under the leadership of the women and youth-loving governor will enable the State government to assess the impact of its policies and programmes on job creation, youth and women empowerment, basic and technical education and youth and women participation in governance, among others, while hearing directly from the ultimate beneficiaries of these reforms, who are Edo women and youths.”