NEWS
Aba North Women Rise to Thrive as Mayor, Timothy Iheke Unveils Fresh Empowerment Initiative at 2026 August Women Meeting
The Executive Mayor of Aba North Local Government Area, Hon. Timothy Kalu Iheke, has announced a fresh women empowerment initiative that will see 10 women from each of more than 20 women groups in the council area benefit from his administration’s empowerment programme.
The Mayor made the announcement on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, during the 2026 Aba North August Women Meeting held at Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, with the theme “Women of Abia: Empowered to Thrive.”
Addressing the gathering, Hon. Timothy Kalu Iheke welcomed women from across Aba North and applauded them for their resilience, unity and continued contributions to the development of their families and communities.
The Mayor expressed delight at joining the women once again for the annual August Women Meeting, describing the gathering as an important platform for celebrating women and strengthening unity among them.
While reflecting on the previous August Women Meeting, he acknowledged the absence of some women who had attended the earlier gathering, expressing gratitude to God for the women who were present at this year’s event.
He, however, used the occasion to announce a major expansion of his administration’s empowerment drive, declaring that 10 women from each of more than 20 women groups across Aba North would henceforth be empowered.
The initiative, according to the Mayor, is designed to ensure that the benefits of empowerment reach women across different groups and communities within the local government area, giving more women the opportunity to improve their livelihoods and contribute more meaningfully to their families and the local economy.
The announcement added a practical dimension to the theme of the gathering, “Women of Abia: Empowered to Thrive,” as the Mayor moved beyond celebration to outline a direct intervention aimed at putting economic opportunities in the hands of women.
The Mayor’s announcement came amid growing calls at the event for greater investment in women’s education, entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and economic independence.
In her welcome address, the Wife of the Mayor of Aba North, Mrs. Nina Iheke, had urged women to embrace education, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship, while encouraging them to support and mentor one another and take advantage of opportunities provided by government and private initiatives.
She commended His Excellency Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, for creating opportunities for women to contribute to the development of Abia State and praised the Wife of the Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti, for her commitment to the welfare and dignity of women.
Mrs. Iheke particularly highlighted the Governor’s Wife’s Dignity Homes Initiative, which recently provided 35 fully furnished homes to indigent widows across the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State.
She disclosed that Aba North was among the beneficiaries, with two deserving widows receiving fully furnished three-bedroom homes, describing the intervention as one that restored hope, dignity, security and a renewed sense of belonging.
Representing the Wife of the Governor at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Affairs, Hon. Mrs. Chinenye Nwaka, also highlighted several women-focused initiatives of the administration.
She said more than 600 women across the 17 Local Government Areas had recently received grants to strengthen their small businesses, while other interventions had supported rural women farmers, vulnerable women, widows and elderly women.
Nwaka said the objective was to help women move beyond temporary relief by supporting them to expand businesses, acquire better equipment, develop skills and build sustainable enterprises.
She stressed that women were not merely beneficiaries of development but important drivers of economic growth, particularly in a commercial centre like Aba.
Earlier, the keynote speaker, Mrs. Chinedu Treasure Ogba, PhD, speaking on “Education and Entrepreneurship: Pathways to Empowerment for the Abia Woman to Thrive,” emphasised that education and entrepreneurship were critical to the growth, independence and self-actualisation of Abia women.
She described Abia women as resilient, hardworking, creative and enterprising, but noted that determination alone was no longer sufficient in today’s changing world.
Ogba urged women to acquire relevant education and skills, embrace digital opportunities, identify problems they could solve and turn their talents into sustainable businesses.
She explained that combining education with entrepreneurship could move women from learning and skills acquisition to innovation, business creation, income generation, job creation and community development.
She also commended the administration of Governor Alex Otti for providing platforms for Abia women to thrive and urged women to utilise available opportunities.
Speaking on the empowerment initiative, the Labour Party candidate for Aba North State Constituency, Mrs. Ijeoma Florence Ehuchie, commended the Wife of the Governor for her empowerment initiatives and appreciated Mrs. Nina Iheke for her hard work and commitment to women in Aba North.
In his closing remarks, the Member representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency, Rep. Alexander Mascot Ikwechegh (Onyeocha N’Aba), represented by Rtn. George Ezikpe Okiyi, commended Governor Alex Otti for what he described as the administration’s good works in Aba.
He urged the women to take the message of the gathering back to their various wards and mobilise their communities, while stressing the importance of supporting the Governor’s administration ahead of the 2027 election.
The event also featured the empowerment of women with sewing machines, as well as cultural dances and a colourful march-past.
Among those present were the Mayor of Aba South LGA, Hon. Obialor Denis Anyanwu; Special Assistant on Vulnerable Groups and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Mrs. Ifeoma Thomas; Abia State Deputy Chairman of the Labour Party, Apostle Eucharia Nkeiruka Ibe; Board Member of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), Mrs. Bertha Ehumadu; and the wives of the Mayors of Aba North, Obingwa, Ohafia and Ugwunagbo Local Government Areas, among other dignitaries.
With the Mayor’s pledge to empower 10 women from each of more than 15 women groups, the Aba North August Women Meeting moved beyond speeches and celebration to a concrete commitment aimed at putting economic opportunities directly in the hands of women.
The message from the gathering was clear: for women to truly thrive, empowerment must move from promises to practical opportunities and Aba North is positioning its
women to be active participants in that transformation.