600 Abia Widows Get N50,000 Each As Otti’s Wife Marks 2026 International Widows Day

By Ogbonnaya Ikokwu On Aug 5, 2026

The Wife of the Abia State Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, on Tuesday disbursed N50,000 each to over 600 widows across the state to support their micro businesses as part of activities marking the *2026 International Widows Day* in Umuahia.

The event, held at the JAAC Secretariat, Umuahia, had the theme: “Justice, Dignity and Economic Power for Widows.”

Mrs. Otti said that justice for widows is not charity but a moral obligation, stressing that dignity is a fundamental right while economic empowerment remains the pathway to self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods.

Reaffirming the Abia State Government’s commitment to protecting the rights and wellbeing of widows, she highlighted the achievements of the *Dignity Homes Initiative*, under which 35 indigent widows from the 17 Local Government Areas received fully completed homes alongside livelihood support.

She disclosed that 17 more homes would be built across the state, and assured that widows would continue to benefit from cash assistance, food support, skills acquisition and other empowerment programmes.

“To our widows, I say: you are seen, you are valued, and you are not forgotten. Together, we will build a society where no widow is left behind,” she added.

Earlier in her remarks, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs. Ngozi Blessing Felix, said the event underscored the state’s resolve to promote justice, dignity and economic opportunities for widows.

She noted that under the administration of *Governor Dr. Alex Otti, OFR*, social protection has become a key pillar of governance through initiatives including the Dignity Homes Project, livelihood support programmes, healthcare interventions and advocacy for the protection of widows’ inheritance and property rights.

The Commissioner called on families, communities, faith-based organisations, civil society groups and development partners to join hands with government to eliminate harmful widowhood practices and create an inclusive society where widows can live with dignity, security and hope.

The event was organised by the Office of the Wife of the Governor in collaboration with the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection. It attracted government officials, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, women groups and hundreds of widows from across Abia State.