***Participants commend Her for Championing Grassroots Development at 3rd August Meeting
Labour Party candidate for Owerri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has pledged greater support for grassroots women-led initiatives, describing women’s empowerment as critical to building stronger families and communities.
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu, who made the commitment during the third edition of her 2026 August Meeting Tour in Akwakuma, Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, commended members of the Ndom Umuibe Women Organisation for their community development efforts.
The former First Lady of Ondo State, who attended the women’s August Meeting, expressed particular appreciation for the organisation’s Agro Farm initiative, describing it as a practical community-driven effort capable of promoting food production, economic empowerment and self-reliance.
She supported the initiative with a donation and assured the women that grassroots development programmes would receive priority attention if elected to represent the constituency in the National Assembly.
According to her, sustainable development cannot be achieved without deliberate investment in women, stressing that women should move beyond being beneficiaries of governance to becoming active participants in the decision-making process.
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu urged women to take a greater interest in elections and governance by participating in the selection of leaders, contributing to policy development and demanding accountability in the management of public resources.
She said her August Meeting Tour was driven by the need to connect directly with women at the grassroots, understand their challenges and encourage initiatives that can improve household incomes and community development.
“Women must not remain spectators in governance. We must be active participants in deciding who represents us, shaping policies and ensuring that resources meant for our communities are properly utilised,” she said.
She described the gathering in Akwakuma as another reminder of the resilience and leadership capacity of women, adding that empowering women would have a positive impact on families and the wider society.
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu said her message throughout the August Meeting Tour remained simple: “When we empower our women, we strengthen our families. When we strengthen our families, we build stronger communities.”
