Oborevwori to roll out welfare scheme for 10,000 widows amid economic strain

Delta State Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori is set to launch what his administration calls the largest state backed widows’ welfare intervention in recent years, promising direct support to 10,000 beneficiaries across the state. 

The scheme will be unveiled on Monday, August 18, 2025, at the Dome Event Centre, Asaba, in a ceremony expected to draw top state officials, women’s groups, and social welfare stakeholders.

The programme announced quietly in policy circles but now gaining public attention is positioned as part of the administration’s broader social investment push. However, questions remain about funding sources, long-term sustainability, and the vetting process for beneficiaries in a state where welfare data is often fragmented.

Speaking in Asaba on Wednesday, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Social Investment and Coordinator of the scheme, Chief Isioma Okonta, told journalists the intervention would provide “financial assistance and empowerment packages” aimed at strengthening livelihoods.

“The programme is designed to enhance economic resilience for widows and give them a pathway to stability,” Okonta said, describing it as a “critical component” of the state’s social investment agenda.

Insiders familiar with the initiative say it falls under a multi-pronged welfare strategy targeting vulnerable demographics, though implementation timelines for other components remain unclear.

The scheme arrives at a time when inflation and reduced household incomes are pushing more families into economic distress, making transparency in beneficiary selection a key concern for advocacy groups. While the government has not yet disclosed the per-person benefit amount, welfare experts say the success of such programmes depends as much on execution as on intent.

Whether this flagship initiative becomes a lifeline for widows or another short-lived welfare headline may depend on how closely it is monitored in the months ahead.