Mrs Samira Bawumia has said empowering women is key to the development of any nation.

The wife of Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia said this when she launched the Obaapa Micro-Loans Scheme in Bogoso in the Western Region.

The credit facility is an initiative of the Member of Parliament for the Prestea-Huni Valley Constituency, Mrs Barbara Oteng Gyasi through the Wassa Hemaa Foundation.

“The NPP government, under the leadership of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is doing massively well to serve the good people of this country. Don’t be deceived by people who you gave power to in the last eight years and did virtually nothing to better your lives. I’m really moved by what your MP, Barbara is doing, and I am also supporting with GHS 20,000,” Mrs Bawumia stated.

For her part, Mrs Gyasi said the credit facility has been named Obaapa “because it is only a good woman who is prepared to work hard to help her family and herself. I have set this up to make rural women here get access to funds for their businesses.”

She added that she has also set up the Wassa Hemma Foundation (WHF) to coordinate all the social intervention programmes she is embarking upon, such as “annual health screening, micro-loan scheme, free vacation classes, and support to persons living with disability”.

The credit facility, with a seed money of GHS100,000, is meant to assist traders, particularly women in the constituency with loans to boost their businesses.