Catholic NGO inaugurates MFB, targets widows

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos, has established a Micro Finance Bank (MFB), in the Plateau capital.


Rev. Fr. Stephen Akpe, Assistant Coordinator of JDPC, who inaugurated the steering committee of the bankt, said that its sole goal was to minimise poverty among the residents ``especially widows''.

``Given the huge number of poor people in the state, there is a need for the Church, and indeed other individuals, to take steps that will bring succour to the poorest of the poor in the society,'' he said.

Akpe explained that the main aim of the MFB was to empower poor women and youths in the society.

He said that the bank was an offshoot of a micro credit scheme that had empowered more than 4,000 women, currently engaged in petty businesses, as part of efforts to raise their economic status.

He said that statistics had revealed that the state had more than one million people with no means of any meal in a day, and described the situation as ``terrible''.

``The success of the micro credit scheme and the positive impact it created in the lives of many women on the Plateau, necessitated the need to start up the MFB that will open more doors and opportunities for petty traders,'' he said.

The cleric regretted that thousands of families in Plateau were living below the poverty line, pointing out that government alone could not tackle the issue.

Earlier, the Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, had commended JDPC for the giant stride aimed at ameliorating sufferings in the state.

Kaigama, who was represented by the Vicar General, Monsignor Ben Obidaigwu, said that the gesture would curb poverty in the state, especially among women and widows.

"I commend JDPC for crossing this milestone within this period; after barely 10 years of operating a micro credit scheme, we now have a Micro Finance Bank.

''This gesture is laudable as it will help in curbing poverty in the state and also provide help to women, especially widows in the society,'' he said

He urged members of the committee to be faithful in carrying out their tasks, and challenged them to fashion out programmes and policies that would be friendly to everyone.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee is made up of 12 members with Akpe as its overseer.