The wife of Ondo State Governor, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has donated Solayo kits to no fewer than 1,500 indigent pregnant women across the 18 local government areas of the state. She made this presentation as part of activities marking the 2019 celebration of International Women's Day themed "BalanceforBetter".

Solayo is an initiative for the provision of lifesaving solution for Maternal and Child health in Ondo State.

Mrs. Akeredolu who made her presentation in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Local Area of the state on Friday, and was represented by chairpersons of other local government areas of the state in the their various LGAs, noted that the gesture was borne out of love by the present administration in the state towards maternal and child healthcare. She revealed that the kit is a bag of essential supplies that a woman requires at childbirth to ensure she has a clean, safe and hygenic delivery.

"Pregnancy should be a thing of joy but when you do not have means there is a problem and as a government, we have to step in and help because women will continue to have babies and not many can afford the items.

"Giving birth is an experience that every woman should have because it is a beautiful experience but it is not so for every woman because they lack basic needs.

"And when you have the babies, you should have also some goodies attached to it,"she said.

The First Lady further promised that together with the state government, she would continue to support mothers and children for their betterment and wellbeing. She, therefore, advised women in the state to embrace family planning in order to ensure better living and longevity.

While regretting that women always bore the brunt when the family could not feed and provide for children, the Governor's Wife enjoined women to give birth only to the number of children they could cater for, saying that "he who fails to plan, plans to fail. "

"There is nothing wrong with family planning because our lives are not about making babies but other meaningful things must be achived too.

"It is a good thing but we also have other things. The uptake of family planning in Nigeria is still very low.

"Out of humanity, we are supporting our women and creating awareness but give birth only to those you will be able to nurture because children need good nutrition.

"My interest is that mothers can be healthy and have healthy babies for joyful motherhood. "

The First Lady further urged the women to play active roles in politics for their grievances and needs to be addressed. More women, she called, should be empowered through comprehensive education so they can sit at decision making tables with their male counterparts and decide policies for the advancement of women.

Mrs. Akeredolu noted that she had been advocating for women advancement for the past 20 years, promising not to relent.

" A woman is empowered when educated.

"Education enables you to know your rights and helps you to do away with traditional practices such as female circumcision.

"Female circumstition is barbaric, archaic and nobody does it again," she stated.

Ealier in her remark, Mrs Rebecca Ikumawoyi, the wife of the Chairman of the Local Government Area, applauded the initiative of the Governor's wife in giving delivery kits to indigent pregnant women across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state. She stated that the occasion was unique for women because it enabled them to deliberate on issues geared towards their common good.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Idowu Busari, also appreciated Arabinrin Akeredolu for her unrelenting love and kindness for mothers and children in the state noting that the items would go a long way in ensuring the safe delivery of her expected baby.