Imo: LP Reps candidate, Akeredolu, seeks urgent investment in rural communities

The Labour Party candidate for the Owerri Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives, Imo State, Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has called for urgent investment in rural communities to improve the livelihoods of rural women and strengthen agricultural development.

Her call comes as the world celebrates the contributions of rural women. She warned that inadequate infrastructure, limited access to finance and poor market opportunities continue to undermine the potential of women farmers.

In a statement marking the 2026 International Day of Rural Women, observed on October 15, Akeredolu stressed that rural women deserve more than ceremonial recognition.

She said their contributions to food security, environmental protection and community development must be matched with practical support.

With this year’s theme, “Rural Women Farmers Caring for Mother Nature,” Akeredolu, popularly known as Ada Owere, described rural women as indispensable contributors to agricultural production, custodians of indigenous knowledge and protectors of biodiversity.

She noted that despite their contributions to agriculture, many rural women continue to face poor road networks, insecure land rights, limited access to affordable credit, inadequate electricity supply and the burden of unpaid domestic responsibilities.

She said: “this must change. Rural women deserve more than recognition; they deserve opportunity, investment, infrastructure and a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods”.

The Labour Party candidate said her commitment to rural women was reflected in two pillars of her eight-point agenda: Pillar Four, Women and Girl-Child Advancement, and Pillar Six, Infrastructure and Community Development.

According to her, empowering rural women is not an act of charity but a strategic investment in household prosperity, food security and sustainable economic growth.

She said her women and girl-child advancement agenda included advocating policies to expand economic opportunities for women, strengthen women-led businesses and improve access to agricultural training, affordable financing, modern farming technology and better markets.

She also emphasised the need to support rural women, widows and other vulnerable groups through skills acquisition and sustainable livelihood programmes.

On education, Akeredolu stressed that girls in rural communities must have access to quality education, digital literacy and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), alongside emerging opportunities in artificial intelligence.

She maintained that investing in the girl-child would help produce a new generation of agricultural innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers and community leaders.

Akeredolu also called for greater participation of rural women in governance and decision-making, particularly on agriculture, land use, environmental protection, healthcare and community development.

Beyond economic empowerment, she identified inadequate infrastructure as a major obstacle preventing rural women from maximising their productivity.

She explained that poor roads increase transportation costs, delay the movement of agricultural produce and expose farmers to avoidable post-harvest losses.

She added that limited access to electricity, potable water, modern markets and processing facilities restricted women farmers’ ability to preserve produce, expand their businesses and earn better incomes.

Akeredolu said she would prioritise advocacy for infrastructure and community development, including the rehabilitation of rural and federal roads, rural electrification, solar street lighting, potable water, improved healthcare and educational facilities, modern markets and erosion control.

She stressed that rural communities across Owerri Federal Constituency required sustained investment to unlock their economic potential and improve residents’ quality of life.

She also highlighted the importance of environmentally responsible development, noting that erosion control, sustainable land management, water conservation and the protection of natural resources were essential to agricultural productivity and community safety.

According to her, if elected, she would use legislative advocacy, oversight, budget engagement and constituency consultations to pursue these priorities in collaboration with relevant federal and state agencies, local governments, development partners and community stakeholders.

She argued that Nigeria’s food security ambitions would remain difficult to achieve without deliberate efforts to support women involved in producing, processing and distributing agricultural products.

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She also cited the designation of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer as an additional reason to strengthen women’s role in agricultural development and food system transformation.

According to her, governments must close existing gaps in access to productive resources, strengthen women’s economic independence and ensure that agricultural policies reflect the realities of rural communities.

Akeredolu said agriculture in Owerri Federal Constituency should be viewed not merely as a subsistence activity but as a viable pathway to enterprise development, job creation, wealth generation and community transformation.

She advocated improved market access, value addition and environmentally sustainable farming practices to help rural producers increase their earnings while protecting natural resources for future generations.

The Labour Party candidate paid tribute to women who work on farms, process food, trade in markets, care for their families and sustain their communities despite limited resources and inadequate recognition.

She stressed that their labour, knowledge, welfare and future must become priorities in development planning.

Akeredolu said her vision was to build an Owerri Federal Constituency where rural women have access to essential infrastructure, resources to establish thriving businesses, education and technology to compete in a changing world, and opportunities to participate meaningfully in public life.

She maintained that empowering women farmers would strengthen families, stimulate rural economies and promote environmental sustainability.

She said: “When we empower rural women, we strengthen families. When we invest in rural communities, we unlock economic potential. When we support women farmers to care for Mother Nature, we protect our food systems and the future of generations to come”.

She called for a shift from annual celebrations to consistent investments that deliver measurable improvements in the lives of rural women and the communities they sustain.