The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has disbursed N250 million to empower 500 Bauchi women, to improve their social and economic status.
The grant is being disbursed under the Senator ’s Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Economic Empowerment Programme in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
Tinubu, who inaugurated the exercise on Saturday in Bauchi, said each of the beneficiaries would receive N50,000, to enable them to set up their businesses.
Represented by Aisha Mohammed, Wife of the Bauchi State Governor, Tinubu said the programme targeted 18,500 women across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Her words: “Each of the beneficiaries will receive N50,000, to recapitalise or strengthen their businesses.
“This is not a loan but a seed grant to support the entrepreneurial spirit of women traders and small scale business owners who work daily to provide for their families and uplift their communities.
“When you empower a woman, you empower a household, a community and a nation,” she said.
While commending Tony Elumelu Foundation for the donation of N1 billion to the RHI, and the Bauchi state governor for his support, Tinubu said the beneficiaries would be monitored to ensure effective utilisation of the fund.
Mohammed said the state government has initiated an empowerment scheme to support pastoral households to improve their social and economic wellbeing.
She said the programme would support 25 women groups in Bauchi metropolis and rural settlements across the 20 local government areas of the state.
“In this initiative, 21 groups will receive N300,000 each, amounting to N6.3 million in total. Furthermore, each of the 25 groups will receive five bags of rice, making a total of 125 bags, among others,” she said.
Also, Zainab Baban Takko, Commissioner for Women Affairs, urged the beneficiaries to utilise the funds to grow their businesses.
Mrs Zainab Ibrahim, representative of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, reaffirmed commitment to uplift livelihoods across Africa.
One of the beneficiaries, Maryam Sani lauded the gesture, adding that it would boost their businesses and improve wellbeing of their families.
