No fewer than 3,000 women have benefitted from the Nigerian Government’s Special Grant for Rural Women Project in Kogi State, North-central Nigeria.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, disclosed this at the flag off ceremony of the programme in Lokoja , Kogi State.
The Minister said that the beneficiaries were selected from all the Local Government Areas of the State.
Farouq said; “Our target in Kogi State is to disburse the grant to about 3,000 beneficiaries across all Local Government Councils. The grant is expected to increase income and productive assets of target beneficiaries. It is our hope that the beneficiaries of this programme will make good use of the grant to generally contribute towards improving their living standard by using the fund as seed to boost their trade and business for greater income and not to see it as their own share of the so-called National Cake.
“We believe with the complementary effort of the State Government, the target beneficiaries will all be adequately covered within the next few days. I am optimistic that with the support and cooperation of Your Excellency and other stakeholders present here, we will remain on track to improving the livelihood of the ordinary Nigerians.”
The Minister acknowledged the immense contribution of the Governor of Kogi State, Yaya Bello, the Executive Council and the State’s Focal Person in actualising the success of the programme.
She was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali at the event.
Governor Bello, expressed his gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister for consistently breaching the gap between the rich and the poor over the past five years through the various National Social Investment Programmes, such as Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer, National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, the N-Power and the Special Grant for Rural Women Project.
He said that ”with the 3000 beneficiaries, vulnerable women involved in small scale businesses will be greatly impacted financially.”
The Governor therefore urged the beneficiaries and everyone present to pray for the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and a all leaders.
Governor Bello was represented by the Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja.
The Kogi State Focal Person for National Social Investment Programme, Abdulkareem Suleiman, said; ”Poverty eradication is a major objective of the present administration and pledged to support the Minister in her determination to improve the livelihood of women in Kogi State.”
A beneficiary of the cash grant, Miss Christopher Odede, thanked President Buhari for the grant and promised to use the money judiciously.
The Chairman, People Living with Disabilities in Kogi State, confirmed that before the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the PWDs were neglected, but today the President has given them a voice and people have began to see ability in disability.
He called on the Nigerian Government to provide enabling environment for the PWDs to showcase their abilities.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
