The Adamawa State Government says it has spent over ₦12 billion within the last two years to empower vulnerable citizens across the state through the Poverty Alleviation and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA) initiative.
The Director-General of PAWECA, Dr. Michael Zira, disclosed this when members of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Adamawa State chapter, paid him a courtesy visit in Yola, the state capital.
Zira explained that the programme, which is one of the flagship social intervention policies of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, was designed to uplift the poor, support small businesses and stimulate grassroots economic development across the state.
According to him, the empowerment programme cuts across all segments of society, irrespective of political affiliation, ethnicity or religion.
“It doesn’t matter whether you belong to APC, PDP or any other political party. PAWECA is for everyone in Adamawa State,” he said.
The Director-General noted that the intervention has already reached thousands of beneficiaries across the 21 local government areas through various schemes including cash grants, business support programmes, and skills acquisition training.
Empowerment Initiatives
PAWECA, established by the Adamawa State Government in 2020, focuses on empowering youths, women and other vulnerable groups by supporting micro and small businesses, as well as providing vocational training opportunities to reduce poverty and unemployment.
One of the agency’s major initiatives is the Fintiri Business Wallet programme, which provides financial support to small-scale entrepreneurs such as traders, tailors, mechanics and food vendors to expand their businesses and improve their livelihoods.
Under the scheme, beneficiaries receive grants — often about ₦50,000 each — to boost their businesses, while other programmes focus on training residents in skills such as ICT, tailoring, agriculture and other vocational trades.
Zira explained that the agency also coordinates activities in the state’s technical skills acquisition centres, where thousands of youths are trained annually and supported with starter packs to become self-reliant.
He added that the programmes are designed not only to provide immediate relief to vulnerable households but also to build sustainable sources of income and reduce dependency.
The PAWECA boss further commended the role of women journalists in promoting awareness about government programmes and urged the media to continue enlightening the public on opportunities available under the empowerment schemes.
Responding, the leadership of NAWOJ Adamawa chapter commended the state government for prioritising poverty alleviation and women empowerment, noting that such initiatives have the potential to improve livelihoods and stimulate economic activities in communities across the state.
The association pledged continued collaboration with the agency in disseminating accurate information about its programmes and ensuring that eligible citizens benefit from the interventions.