The Kebbi State Governor, Senator Atiku Bagudu has called on women to form women cooperative groups to enable them benefit from various Government intervention, entrepreneurship and empowerment programmes.
Bagudu made the call at a workshop organised on Skill Acquisition Program by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Women Committee in Birnin Kebbi.
According to the governor, his administration and the federal government have various programs that are geared towards empowering youths and women.
“We have various programmes dedicated to help and empower youths, especially women.
“These programmes are, the Presidential Youth Entrepreneurship Support programme in collaboration with the Bank of Industry (BOI) which trains youths and awards them loans to start-up small and medium enterprises.
” We also have Trader Money, Market Money and NIRSAL Microfinance Bank, among various programmes by the state and federal governments,” he said.
In a statement by Bagudu’s Special Adviser on Media, Yahaya Sarki, the governor urged the Ministries, Departments and Agencies to patronise locally made products in ceremonial events and operations in order to encourage entrepreneurs in the state.
Bagudu tasked women on entrepreneurship in order to become economically productive and self – reliant members of the society.
” I task you to embrace entrepreneurship in order to become economically independent, self – reliance and productive members of the society.
” Learning businesses and trade ventures are very vital for women in their families and the society as a whole,” he added.
In her welcome address, the Chairperson of NLC Women Committee, Hadiza Abubakar Ribah appreciated Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for his support for the success of the workshop program.
She said the workshop was designed to train women particularly married women and even secondary school leavers on skill acquisition for entrepreneurship such as pomade making, air freshener, cosmetics and other areas women could explore to either start a business or boost the existing one they have.
Ribah urged the participants to concentrate well so that at the end of the training, they can transfer the skill and knowledge acquired during the training .
The State Chairman of NLC, comrade Umar Halidu Alhassan equally thanked the governor for his support to the program.
” I must appreciate the governor for the success of this training workshop to women.
‘ The training program saw the light of the day due to the support of the governor,” he said.
The labour Chairman extolled the governor for his agricultural transformation agenda which according to him civil servants were the vast beneficiaries.
He said under the governor, the state witnessed steady progress in industrialization largely due to his agricultural policies and programs.
Alhassan also explained that the NLC Women Committee is not a parallel wing of the congress, but a Women Committee that operates under the organisation in the state.
Hauwa Abu
