First Lady gives 500 women cash support to boost businesses in Bauchi
From Ahmad Saka, Bauchi
The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has disbursed ₦50,000 each to 500 women in the 20 Local Government Areas of Bauchi State under her pet project, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Economic Empowerment Programme.
Represented by the Wife of Bauchi State Governor, Hajiya Aishatu Bala Mohammed said the financial support was done in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
She said this today when she flagged off the Renewed Hope Initiative/Tony Elumelu Foundation Women Economic Empowerment Programme and the disbursement of the cash at the Rilwanu Adamu Square in Bauchi. The First Lady said the gesture aimed to support 18,500 women entrepreneurs with business re-capitalisation grants across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
She stated that the Economic Empowerment Programme is about supporting the entrepreneurial spirit of our women traders and small-scale business owners who wake up each day determined to provide for their families, educate their children, and uplift their communities.
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First lady said that this is not a loan. It is a grant and a seed of renewed hope to help you recapitalize your existing businesses. It is my firm belief that when you empower a woman, you empower a household, a community, and indeed, a nation.
Hajiya Aishatu who is the coordinator of the North East Programme of renewed hope initiative said “I will be presenting the sum of ₦50,000 each to some of the preselected 500 beneficiaries at this event today, I thank the Tony Elumelu Foundation once again for this support. May this act of generosity inspire many more across our nation, I thank the Governor of Bauchi State, His Excellency, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, and my humble self, Haj. Aisha Bala Mohammed, for all the support in executing the programmes of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI). As part of our continued commitment to grassroots development, I am pleased to announce the empowerment of Fulani communities across all the 20 Local Government Areas in Bauchi State, as well as some Fulani communities in Bauchi metropolis, making a total of 25 groups. In this initiative, 21 groups will each receive ₦300,000, amounting to ₦6,300,000 in total.
“Furthermore, each of the 25 groups will receive 5 bags of rice, making a total of 125 bags. Additionally, 2 extra bags each will be distributed to groups from the 20 LGAs, plus 5 groups in Bauchi metropolis, making another 45 bags of rice, and there are 26 bags of fertilizers.”
She said: “This Economic Empowerment Programme is about supporting the entrepreneurial spirit of our women traders and small-scale business owners, who wake up each day determined to provide for their families, educate their children, and uplift their communities.”
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The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Muhammad Baban Takko advised beneficiaries to make good use of the funds, especially to improve their businesses and trades.
Hajiya Zainab advised the beneficiaries across the 20 local government areas of the state to ensure that they use the grant judiciously, reiterated that the fund is not a loan but a seed grant from the Renewed Hope Initiative with Tony Elumelu Foundation.
“This is dedicated towards women under the leadership of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, and his wife Hajiya Aishatu Bala Mohammed, who made it a habit to empower women every two to three months. We are immensely grateful for this numerous gesture,” she said.
Many of the beneficiaries interviewed expressed their gratitude to the wife of President Bola Tinubu, Senator Remi, and Bauchi Governor’s wife, for their support to Women. They pledged to make the best use of the money and food items received to boost their businesses.
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