The wife of Bauchi State Governor, Mrs Hadiza Mohammed, on Sunday empowered 400 women in the state with starter kits worth N4 million.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each of the women, all of them from Katagum Local Government Area, received N10,000 worth of the kits to support their petty businesses.
The assistance was extended to the women as part of activities of the pet project of the governor’s wife, the Bauchi Sustainable Women Economic Empowerment and Peace Initiative (B-SWEEP), under its second phase of Women Micro Entrepreneurship Support Scheme.
Speaking at the occasion held in Azare town, headquarters of the local government, Mrs Muhammed said 500 women had earlier been granted similar gesture during the first phase of the scheme.
“In the first phase of B-SWEEP Women Micro Entrepreneurship support scheme, we empowered 500 women on Aug. 29, from Bauchi South Senatorial District at the total sum of N5 million.
“This is because women are the backbone of the family and society, hence the need to be empowered in order to alleviate their hardship.
“In this second phase of the empowerment scheme, we selected 400 women from different market women associations that comprise all the 17 wards in KatagumLocal Government Area.
“The objectives of my pet project include empowerment of women through skill acquisition and financial literacy, re-integration of women and girls school dropouts into formal and non-formal school system.
“Others include enhancing food security through women participation in agriculture among others,” she said.
NAN reports that the first lady had earlier paid courtesy call on the Emir of Katagum, Baba Farouq, before visiting pregnant and nursing mothers at Urban Maternity Centre, Azare, where she distributed items such as sanitary pads, wrappers, and indomie noodles, among others.
In his remarks, Gov. Mohammed Abubakar, who was represented by the state deputy governor, Mr Sule Katagum, said the state government recognised the role of women in the society and would continue to support them.
The governor appealed to the beneficiaries to make the best use of the knowledge and skills acquired by using the money judiciously. (NAN)