From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
Jigawa State Governor Malam Umar Namadi has launched the distribution of ₦50,000 empowerment grants to 12,600 vulnerable women across the state. The event took place over the weekend at Gwari village in Dutse Local Government Area.
During the ceremony, Governor Namadi highlighted that the initiative is part of his administration’s commitment to empowering various groups to tackle poverty, promote job creation, and foster wealth across the state.
He emphasized the importance of focusing on women, noting that they make up 51% of Jigawa’s 7.5 million population and are disproportionately affected by economic challenges.
“Today, we are launching another round of women’s empowerment in Jigawa State, targeting 12,600 women with a ₦50,000 grant each to start or improve their chosen businesses,” said Namadi.
“Additionally, we have signed an MoU with the World Bank to enhance women’s empowerment, increasing our counterpart funding from ₦50 million to ₦500 million. We have also injected ₦4 billion into the Bank of Industry to support our people with special and accessible packages for women, in addition to previous initiatives.”
Governor Namadi expressed optimism that beyond alleviating poverty, empowering women would help reduce domestic conflicts, promote peace and harmony within families, and contribute to the moral upbringing of children, ultimately boosting public productivity and development in the state.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Hadiza Abdulwahab, explained that 200 women were selected from Gwari Village and nearby communities, with the selection process based on priority needs across the rural communities in the state’s 27 local government areas.
Some of the beneficiaries, who received their alerts during the launch, expressed their gratitude to the Jigawa State Governor for his commitment to women’s empowerment and promised to use the grants effectively to achieve the intended goals.