By Chimezie Godfrey
The Governor of Nasarawa state, Abdullahi Sule has praised the federal government for initiating the Rural Women’s Special Cash Grant.
He gave the commendation when the Minster of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq flagged-off the program at the Aliyu Akwe Doma Banquet Hall, Lafia on Wednesday.
The Governor who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe noted that the COVID 19 pandemic had put Nigerians especially women in a critical situation which called for an urgent redress.
He said,”Let me commend the Honourable Minister for initiating this program which targets the vulnerable segment in the society especially the women folk with a view to ameliorating the hardship occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The clamor for the liberation of women from the shackles of poverty, deprivation and backwardness has been the desire of successful administrations in this country.
“There is no doubt that the effect of this situation on our already traumatized women who largely reside in the rural areas, leaves much to be desired and calls for urgent attention to ameliorate this disturbing condition.
“It is against this background that I commend the revolutionary vision and indeed the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR and the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs to reach out and support our rural women to enable them to overcome this ugly phenomenon before it degenerates to a full blown crisis”.
The Governor also promised to complement Federal Government’s effort in empowering rural women.
Earlier, the Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq who was represented by the Minister of State, Science & Technology, Barr. Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi stated that 2,600 Rural Women drawn from the five local government councils in Nasarawa State including Awe, Lafia, Wamba, Kokona and Nasarawa will benefit from the special grant.
She said that the grant will alleviate the hardship occasioned by the pandemic and relieve them of extreme poverty.
The Minister assured the state of more prospects and Federal Government’s interventions in the nearest future.
“The Special Cash Grant for Rural Women programme being flagged off today was introduced in 2020 by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development as part of President Mohammadu Buhari’s social inclusion and poverty reduction agenda, including the realization of the national aspiration of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
“It is designed to provide a one-off grant to some of the poorest and most vulnerable women in rural Nigeria.
“A grant of N20,000.00 will be disbursed to over 150,000 poor rural women across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory. The grant is expected to increase access to financial capital required for economic activities,”She said.
Dignitaries who attended the flag-off include Hajiya Silifat Abdullahi Sule, wife of the Governor of Nasarawa State, Sheila Tosan Akabe- Wife of the Deputy Governor, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development Hajiya Halima Ahmadu Jabiru, Othman Bala Adam Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Dogo Shammah ,Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Hajara Danyaro – S.A. to the Governor on Special Education, and
Mohammed Dikko – SA to the Governor on Political Matters.
Others are Hajiya Jamilah Sarki – SSA to the Governor on Disability Matters, Alhaji Usman Ubandoma – SSG, Director Finance and Administration National Social Investment Programmes, Abdullahi Musa Yusuf and the Head, Special Duties Mrs Nadia Soso.
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