FG Extends Special Grants to 3, 000 Women in Kogi
At least 3, 000 women in Kogi State are beneficiaries of the Federal Special Grant for Rural Women Project, according to Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
Deputy Director of Information in the Ministry, Mrs. Rhoda Iliya, said in a statement that the grant N20, 000 disbursed on Wednesday in Lokoja, the state capital, to each person, was expected to increase income and productive assets of target beneficiaries.
“We believe that with the complementary effort of the state government, the target beneficiaries will all be adequately covered within the next few days. I am optimistic that with the support and cooperation of the governor and other stakeholders, we will remain on track to improving the livelihood of the ordinary Nigerians”, the minister said.
She urged the beneficiaries to use the grant towards improving their living standard by enhancing their respective businesses, rather than considering it as their own share of the so-called national cake.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Bashir Alkali, Farouq noted that the target was to disburse the grant to about 3,000 women including Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) across all local government areas in the state.
In his remarks, Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, expressed his gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister for consistently bridging the gap between the rich and the poor through the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).
Bello, who was represented by his deputy, Edward Onoja, said with the 3,000 beneficiaries involved in small scale businesses, the sector would be greatly impacted financially.
The Kogi Focal Person for National Social Investment Programme, Prince Abdulkareem Suleiman, said that poverty eradication was a major objective of the administration, and pledged support for the minister in her determination to improve the livelihood of women in the State.
Chairman, People Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) in Kogi, Ibrahim Haruna, said people living with disabilities were neglected prior to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He urged on the Federal Government to provide an enabling environment for the PLWDs to showcase their abilities.
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