24/08/2024
NIGERIA'S FIRST LADY LAUNCHES RECAPITALISATION GRANT FOR 1,000 FEMALE PETTY TRADERS IN AKWA IBOM
Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the Renewed Hope Economic Empowerment and Recapitalisation Grants for female petty traders in Akwa Ibom State.
Speaking at the formal launch of the Initiative, held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo, Thursday, Senator Tinubu acknowledged the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises, particularly female petty traders.
Represented by the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator (Dr) Akon Eyakenyi, the Nation's First Lady said the Renewed Hope Initiative Economic Empowerment Programme will provide a total of One Billion Eight Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N1,815,000,000) to 37,000 women petty traders across the nation.
"Economic empowerment remains a core objective of the Renewed Hope Initiative and we have consistently delivered on this promise for both women and youth across the six geopolitical zones to support the economic reforms of the administration of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, GCFR.
"We recognize that empowering women economically is not just a moral imperative but a strategic one. When women thrive, their families thrive and by extension, our communities and nation prosper", she said.
Senator Tinubu emphasized the importance of economically empowering women, as it has both a moral and strategic imperative.
Also speaking, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, said the programme aligns with the ARISE Agenda of his administration and commended the First Lady for being a compassionate mother to all Nigerians.
"It is deeply humbling to know this strong emphasis placed on agriculture, education, health, economic empowerment and social investments as the critical pipe pillars of the Renewed Hope Initiative.
"The key areas of the Renewed Hope Initiative align with our ARISE Agenda's deep emphasis on agricultural revolution, education, and the 17 focal areas, which include tackling poverty through job creation and skills development, the provision of healthcare, especially at the primary level, and other social welfare programmes", he said.
Governor Eno opined that the solution to the rising cost of staple food items remains the return to farming by Nigerians.
"That's why we have declared every first and third Friday of the month as Farming Free Days. The Ministry of Agriculture has done a great job by supplying farm inputs to our people and we are hopeful that in the next harvesting period, we will have enough food to feed our people and thus reduce the prices of these staple food items", he added.
In her remarks, the Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Programme in Akwa Ibom State and Wife of the Governor, Pastor (Mrs) Patience Eno, represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr. Ini Adiakpan, appreciated Mrs Tinubu for the gesture, saying the grant will not only assist the women in business expansion, but help unite families.
The event was graced by the Wife of Deputy Speaker, AKHA, Mrs Enobong Edidem, key female stakeholders in the State, female Council Chairmen, Wives of Local Government Chairmen, among other dignitaries.
The programme aims to support 1,000 women petty traders in the State with a grant of Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) each.
Media Unit,
Office of the Deputy Governor,
Akwa Ibom State.
