By Our Correspondent
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf has spent N2,080,000,000 on the economic empowerment of 41, 600 women in Kano between May 2024 and January 2025.
The empowerment programme which comes in batches of 5,200 women is designed to make the vulnerable women self-reliant with a free capital grant of N50,000 each.
Governor Yusuf who announced this during the latest batch of the empowerment programme held at Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano, said the gesture was in fulfilment of his campaign promise to ensure the economic freedom of low-income women across Kano state irrespective of party and religious affiliations.
He hinted that this cash grant is free of charge without re-payment or interest as it is designed to enable the women to start up small-scale businesses that fetch them profits to help their husbands in taking care of their immediate needs in the family.
In appreciation of Governor Yusuf’s numerous empowerment initiatives targeting women and youths, a Non-Governmental Organization, Leg-Wide Communications in partnership with SMEDAN, shortly after the empowerment programme, bestowed on Governor Yusuf the Small, Micro and Medium Enterprise Governor of the Year 2024 Award.
Speaking during the empowerment programme, Governor Yusuf said: “We are here today for the continuation of a remarkable programme we initiated, which is an empowerment of 5,200 women from across the 44 local government areas and from the 484 wards within these 44 Local Government Areas.
”Allow me at this point to refresh the memory of this gathering, as well as the good people of Kano State, about one of the promises we made during our statewide campaign in 2023.
“During that time, we promised to commit ourselves to empowering a significant number of women, to enable them to become self-reliant, take care of their families, and contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic well-being of the entire society.
”Today, as we witness the fulfilment of that promise we give all gratitude to Allah for making it possible.
“Let me say here that since the launching of this intervention programme in May 2024, this administration has improved the livelihoods of over 41,600 vulnerable women by removing a significant financial barrier stopping them from contributing to the economy of their state.
”Through this laudable programme, we aim to provide a seed of funds for our indigent women to engage in projects and learn skills to become artisans and self-reliant.
“We have been committed to the distribution of monthly working capital of N50,000 per head to 5,200 women. Let me again emphasize the role of women in nation-building which cannot be over-emphasized.
”A significant part of our social crisis is rooted in how our society comes to invest in women and empower them to be economically competitive.
“A 2022 Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index report showed that Kano State ranked above the national 63% average with about 10.5 million people being multi-dimensionally poor.
”This data shows that we must implement deliberate policies to lift millions of our citizens out of poverty and by the grace of Allah, this is exactly what we have been doing.
“We understand very well that to tackle gross poverty, we need to give people more than just capital.
“Our administration aims to empower people with the knowledge and skills to make the right decisions to improve their fortunes.
”Therefore, we also tried to roll out several programmes to improve access to quality education, guarantee food security fast-track rural development and urban renewal and create employment opportunities for our youth and women to mitigate the impact of catastrophic health care spending on low-income earners.
“Our administration has recently provided universal health coverage to over 300,000 vulnerable people identified in the social register.
”Furthermore, thousands of children have been enrolled in public schools.
“At this juncture, I want to call on all the women beneficiaries of this empowerment to make sure that they utilize the capital of N50,000 given to each one of them responsibly.
”I want to re-notify you that the capital given to you is not a loan. It is the government’s gesture to give them free without any refund or any tax attached to it.
“We as a government reason that you stand a higher chance of creating wealth in our society when you are not in debt. We hope you will reciprocate our magnanimity by investing wisely and working hard to break out of the poverty cycle.
”As your Governor whom you have entrusted with your popular mandate in 2023, I would be the happiest person to see that by next year, Insha Allah, most of you have become employers of labour in your locality through this programme.
“As we begin implementing our 2025 budget, I want to confirm that we have made adequate provisions for the social sectors to tackle poverty head-on by the grace of Allah.
”Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank and appreciate our esteemed official visitors today who are officials from leg-wide communications who came to Kano purposely to recognize and honour our administration’s efforts in promoting women and youths through empowerment.
“In light of this recognition, Leg-wide Communications in partnership with SMEDAN has graciously decided to confer on me with the Small, Micro and Medium Enterprise Governor of the Year 2024 Award. Thank you Leg-Wide Communications.
“May Allah continue to guide you and bless you in the discharge of your national responsibilities.” Abba added.
