No fewer than 11,400 women have benefited from Jigawa Government’s N57 million grant to small scale business holders in the Northwest Senatorial District of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the grant was disbursed to the beneficiaries by Mrs Hasina Badaru, the wife of the state governor on Wednesday in Kazaure.
NAN also reports that 10 women were selected from each ward of the 11 local government areas under the district.
The LGAs are; Kazaure, Gwiwa, Roni, Ringim, Gumel, Yankwashi, Babura, Garki, Taura, Suletankarkar and Gagarawa.
The Special Assistant to Gov. Badaru on Economic Empowerment, Alhaji Muhammad Mujaddadi, told newsmen after the exercise that the gesture was aimed at supporting petty traders to enhance their small businesses and ensure self-reliance.
Mujaddadi pointed out that the grant was one of the Badaru administration’s efforts at enhancing the economic status of the under-privileged people in the state.
He said that the programme was also aimed at encouraging women, particularly those in rural areas, to engage in productive activities.
“This grant was given to the beneficiaries to enhance their small businesses, irrespective of political affiliations or backgrounds.
“Government just saw the need to assist small scale business holders across the state in order to accelerate economic growth, especially among rural dwellers,” he said.
The governor’s aide added that similar gesture would soon be extended to other senatorial districts of the state.
Earlier, the governor’s wife, Hasina, had urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the gesture to achieve the desired goals and improve their living standard.
“I want to advise you to use this money in such away that you will contribute meaningfully to the economic growth of your respective families, communities and the state,”she told the beneficiaries.
Some of the beneficiaries, Halima Isa and Jamila Danjuma, thanked the state government for the kind gesture and promised to make judicious use of the fund.
