Abakaliki, Nigeria – The First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday disbursed N50 million as grants, through her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), to 1,000 Women Petty Traders in Ebonyi state.
Mrs Tinubu, in her speech read by the wife of the Governor and State Coordinator RHI, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, said that the approved grant of N50,000 to 1,000 women each were part of her economic empowerment programme.
Tinubu described the programme as a strategy to prosper and alleviate the sufferings of the indigent ones in the country.
She noted that the Initiative would continue to pursue its core mission towards a better life for families.
During the disbursement of the symbolic cheques as financial grants to the beneficiaries, Tinubu advised them to make judicious use of the money to improve their livelihood.
“The grants provided today are to assist women petty traders overcome their challenges, expand their businesses, create jobs and contribute to our economy.
“This empowerment remains the core objective of the initiative and we have consistently delivered on this promise for both women and youths across the six geopolitical zones to support the economy and reform the administration.
“To the beneficiaries, we celebrate your hard works. Let us continue to work together to build a new Nigeria where every woman will have the opportunity to succeed and small businesses can grow,” Tinubu said.
In her own remarks, Mrs Nwifuru, represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Felicia Nwankpuma, appreciated Mrs Tinubu for including Ebonyi women petty traders into the initiative of the present administration.
Mrs Nwifuru promised to alleviate the sufferings of women and children through grants and small scale empowerment programmes in the state.
In their goodwill messages, Mr Kelechi Mbam, Mrs Chinwe Okah, commissioner for budget and planning, Mrs Nkechinyere Iyioku, commissioner for Agriculture, among others, appreciated the numerous empowerment programmes of Mrs Nwifuru to the rural populace and encouraged her not to relent in her service to humanity.
