At least 1,000 women and youths in Warji and Ningi local government areas of Bauchi State, Nigeria are beneficiaries of the N150 million empowerment programme by the state government aimed at improving the living standards of the people of the state.
The Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, while unveiling the programme in the two local government areas of the state at the weekend, said that the goal of empowerment scheme was to enable the financial independence of the people of Bauchi State by giving them the resources and favorable conditions to be economically active.
He expressed that the aim of the programme was to upsurge economic activities in order to address the problem of unemployment and also alleviate poverty among the people, especially the youths and women.
The governor asserted that his administration places a high value on job creation as a sign of its dedication to eradicating poverty and that it has established the Bauchi State Microfinance Institution Building Programme (MIFIN) to support the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme.
“The aim of this programme is to develop and strengthen microfinance institutions and establish linkages among the institutions and other financial institutions in order to create a viable and sustainable microfinance system.
“The ultimate goal is to enhance access of the poor to financial services so as to boost the productivity of micro and small scale enterprises, thereby reducing poverty.
“Since the commencement of the formal launching of the Kaura Economic empowerment Programme in the Local Government Areas, an average of N75 million in both cash and kind has been distributed to some selected beneficiaries in each of the local governments where the programme has so far been launched.
“Selected beneficiaries of the programme in Ningi and Warji Local Government Areas would therefore today be given the following items which include provision of starter packs and N50,000 cash for 500 persons per local government; provision of three motor cycles in each of the wards of the 20 local governments; provision of N100,000.00 cash to women leaders and youth leaders in each of the 20 local governments and the provision of five buses to each of the 20 local governments,” he said.
Mohammed urged the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme’s recipients to make the most of their chance by using the money and other items made to them wisely to improve their financial situation and help those who might not be eligible for the generosity. He also promised that his government would keep looking into new strategies for reducing poverty.
