Taraba State Government’s policy on empowerment was further boosted with the distribution of N789,000,000 to women groups under the Nigeria for Women Project.
At a ceremony held at the Jolly Nyame Stadium Jalingo, Governor Darius Ishaku who flagged off the disbursement of the individual Livelihood Grant to members of Women Affinity Groups (WAGS), announced that 13,243 women received grants of a maximum of N60,000 each.
The women who received the funds under the pilot implementation of the program are from Takum, Bali, and Zing Local Government Areas of the state.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ishaku said the women who received the grants were those who submitted themselves to the tenets of the Nigeria for Women Project and had proven themselves capable of handling growth, haven practiced the methodology of savings and loans, and had also acquired financial, business, gender, and life skills training.
Governor Ishaku assured that the program of empowerment for women started under Nigeria for Women Project would continue until all the beneficiaries with successful business plans had received their grants.
He advised recipients of the grants to keep strictly to the tenets of the agreements they had signed.
In a remark, Engr Haruna Manu, Deputy Governor and Chairman of the State Steering Committee of the project, commended Governor Ishaku for his unflinching support by promptly approving the required counterpart funds of ₦200 million for the project.
This, he said, had been largely responsible for the success of the project and disclosed that Nigeria for Women Project in Taraba State was targeting a total of 54,000 women in the three implementing Local Government Areas.
On her part, Mrs. Ruth Mshelia, Coordinator of the project described the experimental in Taraba State as a huge success and commended traditional rulers and other community leaders in the state for their roles in ensuring the successful outcome.
She said the women have undergone various capacity-building training and commended them for their resilience in that regard.
The representative of the World Bank, Ibrahim Ali in a goodwill message commended Taraba State Government for being the first state that has met its needs.
However, in a vote of thanks, Taraba State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Hon. Hauwa Kwena on behalf of women in the state thanked the governor for making their dreams come true and all other stakeholders for their support.
Sani Sulaiman
