Zamfara state government says, it has concluded arrangement to open three empowerment centres for the training of Internally Displaced Persons in various skills in order to become self reliant .
The Commissioner of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development,, Hajiya Fa’ika Ahmad, announced this in Gusau the state capital.
Hajiya Faika Ahmad said the centers were located at the three senatorial zones of the state which comprises Damba in Gusau, Gwashi in Bukuyum and Shinkafi local government area of the state.
She added that the trainees would participate for the period of one year and government would employ their services through sewing pilgrims uniform, bedsheets for hospitals, and school uniforms among others.
Hajiya Faika further explained that, two hundred sewing machines were already on ground which were donated by some international donors including tricycles to alleviate their suffering.
The Commissioner also revealed that, the poverty rate of the state has reduced drastically from 2019-2020 according to multidimensional poverty record of the state from 91.8 per cent to 71.8 percent in national poverty rate .
Faika Ahmad also explained that, In 2019 when the Directorate of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management was established, they had introduced various measures to address the challenges of poverty, unemployment, as well as assisting victims of human and natural disasters.
She also commended the effort of governor Bello Matawalle for upgrading the directorate to a fully fledged ministry in 2021.
According to her the ministry now has a mandate to coordinate all social programmes in the state, and have succeeded in coordinating various programmes that contributed toward reducing poverty rate among vulnerable groups in the state.
She therefore called on wealthy individuals, groups and non governmental organizations to continue supporting the state to rid out poverty and unemployment.
END/ SANI HARUNA