Wife of Nigeria’s President, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday, presented cheques of N10 million to 120 selected women farmers in each of the six South-West states, in a bid to achieve challenges of food security.
She reiterated the commitment of the federal government towards the empowerment of women in contribution to sustainable development.
She stated this during the launch of the Renewed Hope Initiative Women Agricultural Support Programme for the South West, as well as the flag-off of the 2024 planting season, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
She also announced a cash grant of N100,000 each for 100 people living with disability in the state.
Mrs Tinubu said the grant would enable them to expand their various existing businesses to make life more comfortable for them.
She explained that the flag-off of the programme was done simultaneously in Plateau for the North Central, Borno for the North East and Kebbi for the North West geopolitical zones, in fulfilment of the present administration’s pledge to continue to promote women, particularly the farmers across the country.
“The administration of President Bola Tinubu recognizes the pivotal role agriculture plays in achieving sustainable development and ensuring food sufficiency.
“Therefore the Renewed Hope Initiative’s commitment to supporting women farmers nationwide aligns with the broader agenda to strengthen the agricultural sector.
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“Today, we are supporting 20 women per state in the South-West with the sum of N500,000 each. To this end, a draft cheque of N10m per State will be handed over to the first ladies who are the Coordinators of this programme in each of the South-West states for disbursement to the beneficiaries,” she said.
The beneficiaries of this intervention are said to be women in the agrarian sector, poultry as well as animal husbandry.
She urged the women farmers beneficiaries to seize the opportunity of the support received to expand their farming entrepreneurship, improve on their contribution to national and local food production and serve as role models to aspiring women in the country.
The Governor of the state, Dapo Abiodun, lauded Mrs Tinubu for the initiative, describing the kind gesture as quite exemplary and testimony to the visionary leadership of the First Lady.
The wife of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, thanked the President’s wife for working hard to make life much better for the women and the less privileged in the country through the Renewed Hope Initiative.
Mrs Abiodun maintained that such kind gestures such as the Women Agricultural Support Programme would no doubt impact the prosperity of the women farmers but also helped in boosting food production in the country.
She equally lauded the first lady for championing the cause of people living with disability like never before, calling on other members of the public to give support to this set of people to make life much better for them.