The Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Tuesday, in Birnin Kebbi, doled out N70 milion to 140 women farmers from the Nort-West Zone,as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to boost food security.
This was done under the First Lady’s pet project, Renewed Hope Initiative Women Agricultural Support Programme.
The First Lady was represented by the wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hajiya Fatima Tajudeen Abbas.
She said that each of the benefitting women would get N500,000 to boost their agricultural production.
Mrs. Tinubu explained that 20 women from each of the seven states in the zone would benefit from the gesture.
The First Lady added that the disbursement was in fulfilment of the promise to continue to support women farmers throughout the nation.
She said that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been achieving substantial development in food sufficiency.
Mrs. Tinubu said that the programme aligns with the broader agenda of the Renewed Hope Agenda to strengthen agriculture.
Also speaking, the Kebbi State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu who was visibly elated, acknowledged the invaluable role women have been playing in agriculture.
He said, “Women play crucial role in feeding Nigeria and the world at large.”
The Kauran Gwandu further said that the gesture would help to sustain the tangible succeses and prosperity of the women.
Dr Idris stated that the gesture was essential in facilitating the growth and sustaianblity of agriculture in the country.
Similarly, it will remarkably strengthen the agricultural industry as a whole.
Dr Idris added that women aways bring unique perspectives and skills to the table, urging, “we must tap into these and further develop the sector.
He vowed that Kebbi State Government would continue to create an enabling environment to bolster the participation of women in agriculture.
Dr. Idris promised, “We will continue to provide women with access to technology and finance, while they will continue to be valued.
The Governor said that his administration had in the last ten months spent over N28 billion to take the agricultural sector to greater heights.
According to him, his admistration has bought N3.4billion worth of fertilizer and distributed same free to the farmers.
He said that from July 2023 to date,assorted grains worth N13billion were bought and distributed free to people across the state.
Additionally, another consignment of assorted grains worth N4.8billion were purchased and distributed free to the people during the just-concluded Ramadan fast.
The Wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajiya Zainab Nasare Nasir Idris, said in support of the initiative of the First Lady, she has donated solar powered water pump to each of the benefitting women farmers from the zone to boost their yields.
She thanked Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her magnanimity and the choice of Kebbi State to launch the programme for the North West Region.
Highlights of the event was the presentation of cheques to the 140 women farmers by the wife of the Speaker.
