From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has charged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Women Committee utilise all the social investment opportunities on entrepreneurship in order to become economically productive and self-reliant members of the society.
Governor Bagudu stated this during a workshop on labour movement and skill acquisition programme organised by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),’s Women Committee in Birnin Kebbi.
“I task you to embrace entrepreneurship in order to become economically independent, self – reliance and productive members of the society. Learning businesses and trade ventures are very vital for women in their families and the society as a whole,’ the governor stated.
“We have abundant Federal and State Governments programmes that you can benefit from and become not only self-reliant, but employers of labour.”
Govenror Bagudu urged them to form women cooperative groups to be able to benefit from various entrepreneurship and empowerment programmes.
“We have various programmes dedicated to help and empower youths, especially women. These programmes are, the Presidential Youth Entrepreneurship Support programme in collaboration with the Bank of Industry (BOI) carries out this programme in collaboration which trains youths and awards them loans to start-up small and medium enterprises.
“We also have Trader Money, Market Money and NIRSAL Microfinance Bank, among various programmes by the state and federal governments,” he said.
Earlier, the state Chairman of NLC, Alhaji Umar Halidu-Alhassan, commended Governor Bagudu for industrialising the state and being among the governors leading agriculture revolution in Nigeria.
“We appreciate your efforts to see that this occasion come to a reality. We also appreciate your gesture not only to the women committee of the NLC alone, but also to men wing of NLC too, because in the whole federation, with the government programme on agriculture, the state is among the core front line on state whose people are benefiting from the agricultural policy.
“I can say that, you are among the front governors who have brought industrialisation to their states. We are living witnessed during your administration how many industries are springing up, especially the agro-allied industries in the state which have brought a lot of progress and development to the state.
“In addition, due to this agriculture policy by the federal government, the state has benefited a lot, especially in the rice production,” he said.
He explained that, the women committee of NLC is not a parallel union in the labour stressed that it was established as a department unit of the labour for gender sensitivity.
Alhassan commended the Governor for his efforts in developing the state, especially on the promotion of civil service welfare in the state.
In her remarks, the state Chairperson of NLC Women Committee, Hajiya Hadiza Ribah, explained that the workshop, which was a two-day, was designed to train the women on skill acquisition in various vocational and empowering them on how to establish their businesses.