From: Olanrewaju Lawal , Birnin Kebbi

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan, has said that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has  set aside N1.6 billion loan for women empowerment.

The minister, who asked women to pray for the safe returns of President Buhari from UK, where he is receiving medical treatment said, it was the present administration that brought security for women and children in the country with the defeat of  Book Haram.

Alhassan stated this in Birnin-Kebbi during her visit to Kebbi State to flag-off Advocacy And sensitisation on Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme. (GEEP) and NAWEF.

She  said Nigerians could now sleep with their two eyes closed because of efforts of Federal Government that are yielding positive results.

Her words, ” Out of of the GEEP fund, the sum of N1.6 billion has been set- aside exclusively for women only. The women special fund is known as the National Women Empowerment fund popularly called NAWEF. Both the GEEP and NAWEF are financial inclusion and microcredit programmes.”

The Minister,informed the women that each beneficiaries could get between N10,000 to N100,000 which are repayable  in six months with one month grace after disbursement, before repayment commenced.

She added that in case of individual defaulters ,their group leaders would be held responsible while members of the group would be made to repay the loan.

Related News

While appealing to women to pray for President Buhari’s return, Alhassan said, “We thank you all women for your support during the last elections in 2015. We also thank you ,our husbands because without you, we can’t  do anything. We appreciated you all, we are partner in progress.

” You must be grateful for what the government are doing now. Our government us doing s great job now,you all know that because you can sleep with your two eyes closed without fear. I want you to pray for the safe returns of Mr. President”.

The minister added that her coming to the state was due to the order of President Buhari to sensitize women across the country on what Federal government are doing said,the present administration are determined to improve welfare of women and children in the country.

Earlier, the Wife of Kebbi state Governor, Dr Zainab  Bagudu in her remarks said the issue of women empowerment is very vital to the governments stressed that the present administration has continue to embark on various programs to improve the welfare of the people of the state.

She said that President Muhammadu Buhari administration has diversified economy through agriculture stressing that Kebbi state in particular has started exporting rice to other States and abroad.

She urged Kebbi State women to cue in into the agriculture scheme of the present administration to improve their living standard.

In her remarks, Permanent Secretary, Kebbi State Ministry of Women Affairs, Hajia Halima Dikko, disclosed that social security welfare fund in the state had improved the lives of over 12,500 vulnerable persons in the areas of education,health,housing prosthetic and mobility Aids.

She added that the state government has established and funding Psychiatric Rehabilitation Centre at Jega Orphanage Home at Birnin- Kebbi, Drugs Rehabilitation centre, Zuru, rehabilitation centre for the disable at Argungu and remand home, Birnin-Kebbi