The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari and the office of Senator Godswill Akpabio in partnership with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) on Friday empowered 11,600 women and youths in Akwa Ibom State.
Mrs Buhari, the founder of Future Assured Initiative, while addressing the massive crowd during the flag-off of the NDE-Powered Women Empowerment Programme in Uyo, said it was her resolve to reduce the level of poverty in the country and ensure self-reliance of Nigerian women.
Giving a break-down of the empowerment programme, the President’s wife said that 1,500 women and youths would be trained on vocational skills, while 1,000 others undergoing training would be given starter packs and a sum of N5,000 each.
She announced disbursement of interest-free loan to 1,000 beneficiaries, issuance of basic training certificates to 5,000 persons as well as other schemes as part of the empowerment package.
“Future Assured is contributing to this Programme with the empowerment of 4,000 women. As you are all aware, the importance of women economic powerment cannoy be over-emphasised. It specifically addresses the five goals of Sustainable Development Goals, SDG.”
Mrs Aisha commended Senator Akpabio and wife, Ekaette Unoma as well as others involved in organising the programme, saying that their support made the the event possible.
She charged beneficiaries of the empowerment programme to be prepared to be successful entrepreneurs in order to combat poverty and unemployment in the state and country.