To cushion the effect of the current
economic downturn, the Dangote Foundation yesterday commenced the disbursement
of N400 million micro grant to 40, 000 indigent women in all the local governments
in Lagos State.
The disbursement held at the
Conference Hall of Lagos Housde, Ikeja, is a continuation of grassroots poverty
alleviation strategy of the Foundation set up by the renowned business mogul,
Aliko Dangote in 1993. The programme is costing the Foundation a sum of N10
billion and six states have so far benefitted.
The empowerment programme which is
meant to compliment the efforts of the government at all levels is targeted at
the disadvantaged and vulnerable women and youths with a one-off N10, 000.00
cash transfer to boost household income generation.
Dangote, the Chairman of the
Foundation, had expressed concern over widespread poverty among the people
especially the youths and the women at the grassroots and promised that his
organization would institute a scheme that would help in addressing the menace.
Consequently, the Dangote Foundation
came up with a micro grant scheme aimed at empowering the grassroots dwellers
with funds to help them undertake petty trading so as to lift their economy.
Already, 256,500 women in states
such Kano, Jigawa,, Kogi, Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe have benefited from the
scheme that is expected to move round all the 774 local government areas across
the nation.
However, for the first time since
the programme started, the beneficiaries in Lagos are also to be given hand
held mobile devices through Airtel telecommunication, while disbursement would
be via electronic payments
The programme, according to Dangote
is to cover at least 1000 women in each of the 774 local governments in a bid
to assist the federal government in the onerous task of poverty reduction by
equipping the vulnerable women with some money to help them start a trade to
improve family life. However, the number of beneficiaries in Lagos has been
doubled in each local government in other to reach out to a larger population
of women.
"We have chosen to partner with
State governments to support women because in Nigeria, as in other developing
countries, they bear the burden of poverty. And it is through their economic
activities from the home, the market place or the farmlands that they keep the
family, the community going meeting basic needs.
"Our research at Dangote
Foundation shows that just a little push can help establish, sustain or grow
several types of economic activities by our women. We believe these small
grants will improve the women's businesses and the wellbeing of their families
and communities.
"This is one of the goals of
Dangote Foundation's Community Development Services”, he stated.
The Dangote Foundation, he said,
sends its wishes to the women who will benefit from our grant and indeed from
other government initiatives. It is their efforts and business success that
will strengthen family and community bonds that are needed to transform this
great state and this great country.”
Dangote
then urged Nigerian government to invest in agriculture as a potent weapon
against poverty saying agriculture has capacity to engage more Nigerians and
give the nation much sought after foreign earnings much more than oil.
In his remark, Lagos State governor,
Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode thanked Dangote for the gesture saying it’s a form of
appreciation of what God has done for him in Life.
Said he: Alhaji Dangote’s decision
to share his wealth with the people is an indication of his love for the people
and should be emulated. He has decided to support our programme of regeneration
in Lagos state, we are grateful to Dangote Foundation.”
“This empowerment programme will
cover all deserving in the 20 LG and 37 Development Areas in the state. We will
ensure that nobody is denied this grant not minding the political or religious
leaning. We will continue to give the required environment to make business
thrive in Lagos.”
The Governor then appealed to all
the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the seed grant.
Welcoming the guests earlier, the
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Mrs. Lola Akande
described the disbursement as histrionic in the state and perfectly in line
with the policy trust of the state government to eradicate poverty and running
an all-inclusive government.
She disclosed that the 16 Skills
Acquisition Centers established by the stated government have helped to serve
as panacea to unemployment, economic empowerment and poverty reduction
particularly among women in the state.
Mrs. Akande said the programme which
has become popular among the people of the state particularly unemployed
graduates have shown to them that the much sought after white collar jobs are
not readily available and therefore the need for entrepreneur skills that will
make them self-reliant.
“the Dangote Micro grant scheme is
to boost household income generation of disadvantaged women in Lagos state so as
to reduce vulnerability and meeting their immediate needs in order to put it
into useful ventures so that they could be self-reliant”, the Commissioner
stated.
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