The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has empowered more than 1,000 women petty traders and residents of Karon Majigi and the Physically Challenged Colony in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as part of efforts to support livelihoods and reduce poverty.
Represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, at the empowerment programme, the First Lady expressed appreciation to the communities for their continued support of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The intervention, carried out under the Renewed Hope Initiative, saw beneficiaries receive various empowerment tools, including 39 sewing machines, 13 grinding machines, 35 water pumping machines, 45 hair dryers, 16 power chillers and five tricycle trucks.
In addition, 1,000 beneficiaries from Karon Majigi received cash grants of N50,000 each to support and expand their small businesses.
Speaking at the event, Hajia Shettima announced that the construction of a new secondary school in the community, facilitated through a partnership between the Renewed Hope Initiative and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), was ongoing and would soon be completed.
In her goodwill message, the Minister of State for the FCT, Mariya Mahmoud, commended the First Lady’s commitment to inclusivity and empowerment.
She said the programme reflected the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, which places the welfare, inclusion and empowerment of Nigerians at the centre of governance.
“The empowerment of physically challenged persons is not merely an act of charity; it is an investment in human capacity, self-reliance and sustainable development,” Mahmoud stated.
Also speaking, APC Deputy National Women Leader, Zainab Ibrahim, urged beneficiaries to make prudent use of the grants and equipment provided.
“This is a case of teaching people how to fish rather than giving them fish to eat and forget. I urge all beneficiaries to make judicious use of what has been given to them in order to reduce poverty in their homes,” she said.
The APC Women Leader in the FCT, Farida Suliaman, assured residents that the First Lady’s support for the community would continue.
“This empowerment is not just for women; it is for women, youths, men and everyone in the community. You have benefited from her interventions before, and I believe there is more to come,” she said.
