Katsina govt empowers 400,000 women, registers 7,000 cooperative groups
Story from Abbas Bamalli
The Katsina State Government has successfully registered 400,000 women spanning across all 34 Local Government Areas (LGAs) for empowerment initiatives. Hajiya Zainab Musa-Musawa, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, revealed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Katsina.
As part of the commitment to women’s empowerment, the government has also registered 7,000 cooperative groups, meeting the criteria for the World Bank Nigeria women empowerment project, which is set to span five years.
To bolster the empowerment process, the State Government has ambitious plans to revive four cottage centers, including Ajiwa pottery center, Daura Bakery center, Kankia oil extraction, and Malumfashi grain processing centers.
The objective is to position Katsina as a hub for oil and pottery production, boasting the best bakery and grain processing facilities.
Commissioner Musa-Musawa highlighted that Governor Dikko Radda has established the Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency, underscoring the government’s unwavering commitment to empowerment. The Women Affairs Ministry is poised to collaborate with the agency to ensure the empowerment of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) operated by women in the state.
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Musa-Musawa expressed confidence in the effectiveness of the World Bank empowerment project, emphasizing its broad reach across all LGAs. The grant, amounting to approximately N60,000 for each participant, comes with specific criteria, including commitments to education and health support. The commissioner reassured that women would consistently feature prominently in the state’s empowerment initiatives, demonstrating the government’s dedication to fostering socio-economic growth.
