Kebbi gov’s wife empowers women, youths as teachers

From Ola Muhammad, Birnin Kebbi

Wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Nafisa Nasir Idris, has empowered women and youths across the 10 political wards of Yauri Local Government Area with vocational skills and start-up tools, as the state government also moved to strengthen workers’ welfare with the approval of consequential salary adjustments and responsibility allowances for primary school teachers.

The twin interventions came as the administration continued to highlight empowerment, education and workers’ welfare as key areas of its social investment programme.

In Yauri, beneficiaries underwent one month of training in shoemaking and bag making, cosmetology, catering, makeup artistry and tailoring before receiving start-up tools to establish businesses and become self-reliant.

Addressing the graduates, Nafisa said she had been informed that it was the first time such a large-scale empowerment programme had been organised in Yauri and assured residents that another phase would follow.

“For those who were not part of this empowerment, do not worry. We are coming for the second phase, by God’s grace. That is why I want to appeal to you all to continue to support the administration of my husband because, without him, I cannot continue to empower you,” she said.

She thanked the Emir of Yauri, Zayyanu Abdullahi; Secretary to the State Government, Yakubu Bala Tafida; and other stakeholders for their support for the state government.

Tafida, who spoke at the event, commended the governor’s wife for the programme and said Kebbi had also benefited from interventions by the Federal Government in security and infrastructure.

He said President Bola Tinubu responded when Governor Nasir Idris approached him over security challenges in Yauri Emirate.

“Some months ago, the governor went to the President when we had insecurity in Yauri Emirate. The President deployed military personnel and Mobile Police officers to Yauri and Bagudo. Since then, we have had security in our area,” Tafida said.

He also referred to the coastal highway passing through the Yauri axis, saying such interventions reflected the working relationship between the state and Federal Government.

Tafida urged residents to support Tinubu and candidates of the All Progressives Congress in future elections.

The Commissioner for Solid Minerals Resources, Garba Hassan Wars, also commended the empowerment initiative and donated N4 million to assist the beneficiaries with transportation to their respective communities.

Chairman of Yauri Local Government Area, Abubakar Shuaibu Yauri, said residents had benefited repeatedly from empowerment programmes initiated by the governor and his wives.

“We have never had it this good. If one of the governor’s wives is in Yauri, the other will be in Ngaski, just to assist our people,” he said.

He recalled previous interventions under the NANAS Foundation, saying women in the area had acquired skills in shoemaking, makeup and other trades through the programmes.

The council chairman urged the beneficiaries to use the start-up tools judiciously, build sustainable businesses and improve their household incomes.

Coordinator of the NANAS Foundation, Aminudeen Attahiru Nassarawa, said the beneficiaries had undergone vocational training and performed well during the programme.

The empowerment initiative coincided with another welfare intervention by the state government, this time targeting primary school teachers.