The wife of Sokoto State Governor, Hajiya Fatima Ahmed Aliyu, has convened a stakeholders’ meeting to explore ways of ensuring that women at the grassroots benefit more from various government interventions and support programmes.
Gatekeepers News reports that addressing participants at the meeting, Hajiya Fatima Ahmed Aliyu stated that the gathering was aimed at fine-tuning strategies to ensure that grassroots women fully benefit from the numerous government support initiatives across the state.
She explained that since the inception of the current administration, her office has introduced several intervention and support programmes targeted at improving the lives of women in the state.
“We have realised that rural women benefit less from some of these initiatives, hence the need to review our approach and ensure that support reaches them more effectively.
“Women at the grassroots often face enormous challenges, therefore, there is a need for collective responsibility to ensure that the support meant for them gets to them efficiently,” she said.
She added that the stakeholders’ meeting brought together key actors whose collaboration would help her office achieve the desired outcomes.
Hajiya Fatima further disclosed that her office has distributed various food items and cash assistance to widows, elderly women, and other vulnerable groups across the state, in a bid to cushion the effects of economic hardship and provide relief to those in need.
She also stated that hundreds of women farmers have been trained in modern farming techniques and provided with financial support to start or expand their businesses. In addition, many unemployed women have been trained in various trades such as knitting, baking, pomade and perfume production, as well as hairdressing under the administration’s poverty reduction programme.
She acknowledged the efforts of Governor Ahmed Aliyu for his continued support towards improving the welfare of the people of the state.
According to her, the present administration has introduced several programmes aimed at supporting the needy, persons with disabilities, and internally displaced persons, to make their lives more meaningful and dignified.
She added that thousands of women have received grants under the SOSMEDA initiative to start and expand their businesses, noting that the programme has created opportunities for self-reliance and economic independence, particularly for women and youths.
In addition, skills acquisition programmes implemented through SOSMEDA, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, and the Ministry for Local Government Affairs have trained thousands of unemployed youths and women in various trades and vocations.
Hajiya Fatima further assured the people of the state of the administration’s commitment to sustaining and expanding these laudable initiatives for the overall development of the state.
Earlier, the State APC Women Leader, Hajiya Rabi Tudun Wada, commended the wife of the governor for initiating various support programmes aimed at improving the lives of women across the state.
She called on women leaders across the 23 local government areas to support government policies and programmes by ensuring that grassroots women enjoy the dividends of democracy.
The meeting was attended by the wife of the Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Hajiya Aisha Idris, the wife of the Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Hajiya Farida Tukur Bala, the wife of the former Deputy Governor, Sa’adatu Shagari, APC North-West Zonal Women Leader, Hadiza Alhaji, Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Hadiza Ahmed Shagari.
Other attendees were Special Adviser on Women Engagements, Zainab Umar Dasuki, Special Adviser on Resident Communities and IDPs, Maryam Sulaiman, wives of members of the National and State Assemblies, wives of local government chairmen, wives of Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants to the Governor, as well as other APC stalwarts in the state.
