Ishola Michael, Author at Tribune Online

The sum of N200m has been distributed to 20,000 vulnerable women drawn from across the 20 LGAs in Bauchi State by the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) in partnership with the Bauchi State government as a micro-grant set aside to assist such categories of people in the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The distribution of the grant of N10, 000 to each of the beneficiaries was flagged off on Tuesday by the Founder and Chairman of Dangote Group, Dr Aliko Dangote, who disclosed that 1,000 women were drawn from each of the state’s 20 local government areas with each woman receiving N10,000 as start-up capital. While speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at the multi-purpose indoor sports hall in Bauchi State in the presence of the state governor, Bala Mohammed, and other top government officials, the President and Founder of the Foundation who was represented by the Chief Executive Director, Dangote Foundation, Engineer Masur Ahmed, said that the program was introduced two years ago for the benefit of Nigerians regarded as very poor of the poorest. According to him, the Foundation introduced the initiative in order to empower vulnerable women in the 774 Local Government Areas in the country, adding that so far 13 states in the country have benefited from it including Bauchi State. Aliko Dangote also said that; " The micro-grants programme is a major component of the Economic Empowerment pillar of the Foundation. It provides disadvantaged and vulnerable women with a one-off, unconditional N10,000,00 cash transfer to boost their household income generation, it will help reduce their vulnerability and meet their livelihood needs." He further said that apart from the empowerment programme for women, the Foundation will introduce schemes and Programmes to improve the health of the people of the state by enhancing health facilities in the state, adding that the foundation will also identify and explore investment opportunities that will promote economic activities, thereby providing jobs for unemployed youths in the state. Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, commended the Aliko Dangote Foundation for partnering with the state government to empower the lives of women in the state, saying that the gesture shows the commitment of the Foundation to boost socio-economic development in the country. He said that in line with the Foundation's guidelines, a 19 member steering committee was constituted under the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Commission for youth and women rehabilitation and Development, (BACYWORD), Tanko Duste, to ensure the successful implementation of the exercise in the state. He assured the Aliko Dangote Foundation of a hitch-free disbursement of the grant as required by the agreement, adding that the report of the grant activity will be produced with an account of what transpired, what was accomplished with a comprehensive list of the beneficiaries of the micro-grant, including their addresses and what the grant was meant for. YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE FACT CHECK: Did UNICEF Say Blocking Children’s Access To Pornography Constitutes Human Rights’ Infringement? CLAIM 1: A Twitter user claims UNICEF said any efforts to block children from accessing pornography might infringe their human rights.Dangote foundation partners Bauchi govt to empower 20,000 vulnerable women with N200m micro-grant Dangote foundation partners Bauchi govt to empower 20,000 vulnerable women with N200m micro-grant