From: Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
In his ongoing empowerment effort to uplift the standard of living of the people of the state,Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has empowered no fewer than 1,000 women and youths beneficiaries from Shira and Giade local government area of the state with cash and economic tools at the sum of N150 million .
Our Correspondent reports that the the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme (KEEP) is an initiative of the Bauchi State government, aimed at empowering women and youths with incentives that will alleviate poverty and provide them with job opportunities in the state.
The beneficiaries were empowered with Motorcycles, Grinding Machines, sewing machines, Sharon buses, grinding machines, among others.
Speaking during the Empowerment Programme at the two local government areas of the state Wednesday, Governor Bala Mohammed reiterated the commitment of his administration to gradually and relentlessly pursue economic empowerment programmes, aimed at alleviating the hardship of Bauchi citizens as a result of poverty, adding that the sum of N75 million was expended for the empowerment programme in each of the local government areas.
The Governor said that the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme has already been launched in Zaki,Bauchi, Gamawa, Ganjuwa, Darazo, Bogoro,Toro and Tafawa Balewa local government areas of the state, Itas-Gadau , Jama’re , Dambam and Misau, adding that Shira and Giade local government areas has formally joined the economic Employment train of taking the generality of the majority of the people of Bauchi out of poverty..
The Governor while flagging off the programme in Shira local government area, pointed out that the initiative was meant to enable the beneficiaries establish businesses of their own or boost the existing ones.
He said that the 500 beneficiaries in the local government got sewing and grinding machines, motorcycles, vehicles while others were empowered with N50, 000 each.
According to him, the scheme which is under his programme tagged ‘Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme’ (KEEP) is expected to cover all the 20 local government areas of the state.
He said that the programme was deliberately designed to address unemployment in the state.
Our Corresspondent recalled that, the state government under the scheme had distributed 1,000 tricycles for commercial purposes in addition to a number of buses to commercial drivers on loan in Bauchi.
The governor noted that his administration is desirous of pulling citizens out of poverty and joblessness hence it initiated the empowerment programme.
In his remarks, the chairmen of Shira, Mahmud Abba, expressed appreciation to the governor for carrying his people along in delivering dividends of democracy.
The chairman who said Governor Bala Mohammed has renovated over 70 schools in Shira local government, commended him for the ongoing renovation of the 20 local government Secretariates in the state.
He called on the beneficiaries not to sell the items but make good use of them in order to become self reliant.