Empowerment
By Zubairu Idris
Katsina, May 10, 2018(NAN) The Katsina State Government has empowered no less than 20,000 women on vocational skills, agriculture and other small scale businesses in the state.
The State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajia Badiyya Hassan, disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the Annual Women Handcraft Exhibition Fair 2018 on Thursday in Katsina.
Hassan said that they were empowered between 2015 and 2018.
It was organised by the state government in collaboration with the Katsina Aliyos Trade Promoters Cooperative Society Association.
‘’We empowered the women in vocational skills and agriculture related enterprises like poultry, fisheries, irrigation farming.
‘’The government after training them also supported them with soft loans to start the businesses of their own,’’ she said.
She said that it was aimed at making them self- reliant, improving their living conditions and reducing poverty among women, particularly, in the rural areas.
The commissioner also said that the government enlightened women on how to assist the government toward combating social vices in the society.
She said that the exhibition would provide a platform for women to showcase their products to the world.
She, therefore, urged the authorities concerned to assist the women to create market for their products to boost economic activities in the state.
Hassan assured the women that the government would continue to join hands with such organisations to empower women.
The commissioner said that such empowerment would make them become self-reliant, create job opportunities among them and improve their living conditions.
The Chairman, Katsina Aliyos Trade Promoters Cooperative Society, Alhaji Rulwanu Aliyu, commended the state government for supporting them in promoting women handcraft.
Aliyu said that over 5,000 women within and outside the state were expected to take part in the trade exhibition.
He noted that the programme would enhance women in venturing into small scale businesses in the state.
NAN reports that the trade fair’s theme is: ‘’Developing Handcraft to Women in Katsina through Public Private Participation’’. (NAN)
ZI/AAB/PAD
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Edited By Adeboye Ajayi/Peter Dada