Cross section of women cap weavers in Gurduba Village, Kiyawa Local Government Area of Jigawa
NAN-ELS-1
Programmes
By Muhammad Nasir Bashir
Kiyawa (Jigawa), June 9, 2017 (NAN) Cap weavers in Gurduba Village, Kiyawa Local Government Area of Jigawa have called on the State and Federal Governments to include them in their economic empowerment programmes.
A cross section of the women made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Gurduba Village.
The women urged the state and Federal Governments to assist them with seed capital.
They told NAN that they collect materials on credit and pay back after they must have produced and sold the caps.
“We used to collect the textile materials and the threads used in the production of the caps on credit from traders in Shuwarin market.
“The textile materials cost N140 each, while the threads cost between N300, N250, N150 and N80 per roll, depending on its quality and brand.
“So, we want governments to assist us with seed capital so that we can produce in large quantities, sell and make more profits than producing on credit all the time, Mrs Hajara Hamza, a house wife said.
According to Hamza, the assistance will go a long way in boosting cap production in the area and the state in general.
Hamza said it would also encourage mass production and exportation.
Another housewife, Mrs Rukayya Sale, said that she had been doing the business for 25 years now as she used the proceeds to take care of her children’s schooling.
Sale, however, said that she had not been able to expand the business because of lack of capital, and called for government assistance.
“The government support to us will encourage mass production and exportation of the caps.
“The support will further improve the socio-economic lives of people, particularly the residents of the areas where the caps are produced.’’
Zakiyya Amadu, 14, said that governments’ intervention would enable them to learn modern techniques and skills to boost the trade.
“Since governments have promised to empower rural dwellers, we therefore call for the expansion of their economic support programmes to include cap producers.
“Such support is essential to enable us to produce in large quantity and export,’’ she said.
Some of the husbands of the women engaged in the business of cap weaving commended the efforts of their wives in complementing them in running the homes.
Malam Hamza Muhammad, said that his wife Hajara, was able to raise N4,000, adding that he had to add N2,000 to buy sewing machine for her.
He, however, said that there was the need for the government to support the women in improving their business by including them in its economic empowerment progtammes.
Malam Mannir Tasiu said that his wife, through the same business occasionally assist the family.
NAN reports that caps are widely produced in Gurduba Village in Kiyawa Local Government Area, and is known to have a large population of female cap weavers. (NAN)
MNB/EEE
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Edited by Ese E. Ekama