Date: 2019-11-26

No fewer than 150 women, on Monday in Ilorin, benefited from the N10.5 million empowerment fund by the Saliu Mustapha Foundation.

The Nigeria News Agency reports that the beneficiaries were selected from across all the 16 local government areas of the state.

NAN also reports that the Mustapha, the Founder of the Foundation, is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and governorship aspirant of the party in the 2019 election.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after disbursing the fund, the Director-General of the Foundation, Mr Shuaib Ambali, said that the programme was the fifth of its kind, which was aimed at reducing the rate of poverty among the downtrodden.

Ambali clarified that the scheme, which was devoid of political consideration, was a way of giving back to the society.

He said that the beneficiaries were selected based on the feasibility studies carried out at by the foundation.

The director-general said that the benefactor was concerned about the rising cases of poverty among the less-privileged, hence the regular empowerment programme.

He expressed optimism that the programme would continue to be on regular basis in the overall interest of the beneficiaries.

Earlier in his pep talk at the event, Dr Ibrahim Jawondo, Director, Centre for Ilorin Studies at the University of Ilorin, stressed the need for government to prioritise empowerment in order to tackle poverty in the country.

This, he said, could translate into development and growth for some individuals, who, in future, could handle governance in a proper way.

The don said those empowered would, in turn, assist government in the provision of infrastructure for the comfort of the generality of the people.

NAN reports that each of the beneficiaries went home with N70,000 cash.

NAN also reports that a similar empowerment programme was carried out in 2018, where 100 women benefited from a N10 million fund.

(NAN)