Sokoto Governor’s Wife Urges 300 Women Graduates to Turn Skills into Businesses
The wife of the Sokoto State Governor, Hajiya Fatima Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, has urged 300 women who graduated from a vocational training programme to put their newly acquired skills and equipment to productive use rather than selling them for quick financial gains.
Fatima gave the advice on Saturday during the graduation ceremony, presentation of certificates and distribution of take-off grants and equipment to beneficiaries of the skills acquisition programme in Sokoto.
The 300 women were trained in six trades, with 50 beneficiaries in each category: tailoring, knitting, weaving, henna making, bead making, and shoes and bags making.
Addressing the graduands, the Governor’s wife said the state government had invested more than N150 million in the programme and urged the beneficiaries to justify the investment by starting businesses with the skills and equipment provided to them.
“The idea is to enable you start up your business without any delay. The state government has expended over 150 million on this programme, therefore you must live up to expectations.”
She said beneficiaries in tailoring and knitting would receive machines alongside N20,000 each for installation and transportation, while those trained in shoes and bags making would receive N100,000 each.
Beneficiaries in bead making, henna making and weaving, she added, would receive N50,000 each as take-off grants.
Hajiya Fatima described the programme as part of the Sokoto State Government’s broader efforts to tackle unemployment, youth redundancy and poverty through skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.
She said youth empowerment remained a priority of the administration of Governor Ahmed Aliyu, noting that the government had introduced various skills acquisition initiatives through ministries and programmes, including the Ministries of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Humanitarian Affairs, and Women and Children Affairs.
She also cited support provided to small and medium-scale entrepreneurs through the Ahmadu-Cares initiative, as well as financial and food assistance provided to vulnerable persons through the Renewed Hope Initiative of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The Governor’s wife commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu for establishing the Ministry of Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, describing the move as evidence of his administration’s commitment to promoting employment and wealth creation.
She said the government’s nine-point agenda on poverty reduction, skills acquisition and empowerment would continue to reach communities across the 244 wards of the state.
Hajiya Fatima urged the beneficiaries to safeguard the machines and grants provided to them and to share their knowledge with other members of their communities.
She also appealed to wealthy individuals in the state to complement government efforts by supporting unemployed youths with skills, equipment and start-up capital.
The Governor’s wife subsequently flagged off the distribution of machines and cash support to the beneficiaries.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, Hon. Abba Muhammad Mu’alledi, described the training programme as timely and commended the beneficiaries for their discipline and dedication throughout the training.
He also acknowledged Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s commitment to the achievements recorded under the administration’s Nine-Point Smart Agenda and appreciated the Governor’s wife for presiding over the ceremony.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Nana Asmau Abubakar thanked the Sokoto State Government for the opportunity and pledged that the graduands would make productive use of the knowledge, machines and grants provided to them.
