Sokoto trains 500 women in poverty reduction programme

The Sokoto State government has graduated 500 women under its poverty reduction programme, equipping them with skills in various trades to promote self-reliance.

The beneficiaries, drawn from across the state, received training in leather crafts, soap making, food and spice production, tamowa (local beverage) production, and hairdressing.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Governor Ahmed Aliyu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering youths and women through skills acquisition.

He stated that hundreds of individuals had been trained since the inception of his government, with support from the Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Welfare, Local Government Affairs, the Poverty Reduction Agency, and the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs.

Aliyu said: “All these efforts are part of our modest contributions to create jobs, reduce youth restiveness, and curb idleness among the teeming youths in the state.”

He added that empowering youths through skills acquisition remains a cardinal objective of his administration and urged citizens to support his efforts. According to the governor, plans are in place to train more youths in the coming years, aiming to achieve targets in job creation, poverty reduction, and youth empowerment before the end of his tenure.

“Our administration is working hard to create an enabling environment for economic growth through menial jobs, promoting artisanship, and other skilled trades. Recently, we procured 1,000 motorcycles and 500 tricycles, which were sold at subsidised rates to create job opportunities for our unemployed youths,” he said.

Aliyu encouraged the graduates to make effective use of the tools and stipends provided, emphasising the importance of financial independence for their families.

The Secretary to the State Government, Muhammad Bello Sifawa, highlighted the vital role of women in economic growth and urged the beneficiaries to justify the trust placed in them.

Representing the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Lirwanu Bello, the Magajin Rafin Sokoto, commended Aliyu’s empowerment initiatives, noting that they would significantly reduce crime and criminality in the state.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Poverty Reduction, Sa’adtu Yunusa, praised the administration for its commitment to poverty alleviation, citing significant investments in training and equipment for trainees.

Several beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn trades that would enable them to support their families.

Governor Aliyu was presented with an ‘Empowerment Trailblazer Award’ at the event, in recognition of his efforts to reduce poverty and create jobs in Sokoto State.