Political Briefs
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LAGOS State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, in collaboration with Dangote Foundation, have inaugurated the Local Government Dangote Foundation Micro Grants’ Beneficiary selection committee for women in the state.
Speaking at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium on Tuesday, February 16, venue of the event, Lola Akande, state commissioner for the ministry, said the committee was saddled with the responsibility of selecting, nominating and presenting eligible candidates as prospective beneficiaries from ward Level to the state government for final approval before they could access the Dangote Foundation Micro Grants.
While commending Dangote Foundation for its magnanimity in wanting to reduce poverty among women by empowering them, Akande disclosed that the programme was aimed at boosting the household income generation of disadvantaged women such as widows, divorcees and special people, adding that each beneficiary would be awarded the sum of N10, 000 and a mobile phone.
She said: “In view of government’s commitment to raising the standard of living of the people and its attempts to reduce the level of poverty among residents in the State, the present administration is appreciative of the collaborative gesture from corporate bodies such as Dangote Foundation and would welcome more of such.”
In his remark, Musa Bala, programme manager, Dangote Foundation, stated that Lagos State was the sixth beneficiary of the N10 Billion nationwide programme by the company having done same in five other states before. Bala said that the N400 million Lagos project was meant for the economic empowerment of vulnerable widows and socially disadvantaged women in the State.
While enjoining members of the committee to be fair in selection of beneficiaries, the manager urged them to make equity and fairness their watch words in the selection process.
The eight-member committee include, representative of executive secretaries of local government and local council development areas, representative of traditional institution in the benefitting community, one representative each from the Islamic and Christian organisations, representative of youth groups from community based organisations, two non-partisan, non-religious community members and community development officer/welfare secretary while Akande, as representative of the governor, chairs the committee.
— Feb 29, 2016 @ 01:00 GMT
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