Niger State Governor to invest more on skills for women, youths

…Interacts with APC stakeholders in Kontagora LGA

By Chimezie Godfrey

The Niger State Government is to provide more skills empowerment to women and youths in the state. 

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello stated this in an interview shortly after presiding over
the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kontagora local government critical stakeholders meeting in Kontagora.

The Governor explained that skills acquisition remains vital in the administration’s desire to engage women and youths in meaningful ventures. 

He stated that already, the state has supported women groups in rice milling and groundnut oil production and they are doing well. 

“In the last quarter of our budget, we made enough provision for youths and women empowerment skills acquisition because the only way to move forward is to develop skills.

“So what we are trying to do is to expand so that we have more, even graduates that are doing nothing can participate in such ventures”, he further explained. 

The Governor added that herders will also be captured in the next budget to give them sense of belonging in the state adding that fulfulde has already been included among the official broadcasting languages in the state.

Emphasizing the need for Party members to sustain the Party, Governor Sani Bello expressed delight over the meeting aimed at discussing and strategizing for the Party’s victory in 2023 general elections. 

Chairman APC Kontagora Local Government, Umar Adamu Kawo, Sen. Ibrahim Musa and Sani Mamman Lafiya, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development we’re among some of the critical stakeholders who made contribution to the meeting and stressed the need for regular interaction among Party members to identify areas of need and make adequate planning towards 2023 elections. 

According to them regular meetings would unite members and avail elders the opportunities to give pieces of advice where necessary.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello had earlier received 543 women who decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the  APC in Kontagora local government area. 

Addressing the decampees, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello commended them for making a wise decision and assured them that the Party will treat them equally with other existing members of the Party. 

Governor Bello enjoined the women to vote for APC across board in next year’s General elections, stressing the need for Party Members to contribute their quota towards its unity and stability. 

The leader of the women PDP decampees, Hajiya Aisha Makka explained that their decision was a collective one based on the goodwill and benevolence of some APC stalwarts to them regardless of Party differences. 

She said they decided to join the APC so that they will partake in the activities of the Party and fully enjoy the benefit of being  members while assuring that other PDP women from across Zone C will soon join them.

Governor Sani Bello thereafter interacted with some ex-convicts that were freed after some APC stalwarts in the local government area paid off their fines. 

He commended the gesture and encouraged the Party at the local government level to emulate it saying as an individual, he has been doing it for about 10 years now.