From Idris Khalid, Bauchi
The former first lady of Bauchi State, Hajiya Hadiza Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar, has trained 750 girls and women in various entrepreneurial skills and provided them with equipment and start-up capital to start their businesses.
The beneficiaries graduated yesterday at the end of a two-month skills acquisition programme organised to promote women’s economic empowerment and self-reliance.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at Hazibal Conference Hall, Bauchi, Hadiza said the participants were selected from different parts of the state and trained in the production of household and personal care products, including shampoo, liquid hand wash, air freshener, soap, pomade among others.
She said the initiative was designed to equip women with practical skills that would enable them to become financially independent and contribute to the welfare of their families.
“Following the training, we provided all the participants with the necessary equipment to continue producing the items they learned to make, ensuring they can stand on their own feet,” she said.
The former first lady assured the beneficiaries of efforts to link them with potential buyers if they continued production and maintained the quality of their products.
She urged them to make productive use of the equipment provided rather than sell it, stressing the importance of sustaining their businesses to achieve lasting economic benefits.
Also speaking, Abdurrahman Sani Yari, chairman of Hadiza MA skills acquisition programme across the state’s 20 local government areas, said all 750 beneficiaries received equipment and cash support to enable them to start their businesses.
Yari explained that experts were engaged to train the women in different trades as part of efforts to promote self-reliance, particularly amid prevailing economic challenges.
“Each of them was provided with a container and the necessary tools for the skills they learned, along with an additional cash gift of N10,000,” he said.
He urged the beneficiaries to put the skills acquired into practice and utilise the materials provided to establish sustainable sources of income.
Yari also called on the women to support and vote for the APC Governorship candidate and former governor of Bauchi State, Abdullahi Abubakar SAN in 2027, to sustain opportunities for similar empowerment programmes.
Some of the beneficiaries, Malama Zainab Jaja and Samira Bello, expressed appreciation to the former First Lady for the initiative.
They pledged to utilise the skills, equipment and financial assistance provided to establish their businesses, improve their livelihoods and support their families.
