The Kano State Government on Thursday empowered 2,000 Persons With Disabilities with N40 million to enable them establish small businesses of their choice.
Speaking at the distribution of the empowerment packages, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, said that the gesture was in line with the state government policy towards supporting people with disability for self-reliance.
“The idea behind the empowerment is informed by the government’s desire to support people with disabilities to establish small businesses to make them self reliant,” he said.
According to him, the beneficiaries which comprised blinds, deaf and dumb, lepers among others, were selected from across the 44 local government areas of the state.
He noted that the amount, even though very meager, could support the beneficiaries to establish small businesses.
The Governor noted that the idea of inviting the beneficiaries to the government House to receive the empowerment package was informed by the desire of his administration to deal with all segments of people irrespective of their physical appearance and economic background.
“In addition to the cash grants, I ordered that you should be given bags of food items. You should be given the food stuff even if you have been given before.
“You are so important to us and we will do everything humanly possible to support you. We are aware of your overwhelming support to our government which was key to our election success,” he said.
Also speaking, the State Deputy Governor, Abdulsslam Gwarzo, urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the money while calling on them to continue to pray for the victory of Yusuf at the Supreme Court.
In her remarks earlier, Hajiya A’isha Lawal Saji, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children and Disabled explained that the beneficiaries had been drawn from the 480 wards of the state’s 44 Local Government areas
She explained that each of the 2,000 People with Special Needs would get a N20,000 grant to enable them start up small scale businesses aimed at becoming self reliant.
“This is not the first . It is a tip of the iceberg. Under the ministry, the state government had empowered vulnerable and downtrodden under our ministry.
“I thank the governor for his commitment to support youths, women and the vulnerable in the state. We will come up with more empowerment schemes to better your life,” she said.
Saji also cautioned the beneficiaries to judiciously utilise the money towards engaging in small scale businesses in order to be self reliant and avoid street begging.
