Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, on Thursday approved N149.2m as counterpart funding to secure shares in Dangote Petroleum Refinery for 28,284 vulnerable women across the state.
The funding is part of a partnership between the Gombe State Government and the Aliko Dangote Foundation aimed at promoting financial inclusion, wealth creation and sustainable poverty reduction.
Yahaya sai, “the initiative reflects our administration’s commitment to empowering vulnerable women through programmes that will improve their economic opportunities and promote financial independence.”
He said the government would continue to support initiatives that enable women to build assets, strengthen their livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities.
Under the arrangement, the state government’s contribution will secure 10 shares for each beneficiary, while the foundation will provide an additional 10 shares, bringing each woman’s total allocation to 20 shares.
The programme covers the 11 local government areas and 13 Local Council Development Areas in Gombe State.
The Director-General, Press Affairs, Government House, Gombe, Ismaila Misilli, disclosed the development in a statement obtained by our correspondent.
The Head of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Ms Zouera Yusuf, commended Yahaya for being the first governor in the country to participate in the initiative and fulfil the required counterpart funding obligation.
Yusuf said the governor’s commitment demonstrated the state government’s determination to improve the welfare of vulnerable groups through policies and programmes that create economic opportunities.
She said, “We commend Governor Inuwa Yahaya for being the first governor in Nigeria to participate in this programme and fulfil the required counterpart funding obligation.”
Yusuf added that the partnership would strengthen efforts to empower women and improve the economic well-being of their households.
She reaffirmed the foundation’s readiness to sustain collaboration with the state government on poverty reduction and wealth creation.
To ensure transparency, accountability and effective implementation, the state government has inaugurated a multisectoral committee to coordinate the programme.
The committee comprises representatives of the Ministries of Finance and Economic Development, Women Affairs and Social Development, and Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
The initiative is expected to provide vulnerable women with access to financial assets, strengthen their economic resilience and create opportunities for improved livelihoods and financial independence.