The Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mariya Mahmud, has distributed empowerment items to 4,064 All Progressives Congress (APC) women leaders and vulnerable citizens across Kano State’s 44 local government areas.

Speaking at the mega empowerment event on Saturday in Kano, the minister acknowledged the loyalty, sacrifices, and critical roles of women as mobilisers, peacemakers, and agents of change.

She described the gathering as a symbol of hope and inclusion and as a pathway to sustainable development through the empowerment of women and vulnerable citizens.

Ms Mahmud commended the APC leadership in Kano State, particularly women leaders, for their resilience, dedication, and grassroots mobilisation, which have strengthened the party and deepened democratic participation.

She emphasised that the programme went beyond mere distribution, aiming to restore dignity, unlock potential, and ensure no one is left behind.

According to Ms Mahmud, the initiative, rooted in the APC’s progressive ideals of social justice and inclusive growth, addressed economic challenges by promoting self-reliance, stimulating local productivity, boosting household incomes, and enabling beneficiaries to contribute to economic and community development.

She said the distributed items would serve as stepping stones to self-reliance and economic activity, urging beneficiaries to use the resources wisely as symbols of trust, responsibility, and opportunity.

The minister lauded President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for prioritising social investment, women’s inclusion, youth empowerment, and the welfare of vulnerable Nigerians, noting that the programme aligns with this people-centred vision.

Items distributed included six cars, 35 motorcycles, 200 spaghetti-making machines with flour, 200 grinding machines, and 400 bags of fertiliser.

Others were 1,000 bags of rice, 30 tricycle wheelchairs for persons with disabilities, 200 sewing machines, and a cash grant of ₦30,000 each for 2,000 beneficiaries.

In his welcome remarks, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Administration and Strategy and chairman of the Working Coordination Committee, Abdullahi Kauran-Mata, described the programme as a demonstration of commitment to uplifting lives and strengthening livelihoods.

“This programme provides practical support, skills, and opportunities to empower people, especially women and the vulnerable, to become self-reliant, productive, and economically resilient,” he explained.

The director-general of the National Productivity Centre (NPC), Bappa Dan’Agundi, and the state commissioner of education, Suwaiba Ahmed, commended Ms Mahmud for the empowerment programme for women across the state.

They described the initiative as a significant step towards promoting women’s self-reliance and productivity in Kano.

A beneficiary, Aisha Abdullahi, who received a sewing machine, said it would enable her to become self-reliant.

Another beneficiary, Amina Sadiq, who received a grinding machine, described the programme as timely, noting it would improve his income and support his household.

(NAN)