Laraba MUREY
In an effort to empower women and enhance productivity, the Executive Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, Christopher Maikalangu, has distributed 100 sewing machines and 100 grinding machines to women within the Area Council.
Among the beneficiaries was a woman with disabilities who received a grinding machine to start her own business.
Maikalangu who was speaking during flag-off ceremony which took place at the AMAC Town Hall in Apo-Abuja, on Tuesday, said “We are here again to distribute 100 sewing machines and 100 grinding machines. All these empowerment material must not be sold or diverted for other use.”
“Let me use this medium to encourage our mothers to engage in meaningful venture in order to earn legitimate money that will help in our various families. I want to assure you the we are confident that social development intervention with focus on support to women living in AMAC is achievable.
“As a government, we shall continue to provide necessary support to our people and we are calling on other good spirited Nigerians to partner with us in further meaningful developments.
Maikalangu encouraged mothers to engage in ventures that will help earn legitimate money and assured that the government remains confident that social development interventions focused on supporting women living in AMAC are achievable.
He said, “My empowerment programme is a sure way of remembering my people and to say thank you for the mandate given to me to lead as the Executive Chairman of AMAC. As part of our strategy, the council has determined to encourage the women to put in extra effort in legitimate business and to lift them out of poverty.
“Empowerment is part of my vision as the Executive Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council. Since I assume duty, we have been consistent in assisting people through various humanitarian interventions such as the Maikalangu Economic Empowerment Programme targeted at alleviating the plights of the vulnerable population in the Council.
“The council distributed some sewing machines, shovels, rakes, clippers, wheel chair tricycles, crouches, air pressure machines, footballs, jerseys and table tennis boards to our youths to make them productive in the society.
“Ware here again to distribute 100 sewing machines and 100 grinding machines. All these empowerment material must not be sold or diverted for other use. They must serve the purpose it is meant for in order to engage our women in meaningful ventures”
“As a government, we shall continue to provide necessary support to our people and we are calling on other good spirited Nigerians to partner with us in further meaningful developments”
Also speaking, National Women Leader of the People’s Democratic Party, Amina Ibrahim, called for more women empowerment in critical areas including, education, skill acquisition, health, economic empowerment and political representation and participation.
In her words, “Today, the most critical part of it is economic empowerment. The situation of the country today requires that people must acquire skills. What he has done today, like we said to the women, do not sell these things that have been given to you. Take it, go into the market, and make profits. You can see what is happening; there are no jobs for anybody. So for you to bridge the economic gap, you must be doing something, and today the Chairman has exemplified that. So, I’m so happy I’m here; women have been empowered.”