FG Inaugurates rice processing Mills in Niger state under the Nigeria for Women Project.
From : Abdulkadir Yahaya Minna.
The Federal Government has inaugurated Rice Processing Factories in Niger State as part of the Nigeria For Women Project, a World Bank-assisted program.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, symbolically commissioned the factories in Izom, located in the Gurara Local Government Area of the state.
The Rice Mills, situated across the three Senatorial Districts of Niger State, are distributed as follows: 13 in Gurara, 16 in Agaie, and 12 in Wushishi.
The Minister commended the Niger State government for its support of initiatives aimed at developing women in the state. She explained that the project has achieved significant success in Niger State, largely due to the support and commitment of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago. This initiative is in line with the objective of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to provide hope to many.
The Minister revealed that the President intends to expand the program to all 36 states of the federation to achieve even more positive impacts.
Niger State Governor, Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago, described the project as unprecedented. He emphasized that women are excellent financial managers and play a crucial role in the growth and development of society. He praised the Federal Government and the World Bank for initiating programs that improve the lives of many women in the state.
The Governor assured that his administration will continue to provide the necessary support for the project’s success. To encourage women further, the state government will purchase rice from them to supply boarding students in the state.
The Governor also announced that the state government has constructed a crèche near the mills to provide adequate childcare for the women, and a Level 1 Primary Healthcare Centre will soon be built to address their health needs. Additionally, he directed the construction of a 5 km road from Izom to the factory.
The Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, reiterated the commitment of the state government to uplift the livelihoods of women. He urged the women of Gurara to continue taking advantage of government policies and programs for their benefit.
Mr. Michael Ilesanmi, the Task Team Leader of the Nigeria For Women Project, expressed appreciation for the Farmer Governor’s commitment to gender equity and women’s socio-economic empowerment through this project and other initiatives. He explained that each commissioned rice processing factory has the capacity to produce two tons of rice per day and noted that these mills are among 302 projects supported by the Nigeria For Women Project nationwide.
Mr. Ilesanmi disclosed that the Nigeria For Women Project has directly supported and significantly improved the livelihoods of 460,000 women across the country.
The Chairman of the Gurara Local Government Council, Abdulhalim Abubakar, hailed the project as a significant milestone in empowering women economically. He stated that the mills will boost rice production, create employment opportunities, and enhance income generation.
A symbolic cheque of N492 million naira was presented to the 41 women groups in Niger State as operational costs.
The Farmer Governor, alongside the Minister of Women Affairs, also planted trees in the area as part of the state government’s Green Initiative.
